The automotive industry is advancing at breathtaking speed in terms of technology and design. For production to keep pace, there is a need for future-focused control systems. For the automated production of active driving safety products, at its location in Blaichach, Bosch therefore uses the control platform ctrlX CORE from Bosch Rexroth. All assembly cells of the entire system and the Flexible Transport System (FTS) are equipped with it. Thanks to the consistently open system architecture, communication is possible between stations, machines and plant network – thus resulting in more application options and greater efficiency.
At its two locations in Immenstadt and Blaichach (Allgäu) in the global network of the Bosch Group, Bosch produces high-tech systems for active driving safety, such as ABS, ASR and ESP. The Bosch plant in Blaichach was founded in 1960 as an igniter factory. After being expanded with the Immenstadt plant, the location became the leading plant for ABS/ESP production at 11 locations worldwide.
In modern production, machines, plants and systems have to be able to communicate with one another so that processes can be controlled seamlessly and in an automated manner. This leads to efficient and more consistent manufacturing processes that are crucial to remaining competitive in the rapidly changing automotive industry.
For the automated manufacturing of products in the fields of automotive, chassis systems and personal safety in vehicles, Bosch Blaichach needs industrial control systems that can be used both for process control as well as for controlling the Flexible Transport System (FTS) in closely timed coordination between the stations.
Niels Wefers, head of the Special Machine Construction department at the Bosch location in Blaichach, explains: “As part of production, individual process stations are linked together in an assembly line. by step, they produce, among other things, modules for brake controls for ABS and ESP safety systems in vehicles. With regard to the controls used for this purpose, a conversion was necessary, because we needed better performance and a better ability to communicate.”
There is already a long-standing successful collaboration with Bosch Rexroth in the area of hardware, in particular for industrial PCs and drive controllers. With ctrlX CORE from the automation system ctrlX AUTOMATION, countless possibilities are now opening up on the software side as well.
The control platform ctrlX CORE is replacing an older generation of industrial PCs. In terms of software, EtherCat Master, PLC licenses in the highest stage of expansion, OPC UA expansions and an EtherNet/IP license are used. Industrial controls from Bosch Rexroth use the latest CODESYS version and thus offer the most up-to-date generation of the control framework. Several CPU cores are also used with ctrlX CORE.
Niels Wefers explains: “We were convinced by the open system architecture of ctrlX AUTOMATION, which is expressed through the ctrlX Data Layer and in open interfaces. This results in numerous communication possibilities in terms of networking. In addition, the solution measures up to our planned concept for data storage and data interfaces, for example with regard to MES. Everything now comes from a single source, from sensors to the cloud.”
With the use of ctrlX CORE, Bosch Blaichach is making use of the advantages of ctrlX AUTOMATION and the ecosystem. And that begins at the foundation: while the industry PCs used previously were based on the Windows 7 operating system, ctrlX CORE now relies on Linux and thus an open architecture, expandability and secure by design. The specially developed operating system ctrlX OS aims to achieve complete hardware independence.
An additional advantage is the simple configuration and the simple engineering. While systems used to have to be customized for use, the system now comes configured the way it is needed – as an immediately usable framework. That goes for hardware and software in equal measure.
“We’re impressed by the broad scope for action offered by ctrlX CORE with its associated app technology. This enables us to realize a wide range of applications, from simple process controls to highly automated assembly lines. So we can always adapt the solution to our needs,” explains Niels Wefers.
The new control platform also comes with greater efficiency in processes. It stands out due to, among other things, a high degree of scalability and a cycle time advantage compared with previous solutions – 10 percent in the ultra-short-cycle range, for example. Cycle times of one second are possible.
The significantly higher processing speed leads to more availability of data and offers the ability to process more data. Altogether, today the control can be used more consistently for the control topics of the future.
Volker Schlotz, Head of Business Development, Business Unit Automation at Bosch Rexroth, says: “The openness of the system cannot be found with any competitors to this degree of consistency. The potential use of ctrlX CORE as an PLC control in assembly lines is very high in general, because the large and expandable range of functions can fully cover the needs of the market for classic step-chain-based automation. We were therefore also able to factor in all requirements of Bosch Blaichach as part of the pilot phase. As a development partner, we pursue the goal of continuously developing the system used at Bosch in Blaichach in accordance with needs and offering future viability in doing so.”
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Volker Schlotz
Game Changer
Business Development
„Openness is eveything“ – this is the motto of the ctrlX AUTOMATION magazine 2023/2024. This year, it´s all about openness and co-creation, which enables a completely new world of automation. Furthermore, there will be innovations of the product portfolio, exciting case studies and expert opinions on digitalization and connectivity.
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