Bosch to build a smart factory for electronic components

With an investment of 120 million dollars and the objective of generating 1,200 jobs, Rene Schlegel, president of Grupo Bosch in Mexico, together with Miguel Marquez Marquez, governor of Guanajuato, officially announced that the German company will be building an intelligent manufacturing center in Celaya, Guanajuato, where electronic components will be manufactured.

During the Hannover Messe Fair 2018, was announced that it is expected that the new plant will be starting operations in 2019 and electric control units (ECU) will be produced here for the American market which are fundamental for connected mobility.

“Celaya is very important due to the education people have, we think this will allow us producing this product which is very important because it is of automotive electronics,” said for Mexico Industry, Rene Schlegel, president of Grupo Bosch in Mexico.

Automotive electronics – he underlined – is a sensible product and there must not be failures.

“We have plants in the Bajio and some in the northern part of Mexico, for us the most important thing when choosing a location is knowing first where our customers are and where do we have transportation access in order for our supplies can arrive and exit easily, that is why in general the Bajio area is good,” he assured.

TECHNOLOGY 4.0

The directive said that the new plant will have cutting-edge intelligent production lines.

The factory will use a Manufacturing Execution System (MES,) which automatically collects data and shares real-time production information.  This makes machinery preventive maintenance possible, as well as a higher product quality.  The system also digitally connects the plant to the global manufacturing network from Grupo Bosch.

“The most important thing to understand is that machines are connected, for example, usually a machine in a production line fails, what implies that the production has to be stopped, people cannot work and time and money are lost; Industry 4.0 allows knowing a machine is going to fail soon, then you can ask for the spare part,” Schlegel explained.

With a total surface of 170,000 square meters, the factory has a capability for expansion.

In addition, according with the company, the plan is to build a logistic center for Mexico in the adjacent property, which also will serve as warehouse for the new plant.

Miguel Marquez Marquez, governor of Guanajuato, underlined the importance of this plant arrival to the region and said the entity has the capability to compete in innovation, science and technology.

“We are on par for the development of products and quality services to be present in the new production digitalization of Industry 4.0 and energy systems,” he said.

FACTORY OF THE FUTURE

Bosch was present at Hannover Messe Fair 2018.  In an area of 1,300 square meters and under the motto: “Factory of the future. Now. Next. Beyond,” the company exhibited the technology and solutions there are developing.