Case Study

The transformation of ABB E-mobility with Oracle PLM Cloud

Business Reply supported the cloud transition of ABB E-mobility's Product Lifecycle Management, towards new operational efficiency benchmarks.

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The challenge

Modernise product lifecycle management processes, moving from on-premise solutions to innovative cloud strategies.

SCENARIO

The modernisation of Product Lifecycle Management in the cloud

ABB E-mobility, a world leader in electric vehicle charging solutions, offers a wide range of products including household chargers for electric vehicles, charging stations for electrified fleets, opportunistic charging services for electric buses and trucks, and high-power chargers for highway stations. The integrated offer includes charging hardware, digital services, advanced energy and fleet management solutions, with 24/7 remote monitoring via the cloud. To maintain high-quality standards in the development of its solutions, the company has decided to modernise its strategic Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) processes, through which it manages the entire path of its products: from initial conception to development, through service, to disposal.

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The solution

Abb E-mobility's cloud journey, from Oracle PLM Agile to Oracle PLM Cloud

To face the challenge of a constantly evolving PLM, ABB E-mobility opted for the implementation of Oracle PLM Cloud, migrating from the previous on-premise Oracle PLM system, moving towards a more fluid and integrated Product Lifecycle Management, and paving the way for new standards of operational efficiency. Thanks to the support of Business Reply, key functionalities have been maintained and optimised, such as Bill of Materials management (Separate Base), technical documentation and supplier orchestration. The solution has been enriched with add-ons created through the Oracle Cloud PaaS, accelerating key processes. This has led to greater agility in modifying the Bill of Materials and to more efficient and collaborative access to the system for co-designers and suppliers, in addition to improving the management of unique product identifiers. The integration with existing ERP systems and advanced reporting have provided a holistic view and real-time data, essential for making informed and quick decisions.

How did we do it

A “product driven” approach oriented to Innovation

In the transition of ABB E-mobility to Oracle PLM Cloud, Business Reply adopted a concrete approach focused on the company's business context. The process included a series of interactive workshops, which played a key role in allowing a complete understanding of the system and gradually refining the product configuration in accordance with functional and process requirements.

The implementation phase focused on integrating the new system into existing activities, ensuring a smooth transition and minimising any operational inconvenience. This involved adapting and testing key functionalities, such as Bill of Materials management and integration with ERP systems, to ensure full operation from day one. Thanks to this approach, an effective and timely transition to the Oracle PLM Cloud system was made possible, strengthening the lifecycle management capabilities of ABB E-mobility products.

The results

Cost balance and process optimisation

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Reduction in Total Cost
of Ownership (TCO)

The move to the cloud has led to a significant reduction in costs for ABB, thanks to the elimination of expenses related to customisations and manual updates. Automatic cloud updates have significantly reduced operating and management costs.

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Continuous access to
technological updates

Thanks to the scheduled updates of the Oracle releases, ABB E-mobility can guarantee a system that is constantly updated to the latest version of the technologies adopted.

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Operational efficiency and
better user experience

The transition to the cloud has led to a tangible improvement in operational efficiency: management and access to information is decidedly faster and more intuitive, significantly improving the overall user experience.

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ABB was founded in 1988 from the merger of two important European industrial companies: the Swedish ASEA, founded in 1883, and the Swiss Brown Boveri, founded in 1891, which already in 1903 acquired Tecnomasio Italiano, the oldest Italian electromechanical company created in 1863. ABB's Electrification division has always been at the forefront of developing innovative electrical distribution, and today it is writing the future of safe, intelligent and sustainable electrification. With more than 13 years of experience in DC fast charging, it has an unprecedented reach with the sale of more than 1 million electric vehicle chargers in more than 85 markets, more than 50,000 DC fast chargers and more than 1 million AC chargers.

April 2024