Paul Horn Wins Second Allianz Industrie 4.0 Award - Digital Innovation in Tool Manufacturing

Digitalisation Paul Horn wins award for digital tool life cycle innovation

2025-01-30 Source: Horn 2 min Reading Time

Related Vendors

Horn Cutting Tools Ltd

HASCO Hasenclever GmbH + Co KG

BORIDE Engineered Abrasives

Renishaw plc

Cutting tool manufacturer Paul Horn has received a second Allianz Industrie 4.0 Award Baden-Württemberg, underlining the company's continuous pursuit of innovation and its pioneering role in digitalisation.

Horn MCD inserts can be re-polished several times.(Source: Nico Sauermann/ Horn) — Horn MCD inserts can be re-polished several times.
(Source: Nico Sauermann/ Horn)

To extend the service life of its inserts and solid carbide tools, which must meet the highest standards of precision and quality, Horn offers customers a reconditioning service worldwide. Refurbishment is carried out in fixed steps, regardless of actual wear. Previously it was not feasible to document individual measurements or other data on receipt of the tool and after processing.

Horn’s innovation has been to digitally map the life cycle of tools to enable the recording of quality-critical data using a web-based solution customised for specific groups of tooling products. The Horn Service Platform (HSP) prevents errors and reduces lead-times by digitally automating and accelerating administrative tasks.

Gallery

Solid or interchangeable-insert carbide tool systems for gear skiving can be repeatedly reground.(Source: Horn)

The way in which HSP is able to streamline the assessment of the initial condition of worn tools after receipt and maintain order data in an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system is the basis of the latest award.

More than 15 stations in Horn’s factory have been connected to the tool manufacturer's Industry 4.0 digital production infrastructure, for which the manufacturer was awarded an Allianz Industry 4.0 Baden-Württemberg Award in 2023. The most important processes monitored include laser marking, grinding, various tests and measurements, cleaning, blasting, coating, packaging and shipping.

The HSP digitally assigns a unique identification number to each tool manufactured, transcending the boundaries of a classic ERP system. For seamless traceability, data can be recorded throughout the servicing process and displayed on a web interface in a structured and transparent manner. It includes all quality-critical data, such as measured values (height, diameter, concentricity, etc.), test reports, images and comments. Horn and its customers share one system, but with individual views and clear demarcation of the information.

Introduction of HSP has significantly speeded delivery of reconditioned tools and created transparency across the tool life cycle. Additionally, whereas servicing was formerly only economical for large quantities of tools, now smaller batches may be processed cost-effectively. The data collected provides the basis for future analyses and optimisation of manufacturing processes.

Horn is gradually rolling out this digital solution and will use it in other product areas, with gear skiving tools and PCD tools expected to follow.

(ID:50303323)

Subscribe to the newsletter now

Don't Miss out on Our Best Content

Business E-mail

Please enter a valid mailadress.

By clicking on „Subscribe to Newsletter“ I agree to the processing and use of my data according to the consent form (please expand for details) and accept the Terms of Use. For more information, please see our Privacy Policy. The consent declaration relates, among other things, to the sending of editorial newsletters by email and to data matching for marketing purposes with selected advertising partners (e.g., LinkedIn, Google, Meta)

Date: 08.12.2025

Naturally, we always handle your personal data responsibly. Any personal data we receive from you is processed in accordance with applicable data protection legislation. For detailed information please see our privacy policy.

Consent to the use of data for promotional purposes

I hereby consent to Vogel Communications Group GmbH & Co. KG, Max-Planck-Str. 7-9, 97082 Würzburg including any affiliated companies according to §§ 15 et seq. AktG (hereafter: Vogel Communications Group) using my e-mail address to send editorial newsletters. A list of all affiliated companies can be found here

Newsletter content may include all products and services of any companies mentioned above, including for example specialist journals and books, events and fairs as well as event-related products and services, print and digital media offers and services such as additional (editorial) newsletters, raffles, lead campaigns, market research both online and offline, specialist webportals and e-learning offers. In case my personal telephone number has also been collected, it may be used for offers of aforementioned products, for services of the companies mentioned above, and market research purposes.

Additionally, my consent also includes the processing of my email address and telephone number for data matching for marketing purposes with select advertising partners such as LinkedIn, Google, and Meta. For this, Vogel Communications Group may transmit said data in hashed form to the advertising partners who then use said data to determine whether I am also a member of the mentioned advertising partner portals. Vogel Communications Group uses this feature for the purposes of re-targeting (up-selling, cross-selling, and customer loyalty), generating so-called look-alike audiences for acquisition of new customers, and as basis for exclusion for on-going advertising campaigns. Further information can be found in section “data matching for marketing purposes”.

In case I access protected data on Internet portals of Vogel Communications Group including any affiliated companies according to §§ 15 et seq. AktG, I need to provide further data in order to register for the access to such content. In return for this free access to editorial content, my data may be used in accordance with this consent for the purposes stated here. This does not apply to data matching for marketing purposes.

Right of revocation

I understand that I can revoke my consent at will. My revocation does not change the lawfulness of data processing that was conducted based on my consent leading up to my revocation. One option to declare my revocation is to use the contact form found at https://contact.vogel.de. In case I no longer wish to receive certain newsletters, I have subscribed to, I can also click on the unsubscribe link included at the end of a newsletter. Further information regarding my right of revocation and the implementation of it as well as the consequences of my revocation can be found in the data protection declaration, section editorial newsletter.