ASCon Systems: Industrial automation and digital twins

IT Technology

ASCon Systems: Industrial automation and digital twins

Low-code, real-time solutions

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In brief

Gloster Digital, in collaboration with ASCon Systems GmbH, has created a cutting-edge, modular platform that enables real-time monitoring, control, and visualization of industrial environments. Working as an embedded team, Gloster helped modernize ASCon's software suite, introduced no-code design tools, and implemented live data interaction layers—accelerating ASCon's adoption in high-profile industrial projects, including work for BMW and Daimler. The collaboration not only met technical requirements, but also delivered strategic agility, scalability, and long-term value.

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ASCon Systems GmbH is a technology company based in Germany that operates in the fields of digital factory automation, industrial digital twins, and real-time operational systems. Its customers are active in the automotive, manufacturing, and utilities sectors.

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The challenge

ASCon's goal was to create a next-generation industrial platform that supports live configuration, simulation, and control of factory operations, but it ran into limitations due to legacy technology, limited internal capacity, and rapidly changing customer demands.

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Key restrictions:

Outdated UI framework (Java Server Faces) slowing down development
Lack of reusable front-end components for rapid deployment
Difficulties in transforming business requirements into usable tools
No real-time dashboard or visualization layer in place
Tools are needed that allow non-developers to configure systems.
Limited scalability of the team for delivery across multiple verticals

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The solution

Key features:

Gloster built agile development teams directly into ASCon's organization to jointly design and deliver modular, scalable tools. These solutions included complete UI modernization, no-code platforms, real-time interaction layers, and configurable dashboards—all built on reusable frameworks.

ASCon has since been using the resulting platform in high-profile industrial projects, including collaborations with Daimler and BMW, to manage manufacturing process data and support Digital Twin-driven manufacturing strategies.

Modern front-end architecture (Angular, Vaadin) to replace old stacks
Kafka-based live interaction layer for real-time control
Drag-and-drop Process Modeler for designing factory processes
Device Builder with 2D/3D modeling for layout and configuration
Modular user interface components used in the ASCon product family
Real-time, collaborative dashboards for operational insight

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Key elements of innovation:

The Gloster teams were not just executors—they proactively shaped the fundamental product architecture, designed user-centric solutions, and introduced frameworks that now form the basis of ASCon's operations.

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The teams delivered prototypes in just two weeks and reduced dependency on hard-coded configurations by enabling code-free customization. These innovations reduced both the total cost of delivery and the customer's risk profile for implementation.

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Why Gloster?

Proven ability to function as an embedded product team
Strong cultural fit with German engineering culture and work processes
Experience with Tier 1 industrial customers
German-speaking managers who enable clear communication
Focus on reusable systems and scalable architecture
Reliable near-shore delivery with proactive accountability for results

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Karsten Buch, Head of Application Engine Development at ASCon Systems GmbH, had this to say about the collaboration:

"The folks at [Gloster] provided indispensable assistance in the digital twins space, helping us build our web-based applications using Vaadin (and initially Angular). They integrated seamlessly with our internal teams, working partly in a leadership role on software architecture, but mainly as software developers. We were impressed by their expertise and professional commitment, and they contributed to the collegial atmosphere within the projects. Unfortunately, due to the company's growth, we were unable to continue employing them, but we sincerely thank them for their valuable support and are happy to recommend them to others."

- Karsten Buch, Head of Application Engine Development at ASCon Systems GmbH

Organizational impact

ASCon was able to expand its internal capabilities by leveraging Gloster's multifunctional teams. The collaboration supported effective coordination between ASCon's engineering and business teams, contributing to efficient delivery cycles. Reusable tools also reduced long-term maintenance costs.

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Operational improvements:

Faster prototyping (1-2 weeks instead of months)
Reducing the time to market for new features
Live dashboards have replaced static monitoring systems
Greater autonomy for non-development teams through no-code tools
Enhanced platform stability through modularization

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Strategic results:

Gloster's involvement helped ASCon position its platform as a flexible, scalable solution capable of serving different markets. Real-time interaction features and reusable user interface frameworks emerged as important differentiators for customers, particularly in the automotive, utilities, and smart infrastructure sectors.

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What's the next step?

Gloster remains a key development partner for ASCon, and these capabilities are now being adapted for customers in the automotive, energy, and smart infrastructure sectors, further increasing their impact.

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Technologies used

Java

JakartaEE

Docker

PostgreSQL

Angular

Azure SQL / MS SQL

Kubernetes

JUnit

Contact us!

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