Case study Zirkonzahn GmbH

MES cockpit ensures complete transparency on the shop floor

In the service of improved production planning and process-optimized workflows: The innovative full-service dental prosthesis supplier for dental laboratories and dentists Zirkonzahn GmbH monitors its store floor in detail with over 45 machines and systems. The company uses the PROXIA MES software suite with machine and production data acquisition, monitoring and reporting, and CAQ for complete transparency in manufacturing. The MES supports bringing the high speed of product innovations into a stable series production. Valid data from the store floor provides answers to key questions: What happens when and where? The findings from this help Zirkonzahn to achieve greater flexibility and productivity in order-based just-in-time production as well as better control in the event of high production utilization.

“With PROXIA MES, we practically kill two birds with one stone, namely absolute transparency for CIP and comprehensive control of product quality. PROXIA MES is the cockpit for our entire production.”

Manuel Hellweger
Production Manager of the Zirkonzahn GmbH

Highlights and benefits at a glance:

MES cockpit with holistic production monitoring
Valid production data as the basis for the continuous improvement process
Continuous transparency and unit-dependent recording of quality data
Vivid timeline visualization of progress in production order processing
Seamless online acquisition of detailed machine data
Minimization of manual recording activities through structured introduction of low-paper to paperless manufacturing

Full Transparency on the Shop Floor – With PROXIA MES to Smart Series Production at High Innovation Speed

Industry

Zirkonzahn was founded in 2003 by South Tyrolean dental technician and inventor Enrico Steger and is now one of the world's leading system providers of zirconium dental restorations. The company produces over 5,000 individual products at two locations. With state-of-the-art machinery and around 300 employees, Zirkonzahn supplies customers in over 100 countries and operates 17 international branches. Production is subject to strict regulatory requirements in accordance with the MDR and requires just-in-time production with a high degree of flexibility.

Problem

Due to the rapid expansion of the machine fleet, the growing variety of products, and the high demands for documentation and quality, paper-based processes reached their limits. There was a lack of transparency, the causes of disruptions were difficult to trace, and production monitoring was too dependent on individual personnel. At the same time, MDR certification required complete traceability, while just-in-time manufacturing demanded reliable control and high flexibility.

Solution

In 2017, Zirkonzahn began systematically expanding its MES system and implemented the modular MES solution from PROXIA, including MDE, BDE, reporting, monitoring, and CAQ. The platform-independent and scalable system architecture enables cross-site networking and easy integration of new machines via OPC-UA or Sigmatek PLC. Close integration with the Radix ERP system allows for bidirectional exchange of production and order data, complete traceability, and digital documentation of all processes. The MES cockpit serves as the central control unit for the entire production operation.

Result

With PROXIA MES, Zirkonzahn achieved nearly paperless production and gained complete transparency across all manufacturing processes. Precise machine data enables accurate post-calculations, supports the continuous improvement process (CIP), and ensures product quality through CAQ data collection. Harmonized processes increase flexibility in order-based manufacturing and improve control during high utilization. Future expansions such as predictive maintenance and hybrid machine integration highlight the solution’s forward-looking capabilities—PROXIA MES is the backbone of smart series production at Zirkonzahn.