Bosch intensifies its use of artificial intelligence (AI) in manufacturing to boost productivity and efficiency. The company has piloted generative AI in two German plants, where this technology generates synthetic images to improve optical inspections and optimize AI models. This is expected to reduce the implementation time of AI solutions from up to twelve months to just a few weeks. Nearly half of all Bosch plants already use AI, especially in production control, monitoring, and quality assurance.
Stefan Hartung, Chairman of the Executive Board of Robert Bosch GmbH, emphasizes the potential of AI to increase productivity and reduce costs. AI is already successfully used in Bosch plants for production planning and control. For example, in one plant, cycle times were reduced by 15%, while in another, component inspection times were shortened.
Bosch’s generative AI, developed in the company’s research department, enables the handling of complex production tasks like the control of fuel injection components, which were previously performed manually. This technology uses synthetically generated images to train AI models, leading to significant reductions in project durations and productivity increases.
Tanja Rückert, Managing Director and Chief Digital Officer at Bosch, highlights that generative AI allows for customization and scaling in manufacturing. She also emphasizes the importance of AI combined with Industry 4.0 in early error detection, minimizing downtime, and more efficient resource use.
The Bosch plant in Bursa, Turkey, has been recognized as an Industry 4.0 lighthouse by the World Economic Forum, underscoring the successful integration of AI in manufacturing. The plant achieved significant improvements in production through the use of AI, such as reducing water consumption and energy requirements and increasing plant effectiveness.
Overall, Bosch demonstrates that AI in industrial manufacturing is not only feasible but also of great significance in making processes more efficient, productive, and environmentally friendly.
Bosch press release: https://www.bosch-presse.de/pressportal/de/de/bosch-bringt-generative-ki-in-die-produktion-260806.html