Industry 4.0 from Bosch: a new level of efficiency

New dimensions for maintenance, troubleshooting and training

On the mandrel wheel machine PME 4081, Bosch demonstrates how employees could perform maintenance activities even faster thanks to Augmented Reality (AR). To do so, they receive step-by-step instructions on their tablet, consisting of real machine images, as well as detailed visual and textual information. This way even service staff without expert knowledge can remedy faults and carry out format changes quickly and reliably.

AR glasses further speed up this process: instructions are projected directly into the field of view, so that operators have both hands available for the format change. This not only results in an efficient and correct execution of the task. It also brings a welcome change to daily work, as well as a positive user experience. New AR applications also make troubleshooting a lot more efficient. In case of a malfunction, the operator is shown the exact position of the component on his tablet, enabling him to locate and correct the defect faster.

Thanks to Virtual Reality (VR), operators can view the virtual image of their real machine, for instance via a smartphone which is integrated into a pair of glasses. VR applications especially facilitate error location and troubleshooting. They can, however, also be used for virtual trainings, such as learning about format changes under near real-life conditions. Trainers can view the simulation live and give supporting instructions immediately. For operators, this is an efficient and safe way of training, as faults have no direct consequences. Moreover, the production process does not need to be interrupted.
“At interpack we want to explore these entirely new possibilities for our industry together with our customers,” König explains.