Robert Bosch GmbH
A Success Story with Robert Bosch GmbH
Staus Quo
Bosch faced the challenge of modernizing an existing plant without interrupting ongoing processes. The previous systems offered little flexibility, required operation via 24 visualizations spread across 10 different monitors, and caused recurring bottlenecks.
flexlog integrated modular conveyor technology and future-proof IIoT software that not only reduced throughput times and provided full transparency into the material flow but also visualized the entire plant and processes in a single dashboard.
The result: Clear, efficient processes, faster response times, and significantly higher plant availability.
The Robert Bosch Logistics Center in Karlsruhe is a key component of Bosch’s global logistics network for the automotive aftermarket. It supplies repair shops, wholesalers, and distribution partners with replacement parts, diagnostic equipment, and workshop tools.
The Karlsruhe Logistics Center handles the storage, picking, and shipping of products to customers throughout Europe, meeting the highest standards of efficiency, reliability, and delivery speed.
In recent years, the facility has undergone extensive expansion and modernization with the goal of processing the high order volume efficiently and in a future-proof manner.
Key Facts
Location
Robert Bosch Logistics Center Karlsruhe, Hagsfeld
Modules Used
visu, care, ticket
Project duration
First talks since mid-2019
Why action was needed
Lack of clarity
and transparency
There was no comprehensive overview of plant conditions and processes, which made it difficult to make quick decisions and respond efficiently to malfunctions. In addition, long travel times had to be accepted when malfunctions occurred.
Significant manual effort
Maintenance tasks were scheduled using Excel spreadsheets, then printed out and filled in by hand on-site. This manual documentation process took extra time and made it difficult to track maintenance work in a structured manner.
Fragmented IT infrastructure
Fault monitoring and troubleshooting were handled by numerous separate systems with different visualizations and user interfaces, which made control room operations unnecessarily complex and confusing.
Selection
Why flexlog?
Bosch chose flexlog because the system integrates all processes into a single platform, offers a high degree of flexibility thanks to its modular design, and can be easily adapted to a wide variety of plant control systems. It enables centralized control, thereby supporting the efficient monitoring and coordination of complex plant infrastructure and processes.
Our goal
Standardize and simplify
The goal was to consolidate all plant components into a single centralized visualization system, improve oversight of malfunctions and maintenance statuses, reduce response and travel times, and thereby significantly increase efficiency, flexibility, and data quality in the control room.
Project Timeline
The Custom Solution for Bosch
Background
Current situation: There are several ticketing systems, numerous visualizations, and maintenance logs maintained in Excel and printed out, which are then filled out manually. All of this is to be migrated to a unified, digital, and centralized system.
Concept
The customized solution, onevisu, was developed in close collaboration with Bosch. Bosch directly contributes its requirements, challenges, and ideas, which are continuously incorporated into the product’s further development. onevisu is regularly updated and optimized.
Implementation
After several iterations and prototypes, onevisu was successfully implemented. The Visu, Care, Ticket, and Statistic modules were integrated at the site and put into production.
Challenges
A very large facility with extensive material handling equipment from various manufacturers, including some systems that are significantly outdated and up to 40 years old. This makes integration particularly challenging, as many of these systems provide little or no data.
Milestones
Hall 106A was the first large hall to be fully visualized. For the first time, manual operation was activated in real time, all currently integrable systems were consolidated in onevisu, and maintenance management was rolled out to all integrated systems.
Special Features
Our collaboration with Bosch is very close and flexible. onevisu is a work in progress. Adjustments are still being made even after it has gone live. For example, new modules such as the “Spare” spare parts management system are currently being integrated.
Ergebnis
Travel times reduced by 50%
Approx. 1,000 tickets
per week
1 system
instead of 30 systems
“I am convinced that Horizon can bring benefits to many logistics centers around the world.”
Gerhard Beutel
Team Leader Technical Maintenance
Robert Bosch Gmbh
