BMW Plant Dingolfing

Digitalization in Production at BMW Group Plant Dingolfing.

As early as 2013, the BMW Group commissioned a first lightweight robot that took its place among the workers at the assembly line of BMW Group Plant Spartanburg in the USA. Miss Charlotte, as the line crew calls their robot, is still in use mounting sound insulation to doors, but many things have changed since. Today, over 40 lightweight robots are in use at the BMW Group plants; a total of 60 will be in operation by mid-year. They assume tasks that would be physically strenuous for workers and often pose particular challenges due to the high level of precision required and the repetitiveness involved.

Up until the beginning of the new millennium, phones were primarily used for making actual phone calls. Today, they fulfil a great variety of functions. And just like our everyday living environment changes, so does the working environment in production.

Work gloves are fitted with barcode scanners on the back of the hand to omit the cumbersome steps of picking up the scanner, scanning an object and putting the device back. The scan process is now triggered by the worker pushing a button on the index finger with the thumb. This way, individual production processes can be improved and accelerated, leading to improvements in process quality and occupational ergonomics. 230 of these innovative work gloves will be in use at the BMW Group before the end of the year.

Another example is the use of augmented reality applications on smart devices such as tablet computers, on which the image of a component can be overlaid with virtual specifications. The tablet computer then compares and evaluates the actual and target states, allowing the worker to determine whether the part matches the target requirements and identify and resolve potential issues early on. Augmented reality applications are applied at the BMW Group in early-phase concept validations, initial sampling inspections and tool acceptances at suppliers as well as in the maintenance of running systems.

Innovative exoskeletons worn directly on the body can act like a second skeleton, i.e. as an external support structure for the body. The BMW Group uses both upper-body and lower-body exoskeletons. The exoskeleton vest for the upper body strengthens the movement of the upper arms of people who have to carry out tedious tasks. The vest’s joints have an integrated mechanical spring support that gives arms greater strength. 24 of these exoskeleton vests are currently in use in the series production of BMW Group Plant Spartanburg; 44 more will be added over the course of the year.

Lower-body exoskeletons can be found in the production areas of several BMW Group plants in Germany. Acting as a chair-type support, this kind of exoskeleton improves workers’ posture and offers relief in carrying out assembly tasks that require crouching or remaining in other positions that might affect people’s health. On top of that, the leg support structure can transform prolonged standing into sitting and thus improve the comfort and flexibility of working conditions. The exoskeleton consists of movable splints that can be affixed to the legs or torso and locked in different positions. At present, the BMW Group’s German plants use a total of 11 lower-body exoskeletons.
At BMW Group Plant Dingolfing, for instance, a ceiling-mounted lightweight robot in the axle transmission assembly lifts the bevel gears, which may weigh up to 5.5 kilos, and fits them accurately without any risk of damage to the gear wheels. In this production area, workers and robots work together “hand in hand” in a confined space without any safety fences. This collaboration gives people extra time to carry out tasks better suited to their capabilities while the lightweight robot applies exactly the force needed over a long period of time. Safety sensors monitor the functions at all times and stop the process immediately if an obstacle is detected.

Equally demanding is the application of the adhesive to the front windows. What makes this task particularly challenging is that the viscous adhesive must be spread over the large glass surface in one go and without any fluctuation in film thickness. At BMW Group Plant Leipzig, this task is carried out by a lightweight robot that works directly at the line with the human workforce.

But lightweight robots are also becoming more common in areas in which large robot facilities work behind safety fences. Their flexibility, modest space requirements and high level of safety grant people access to areas that used to be off-limits. Thanks to the broad range of possible applications, lightweight robots open up new potential in the field of traditional automation and give workers more leeway to implement improvements.