Bystronic - Lenhardt Technology and AIT AG win 1st prize in the Microsoft ".NET Solutions Award” at CEBIT 2003

The innovative and modular solution for the visualisation and processing of information in automation technology was successful in the “Customer projects / Major customers” category.

“.NET Factory“ has been named solution of the year 2003. The system is used for the visualisation, analysis and processing of process data in automation systems.

Lenhardt Maschinenbau GmbH in Neuhausen-Hamberg is part of the Swiss Bystronic Glass division and is the world’s leading supplier of solutions for innovative production facilities in insulating glass manufacturing.

“In co-operation with AIT Applied Information Technologies AG from Fellbach and led by Dipl.-Ing. Rudolf Günther the integrated solution was geared towards the needs of the global market, thus expanding our technological leadership“, explained Dr. Christian Daniel, Technical Director and Exec. Vice President of Lenhardt Maschinenbau GmbH.

The development based on .NET technology is the most modern software platform currently on the market. It allows operating surfaces to be flexibly adapted to customer requirements via graphical configuration, i.e. without any programming costs. Automatic language switching at runtime and the presentation of control values in the form of plain text or even pictures are among the features that make systems much easier to operate and drastically reduce the orientation period.
The open architecture also guarantees a vertical link to higher-level PPS and control systems. Moreover, this software platform has a neutral layer, which can be used to actuate all standard control systems (Siemens, B&R, Schleicher etc.) without the need to reprogram the operating surface.

The award panel was made up of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Mittelstandsberatung mbH (German association of medium-sized business consultancy), the BizTalk Competence Center Karlsruhe e.V. from the University of Karlsruhe and specialists from Microsoft Germany. They emphasised the level of innovation and the benefits of the product for medium-sized businesses.

The DGM mbH’s crucial criteria included the customer orientation of the entire solution and its investment security in the sense of quality assurance and “return on investment“.

The BizTalk Competence Center Karlsruhe e.V. focused on the level of innovation in the sense of the efficiency of the solution, the modularity of the architecture concept, and the utilisation of Web Services. Alongside the depth of implementation of .NET technology, the Microsoft specialists particularly attested to the solution’s security aspects and the consistent implementation of the software development process from analysis to design and programming right through to fully developed test strategies.