Alongside Bosch to trial smart manufacturing solutions

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Smart Manufacturing is approaching fast, and we are hot on its heels. This is the reason we promote so many cooperative research projects in the sector alongside public and private sector partners.

One of the most innovative projects is the one developed with Bosch Group VHIT S.p.A. - Vacuum & Hydraulic products Italy – specialised in the production of automotive vacuum pumps. The project’s objective is to improve real-time monitoring of machinery conditions and of production by trialling innovative manufacturing solutions.

We designed, developed and installed a pilot application for Monitoring and Data Analytics in the Bosch Group Offanengo (CR) Competence Centre. The solution ensures that ideal conditions for product and system functioning are maintained.

The application collects process data in real time thanks to the Internet of Things and makes it available in graphic format while also enabling statistical analysis of various parameters. In addition to constant updates on the efficiency of each production line, the application thus also performs a Preventive Maintenance function. Data monitoring enables the identification of anomalies and triggers alerts so that it is possible to intervene pre-emptively or at least rapidly against potential difficulties.

The pilot within the Offanengo plant is evolving and will provide a model of Predictive Maintenance. The objective is to test the extension of prediction curves to monitor the condition of machinery and production over a longer period of time at intervals of 6, 12, 24 hours and so on. This is an exciting challenge and we are deploying our best resources on it to perfect Machine Learning algorithms that can identify and analyse historical correlations between variables, and at the same time to predict trends enabling pre-emptive corrective action triggers.

 

The systems deployed for VHIT are still at an experimental stage and were implemented via Fincons’ Smart Manufacturing Application Development Platform which was developed within the Apulia Region Programme Contract. This plan of investments started in 2016 and will end in May 2019 and includes Research and Development activities in technology and applications for Industry 4.0 carried out in cooperation with Bari Polytechnic University.

The Fincons and VHIT teams involved in the project have started a PROMISING AND PRODUCTIVE PARTNERSHIP that achieved important demonstrable results even during the initial pilot phases. These enabled the team to identify any potential issues and improve processes in all similar Bosh Group production plants globally.

A partnership highlighting the role of smart manufacturing in industry 4.0.Alongside Bosch to trial smart manufacturing solutions