The special product requirement

„At the Bosch plant in Ansbach, we manufacture control units for braking systems in large quantities. A key to competitiveness are our high-performance assembly and testing systems, which we design and build ourselves. For a new generation of control units, we needed lightweight and precise workpiece movers so that we could realize the high transport speeds between the machining stations. We were able to do that in cooperation with the FIT engineers!“

Klaus Kamps, Technical Functions, Robert Bosch GmbH

The goal of the collaboration between Bosch and FIT was and is to achieve a higher cycle rate in production through shorter transport times, ultimately improving output and thus productivity in the manufacture of the control units. However, shorter transport times, i.e. higher speeds, could not be achieved with the previous carrier for weight reasons, as it was conventionally manufactured and therefore too heavy. In this respect, a new concept was required to optimize the mover so that it could reach the target speed and at the same time withstand the forces that occur in the process.

FIT solution

Based on the specific component requirements, the CAE experts at FIT redesigned the workpiece carrier as part of an ADM-E project. This resulted in a one-piece geometry that is 50% lighter than the previous model and meets all mechanical requirements. The geometry eliminates the assembly effort previously required and at the same time has reduced susceptibility to wear and aging. The reduced weight and the associated lower friction mean that the Mover can be operated more sustainably, i.e. with a smaller electric motor, which also saves energy. The new version of the Mover is now manufactured at FIT based on the ADM-V solution as an additively manufactured series product using laser melting (LM or PBF-LB/M) of aluminum.

If you would like to learn more about the new design and additive manufacturing of the Mover, we recommend our process use case.

Outstanding properties

By redeveloping the design and additive manufacturing of the mover, Robert Bosch GmbH has benefited from the following results:

In addition, the complexity of the workpiece carrier was reduced, as it is no longer manufactured from five individual parts but in one piece. This has resulted in further advantages:

• No assembly effort
• Hardly any aging and wear

Under these circumstances, the cost-benefit ratio in a comparison between the new Mover and its predecessor model shifted significantly in favor of the additively designed and manufactured version.

Bosch found FIT to be a one-stop shop for transforming a heavy component into a lightweight component, thereby increasing the productivity of an entire production line. This is what we call the fascination of progress!

Are you currently looking for a partner with whom you can increase the productivity of your production through advanced designed and engineered components? Then we look forward to hearing from you.