Instant digital transformation of industrial plants.

The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) relies on comprehensive sensor and process data from the field level. Pepperl+Fuchs, together with Bosch Digital Twins Industries and Syntax, showcased (at HM25) a joint product that demonstrates how easily aggregated data can be transferred to established cloud platforms such as AWS and MS-Azure.

The Digital Twin Starter Kit from Pepperl+Fuchs will be shown with this model at the trade fair to simulate a real application. The kit consists of powerful sensors, an IO-Link master, a fanless embedded PC, and all other components required for seamless integration of the hardware.

The IO-Link master serves as the interface between the sensors and the embedded PC for preprocessing and aggregating data from the field level, which is then transferred to the Bosch Digital Twin platform, also known as the Intelligence Core. Using a simulation model, the integrated intelligent asset performance management (IAPM) solution performs real-time data analysis.

The use of ML algorithms and AI allows functions such as prediction of potential failures, optimization of maintenance schedules, and recommendation of actions. This ensures preventive interventions for trouble-free operation of the production plant.

The starter kit configures itself automatically after connecting to the internet and powering on. The open platform and open communication standards used guarantee maximum flexibility and individual scalability.

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@PepperlFuchsUSA @hannover_messe @mepaxIntPR #Pauto #AI

Automating the impossible anywhere!

"Industrial automation’s most versatile compensation module to the world."

At the Bosch Rexroth Customer and Innovation Center in Ulm (D), they develop innovative solutions for the future of automation, such as the Smart Flex Effector, a compensation module aiming to revolutionise the industry.

Automate the impossible.
David Lehmann, System Architect at Bosch Rexroth, explains what a compensation module is and what makes the Smart Flex Effector unique:

David Lehmann

“When you think about a robot in the factory, you usually think of a six-axis robot assembling parts or building a car, or something like that. The robots have some kind of tool at the tip, like a gripper. The compensation module is the part that goes between the robot arm and the gripper. The Smart Flex Effector stands out due to its ability to provide compliance (flexibility in response to forces) in six degrees of freedom (movement in three-dimensional space).

We can measure the deflection (change in position) of the tool with high precision with an integrated sensor system. This allows us to perform complex tasks, such as precise assembly operations, that usually only humans can do. Our slogan, ‘Automate the impossible’, sums it up nicely. Our goal with this product is to enable robots to perform new tasks that they are traditionally not good at, thereby increasing efficiency and productivity.”

Connectivity challenges.
To enable the robots to perform these new tasks, the Smart Flex Effector needs to exchange position measurement data with the robot controllers, including information about the deflection of the tool and control signals for the module's locked and unlocked states.

However, connecting the Smart Flex Effector to robot controllers was challenging, as David explains. “Our product was available, but we had difficulties installing it at our customer’s sites. When we talked to our customers, the feedback was often the same: 'You have this serial interface, but I don't want to spend two weeks or more trying to connect it with my robot controller. I do not have the time or the resources to do that.'”

Simplifying connectivity with Anybus protocol converters To solve these connectivity challenges, Bosch Rexroth turned to HMS Networks who provided the Anybus Communicator Common Ethernet, a ready-made protocol converter capable of connecting serial devices to EtherCAT, EtherNet/IP, Modbus TCP or PROFINET controllers.

A key benefit of the Anybus Communicator Common Ethernet was that the same unit can connect to all the major Ethernet protocols, as David describes “This Anybus protocol converter was the ideal solution for us because we can reconfigure it with a firmware update and with just one unit, we are able to provide the connection to the different protocols.”

The Anybus Communicator’s intuitive user interface also won some new fans. “The interface is really nice. Before selling it to our customers, we tested it for ourselves in our lab where application engineers completed feasibility studies, for example. They all said that it was easy and straightforward to complete the required configurations via the web interface, which was important to us as we have customers that are not experts in automation and robotics.”

The fact that the Anybus Communicator could be installed via a web browser was a further plus point. “Both we at Bosch and our customers prefer not to install third-party configuration software. It adds security risks and complexity – just getting the required admin rights often delays installations.”

The Smart Flex Effector and Anybus Communicator have worked so well together that Bosch Rexroth includes the Anybus Communicator as part of a complete solution. “We decided to create an order number for the Anybus convertor, so that customers could buy it directly from us. So, we sell both devices together as a complete solution.”

With the addition of the Anybus Communicator, Bosch Rexroth can easily connect to all the major Industrial Ethernet protocols, and as a result have significantly expanded its market. "Now we really can address more or less the whole market”, David concludes. “We can cover everything; we haven't found a robot with a fieldbus connection that is not supported by this Anybus convertor yet."

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@hmsnetworks @HMSAnybus @RexrothDACH @mepaxIntPR #Pauto #Robotics

Sustainability and emissions progress recognised.

Prestigious award honours Bosch’s best suppliers.

Emerson has received the 2023 Bosch Global Supplier Award, placing the company among a select global group of Bosch’s most valued suppliers helping drive innovation in pursuit of sustainability targets and their commitment to climate neutrality. Emerson earned the Global Supplier Award for Sustainability, recognizing the company’s exemplary commitment to climate neutrality and comprehensive efforts to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

LtoR: Bosch's Executive President Global Business Services, Joerg Mimmel; Bosch's Senior Vice President, Supply Chain Management, Dr. Arne Flemming; Emerson's Director Business Development for its Discrete Automation Group business, Andre Jungbauer, and Emerson's Global Key Account Manager for its Discrete Automation Group business Robert Brezni.

“Sustainable supply chains strengthen global prosperity and benefit society,” said Dr. Arne Flemming, Bosch’s head of supply chain management. “We especially honor our suppliers’ commitment to climate action with an award in the special ‘Sustainability’ category.”

Emerson is a longtime automation partner to Bosch. Emerson’s global factory automation solutions portfolio helps companies meet their carbon neutral milestones. Emerson recently announced it has achieved a 42% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions intensity from the 2018 baseline, surpassing its original 20% target six years ahead of schedule. Emerson has an A- score from the Carbon Disclosure Project and prioritizes advancing solutions that impact the environment: 70% of its revenue* is tied to sustainability-enabling technologies for customers.

“Emerson is deeply honored to receive the 2023 Bosch Global Supplier Award in the Sustainability category,” said Emerson Chief Sustainability Officer Mike Train. “Our efforts are having a measurable impact as we partner with customers to make the world healthier, safer, smarter and more sustainable. We will continue to take actions that tackle emissions across our global operations while supporting our customers in their decarbonization efforts and the broader communities we serve.”

Since 1987, Bosch has presented these awards every two years to its top suppliers in categories covering sustainability, purchasing of indirect materials and services, and raw materials and components. From its approximately 35,000 global suppliers, Bosch recognized Emerson and 45 other suppliers from 11 countries for the Global Supplier Awards on July 14, 2023, at the International Congress Center in Dresden (D).

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@EmersonExchange @EMR_Automation @Emerson_ @BoschGlobal #PAuto #Sustainability

Robust connected camera-based quality system for industrial environments.

Bosch VHIT (Vacuum & oil pump products Italy) has announced that it has partnered with Lynx Software Technologies to test a new proof of concept camera-based quality program for use with real-time decision making in industrial settings. The move is part of Bosch VHIT’s digital transformation of its processes and product development.

The program captures data from cameras on manufacturing plant floors and logistics warehouses and harnesses machine learning algorithms to identify quality issues and feed information into the MES system, in order to generate an optimal decision in real time. When securely connected to the cloud, the system benefits from continued access to advanced artificial intelligence algorithms and data analytics packages.

This partnership enables the digital feedback loop that is reliant on capturing quality images and analyzing the data to provide a safe real-time action. The LYNX MOSA.ic for Industrial product enables the program to run multiple functions on a single SoC without compromising performance, security or safety.

“As we continue advancing cutting-edge technology applications for factory automation, we are excited to partner with Lynx to accelerate a new, secure IIoT-based quality system for the market,” said Riccardo Sesini, Digital Transformation Manager, Bosch VHIT. “In increasingly connected manufacturing environments, manufacturers require safe, versatile, and resource-conserving solutions. Lynx has a long history of robust, safety-critical, high-availability systems and was the obvious choice to help us realize this latest program in a safe and scalable way.”

“Partnerships such as this one with Lynx are critical to shaping our future and continuing on our path of innovation to best serve our customers,” Corrado La Forgia, Managing Director, Bosch VHIT.

For new manufacturing quality systems, Lynx’s framework is focused on ensuring security and mitigating any period of equipment downtime that could impact business output. LYNX MOSA.ic for Industrial consolidates mixed criticality workloads running on the same multicore processor - the resources and performance provided by the hardware platform, and the capability of the software components. At the same time, the framework completely isolates critical applications from non-critical workloads, in order to provide high levels of immunity to the former from cyber-attacks. Additionally, this greatly reduces the architectural complexity, cost, and number of points of failure - a critical factor in ensuring business resiliency.

“Bosch VHIT’s goal to accelerate the realization of connectivity solutions for a smarter industrial future aligns with our efforts in the space,” said Pavan Singh, Vice President, Product Management. “Providing robust edge solutions for the connected camera-based quality system will enable real-time responses to be delivered to events while ensuring critical applications run reliably and safely alongside other functions operating on the server/gateway hardware.”

This latest partnership builds upon Lynx’s growing technology partner ecosystem to accelerate the realization of mission critical edge for industrial applications.

@BoschGlobal @LynxSoftware @NeeshamPR #PAuto #IIOT