When products are still in development, requirements often change with every iteration. In this phase, procurement quickly becomes a critical factor: if components are missing or coordination is delayed, tests and optimization loops come to a standstill. CeiliX therefore relies on digital procurement with FACTUREE in prototype construction and pre-series production.
The focus is on complex components for the InfinityCrane - a modular, rail-guided ceiling automation system. CeiliX uses FACTUREE to obtain the required drawing parts at short notice, can implement design changes flexibly and relieve internal resources in purchasing in a targeted manner.
CeiliX Technology GmbH develops automation solutions for logistics and production environments in which transport and handling processes are relocated to the hall ceiling. The core product is the InfinityCrane with its rail-guided „SkyRunner“ drive unit, which moves loads omnidirectionally in the ceiling space. Depending on the design, the overhead crane system can handle loads of up to one ton.
Complex components, high mix of variants - limited purchasing resources
In the early development phase of the InfinityCrane, CeiliX did not have its own specialized purchasing department. At the same time, procurement placed high demands: The overhead crane system requires high-precision milled parts with CNC 3-axis machining - with tight tolerances, different alloys, various threads, helicoils and specific surface coatings such as galvanic processes. In addition, regular design adjustments were made at the prototype stage.
„This combination quickly leads to a high level of coordination in purchasing: searching for suppliers, technical clarifications, coordination on post-processing and quality - often across several individual suppliers,“ explains Dr. Torsten Siedel, CTO of CeiliX Technology GmbH. „We therefore needed a procurement model that reliably covers drawing parts, including post-processing, without having to build up and manage a large pool of suppliers internally.“
One central interface instead of many individual suppliers
During this phase, CeiliX decided to work with FACTUREE. The decisive factor was that this procurement model requires only one contractual partner and one central interface - with simultaneous access to a broad manufacturing network.
FACTUREE pools the expertise of over 2,000 audited manufacturing partners worldwide and handles the entire process from the initial inquiry to production, post-processing and delivery. Liability issues, audit requirements and administrative work are managed centrally by the procurement service provider. The digital mapping of all process steps and AI-supported methods support efficient supplier selection and cost-effective production decisions.
„We were particularly impressed by the fact that we only have one contractual partner in FACTUREE and at the same time benefit from a broad network of manufacturers,“ says Dr. Torsten Siedel. „We have a fixed contact person who advises and supports us. FACTUREE takes care of sourcing and all other downstream processes. This reduces supplier management and coordination loops to a minimum.“
(Find out more about FACTUREE's business model and vision here.)
Agile procurement supports fast development cycles
CeiliX uses the components procured via FACTUREE in research and development as well as in pre-series production. The range extends from individual parts in prototype construction to iterative adaptations and small series for initial customer deliveries.
The operational process is deliberately kept lean: Once a design phase has been completed, the CAD data is transmitted digitally, checked technically and ordered. Prototypes can then be manufactured, tested and, if necessary, reordered at short notice or reordered in an adapted form. In this way, development cycles can be tightly synchronized without procurement becoming a bottleneck.
„Personal and solution-oriented coordination is important to us - for example with tolerances or galvanic coatings. This allows us to clarify technical details quickly and transfer changes to the next iteration without long loops,“ says Dr. Torsten Siedel.
Noticeable relief in sourcing and shorter time-to-market
The procurement process has been stable and transparent since the start of the collaboration. Thanks to central processing, CeiliX receives fully specified components - including helicoils and defined surfaces. Separate orders for special processes or the coordination of several service providers are no longer necessary.
„The elimination of our own supplier search - especially for special processes - saves us considerable resources in sourcing. With the help of FACTUREE, we were able to significantly shorten the time-to-market of our InfinityCrane,“ explains Dr. Torsten Siedel. „The high quality of the components ensures that our system also delivers the expected performance in industrial use: even loads in the ton range can be moved precisely and with minimal effort - often a finger is enough to push them.“
Scalable procurement for further expansion
Following the successful launch of the pre-series, CeiliX is planning to gradually expand series production. The InfinityCrane has a modular design and is already in use in Germany, Austria, Sweden, Belgium and the USA. Global demand is growing and scalability is therefore becoming increasingly important.
CeiliX therefore sees FACTUREE as a central partner for flexibly expanding production capacities and continuing to organize the procurement of drawing parts via a central interface as volumes grow.
FACTUREE experience summarized
- Significant resource savings in sourcing - Supplier search, technical coordination and post-processing are handled by a central partner.
- Shorter time-to-market through agile procurement - Design changes can be implemented at short notice without interrupting development cycles.
- Complex requirements reliably fulfilled - CNC milled parts with tight tolerances, various alloys, helicoils and electroplated coatings from a single source.
- Fixed contact person instead of supplier pool - one contractual partner for the entire process from inquiry to delivery.
- High component quality ensures system performance - Precisely manufactured components enable load movements in the tons range with minimal effort.
