Modernizing Manufacturing Workflows at Kämpfe Elektronik

Connecting departments and streamlining operations in an electronics manufacturing environment

Kämpfe Elektronik produces printed circuit boards for the automotive, medical, and technology industries. We partnered with them to design a user-centric digital product: an internal mobile app that connects their different departments, facilitates materials management, and improves internal communication.

For this project, it was essential to respect established manufacturing workflows — only by fully understanding Kämpfe’s factory setting and operating conditions we could design a truly helpful digital solution that fit established routines with no disruption.

Designing for users with varying levels of digital literacy in a factory setting

The app needed to work for employees with varying levels of digital literacy, from experienced technicians to those with limited technology exposure. This gave us the chance to create an interface that integrated IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) scanner technology while remaining approachable for all employees.

Most importantly, we needed to design a system that would scale with the company’s manufacturing growth. As the factory evolves and expands, the solution needed to remain usable with an increasing number of materials, departments, and employees.

Our factory-first approach focused on practical tools for real manufacturing environments

By analyzing users and their current workflows, we understood the essentials for which the application would be used. We focused initially on warehouse management as a starting point, collaborating closely with the product manager, developers, and employees. We created a mobile app that:

• Allows employees to scan materials for important information

• Facilitates reordering and improves storage efficiency

• Supports communication between departments

• Provides clear status updates using numbers and color-coding

• Functions as a practical tool in fast-paced factory environments

The methods that ensured solutions matched real factory conditions

Our UX/UI designers made repeated face-to-face visits to the factory to talk directly with users and discuss solutions with the Kämpfe team. This hands-on approach ensured that the final product truly addressed the real-world needs of those who would use it daily.

Our collaborative approach combined several methodologies to ensure the app truly met the needs of factory workers:

• In-person user research at the factory floor to understand workflows

• Iterative prototyping and testing with the factory employees

• Cross-functional collaboration with an external development team

• Usability testing in the actual manufacturing environment

• Design system development for consistent experiences and future scaling

• Quality assurance throughout the development process

The app’s measurable impact on operations and business success

The mobile app we developed has delivered added value for employees and the entire business. With the new system in place, Kämpfe Elektronik has:

• Successfully taken on larger orders and processed them more quickly

• Improved internal communication between departments

• Streamlined material management and tracking

• Enhanced their modern, forward-looking image when presenting to potential clients

• Attracted new A-list clients partly due to their improved digital capabilities