AI-supported spare parts identification: Hawa Sliding Solutions optimizes customer service with Microsoft technology

Saarbrücken, March, 19, 2025 – Hawa Sliding Solutions AG and ORBIS Schweiz AG have jointly developed an innovative AI-supported part finder app. This app, based on Microsoft Power Platform and the Azure AI service Custom Vision for machine vision, automatically recognizes requested spare parts such as hinges, running rails or hardware systems based on photos that customers send by email. The technical service can tell customers in less than a minute whether the parts they have requested are available or no longer in stock.

This is a real value-add, as identifying spare parts, which often cost just a few Swiss francs, used to be a time-consuming manual process: searching product catalogs sometimes took over 20 minutes and required expert knowledge. By automating this step with AI, the new solution saves valuable time and enables service staff to focus proactively on individual customer needs. It also lays a crucial foundation for a digital customerexperience management strategy in which AI plays a central role.

AI secures valuable expertise and increases efficiency

With AI-powered image recognition, replacementpart knowledge - once stored only in individual employees’ heads - is now centrally housed in the cloud via Microsoft Dataverse, making it accessible anytime. This ensures that expertise stays within the company even if staff members leave, a significant advantage given demographic shift. The Part Finder app also stands out for its ease of use. Its intuitive interface drove rapid employee adoption, allowing the solution to be integrated into daily workflows quickly. The idea of digitally and automatically identifying parts with AI was met with enthusiastic support from stakeholders.

Rapid development through close collaboration

The starting point for the development of the app was a proof of concept, which was carried out by an internal team of service and IT employees. ORBIS Switzerland contributed its Azure AI and Power Platform expertise as a cooperation partner and leveraged its existing collaboration with Hawa - built through previous Dynamics 365 Sales and Service implementations - to align with established processes. Thanks to this cocreation approach and not starting from scratch, the project was completed in just ten days - well ahead of schedule. In addition to deploying the app, ORBIS provided a training loop for the AI model and transferred knowledge to the Hawa team, enabling them to train and enhance the solution independently going forward.

Looking ahead, customersubmitted part photos will be matched against existing virtual images using AI to further improve recognition accuracy. This AIdriven part identification marks a key step toward fully automating the process from part inquiry to ERP availability check. With this development, Hawa Sliding Solutions sets a new standard in service digitization, demonstrating the tangible value AI technology delivers to both businesses and customers.

About Hawa Sliding Solutions AG
Hawa Sliding Solutions AG (Hawa) develops and produces sophisticated and durable sliding hardware for interior design, furniture and construction at its two production sites in Switzerland (Mettmenstetten and Sirnach). The company, which is one of the global market and technology leaders in fittings for sliding solutions, sells its high-quality products through its subsidiaries in North America, Asia and the Middle East. The Swiss family business, which employs around 240 people worldwide, has been inspiring planners, architects, furniture designers, carpenters and users around the globe for 60 years. The products of the HAWA and EKU brands are characterized not only by precise workmanship, but also by efficiency, convenience and design. The range extends from sliding doors and sliding shutters to complex sliding wall systems and also includes sliding forms such as folding, stacking, turn-and-slide and automated sliding solutions on the façade. With innovative applications, technologies and materials, Hawa is constantly providing new impetus for sliding. The high level of innovation is confirmed by 350 national and international patents. Further information: www.hawa.com

About ORBIS
ORBIS helps SMEs and international corporations to digitalize their business processes – from jointly developing the customer-specific big picture, to practical implementation in the project. The digitalization and automation of business processes across the entire value chain ensure our customers’ competitiveness. The in-depth process know-how and innovative strength of our 900 employees, combined with the expertise gained from more than 35 years of successful, international project work in various industries, make us a competent partner. We rely on the solutions and technologies of our partners SAP and Microsoft, whose portfolios are rounded off by ORBIS solutions. We focus on consistent end-to-end process consulting along the entire value chain – from Recruit to Retire and Design to Operate with Source to Pay, to Lead to Cash. Using smart cloud applications, AI and the IIoT as a basis, we promote our customers’ innovative power in the development, production and marketing of innovative products, services and business models, always closely monitoring the most important hot topics such as sustainability, security and process mining. Our expertise results from over 2,500 customer projects for more than 800 companies operating in the automotive supply industry, construction supply industry, electrical and electronics industry, mechanical and plant engineering, logistics, metal industry, consumer goods industry and trade. To name but a few examples, our long-standing customers include the ZF Group, Hörmann, Hager Group, Rittal, Andreas Stihl, BEUMER Group, NETZSCH Group, Paul Hartmann, SICK, DMG Mori, ThyssenKrupp, PERI, Sonepar, WAREMA, Witzenmann, Bystronic, Ferrum, Halter, V-ZUG, Blaser Swisslube, Hawa, Alfred Müller, Yanmar Marine International, Royal Avebe, Ottakringer and LiSEC.

Press contact
ORBIS SE  
Ms. Bettina Gassen
Head of Marketing 

Nell-Breuning-Allee 3 - 5 
66115 Saarbrücken 

Tel.: +49 681 9924 692 
Mail: bettina.gassen(at)orbis.de
Web: www.orbis.de