Franke GmbH

From Audit Manual to Everyday Tool

About Franke GmbH
As the inventor of the wire race bearing, Franke GmbH has been developing customized solutions for rotary and linear motion since 1936. Today, the company is internationally recognized as a specialist for rolling bearings and linear systems. Alongside its headquarters in Aalen, Germany, Franke is represented by partners and distributors worldwide.

The Challenge Before Q.wiki
Until recently, we stored numerous documents in various formats on our file server, with flowcharts created and embedded using Microsoft Visio. The management system was maintained centrally by our QM department, making updates and approvals time-consuming and cumbersome. As a result, many processes were only briefly documented, and critical information was often outdated. For new employees in particular, navigating procedures and instructions was a real challenge.

In short, our old system was a classic “audit manual”: sufficient for certification, but with little relevance for day-to-day work. At the same time, we were — and still are — tackling the broader challenge of digital transformation: striking the right balance between our legacy as a manufacturing company and our ambitions for cutting-edge innovation. To succeed, we knew we had to bring our people along on that journey.

Why We Chose Q.wiki
We wanted a modern, intuitive tool to serve as our new management system — something fundamentally different from the rigid structure we had before.

There are many tools on the market that promise ease of use and flexibility, but it was the holistic approach of Modell Aachen that ultimately won us over.

Their decentralized philosophy aligned perfectly with our own:

• Every employee should be empowered to shape and improve our processes.
• Continuous improvement isn’t a buzzword — it’s part of our culture.
  Q.wiki turned out to be the ideal platform to support that mission.

Success with Q.wiki
Q.wiki has quickly become an essential part of our organization: not just as a management system, but as our central knowledge hub.

With the Generator module, we took a major leap toward digital transformation. It allowed us to create customized workflows and digitize many of our internal processes — independently and without external IT support.

Q.wiki also proved invaluable during the COVID-19 pandemic:

• Despite working in shifts and from home, our teams always had access to the latest processes — from anywhere.
• We could instantly share updates and communicate urgent measures across the company.
• Even our works council meetings were successfully held digitally — fully compliant with all legal requirements.