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Engineering the next innovation in material science with Microsoft Power BI
Technology Category
- Analytics & Modeling - Predictive Analytics
- Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Data Visualization
- Platform as a Service (PaaS) - Data Management Platforms
Applicable Industries
- Aerospace
- Automotive
- Oil & Gas
Applicable Functions
- Business Operation
- Product Research & Development
- Quality Assurance
Use Cases
- Predictive Maintenance
- Remote Collaboration
Services
- Cloud Planning, Design & Implementation Services
- System Integration
- Training
The Challenge
Kennametal faced challenges in tapping into its vast intellectual property and managing data effectively. Despite implementing an SAP ERP system, extracting and working with data remained difficult. Employees used various analytics tools, but none met the company's goals for detailed analytics. The proliferation of uncontrolled documents and data saved to desktops posed a security risk. Kennametal needed a centralized, powerful, and easy-to-use business intelligence (BI) solution.
About The Customer
Kennametal, founded in 1938, is a global leader in creating tools and industrial materials, serving industries such as aerospace, automotive, construction, mining, and oil & gas. With over 12,000 employees and customers in more than 60 countries, Kennametal attributes its success to a quick, attentive response to customer needs and a problem-solving attitude. The company focuses on scientific processes for analyzing materials and managing engineering teams, aiming to speed up the development process by comparing data sets of products and characteristics.
The Solution
Kennametal decided to transform its IT environment by moving to the cloud and adopted Microsoft’s cloud-based BI tools, including Power BI. Power BI’s natural-language query feature allowed users to ask questions and see results in visual formats like charts and graphs. This solution provided 12,000 employees with cloud-based access to sophisticated analytics and project data. The company also planned to equip employees with Windows 10 tablets for mobile access to Power BI and Cortana, enhancing workflow and data accessibility. Integration with Microsoft Dynamics CRM and other internal applications was also anticipated.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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