E-mobility and assembly in the future

One consequence of growing numbers of electric vehicles will be an increasing number of vehicle variants in automotive production. Additionally, the amount of electrical components in vehicles is already rising and will create an ever faster cycle of innovation in the future – a situation that calls for manufacturers to act with greater flexibility. The real challenge for OEMs in the next few years will be to accommodate increasing variance and to find an optimal approach to organizing and timing assembly lines.

Flexibility – the key to market success

There are several points where the e-mobility transformation can be brought to bear in assembly. Ingenics plans assembly structures and flexibility on a strategic level and with respect to specific content, taking a close look at systems and equipment as well as work organization and the building fabric itself. From the increased use of automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and human–robot collaboration (HRC) to optimized human–machine interfaces and the increased flexibility of production hall space, we find solutions that can be implemented in a timely manner and that result in highly efficient, versatile assembly lines.

HRC – part of human nature

Financial success has always depended on intensive cooperation – smooth and productive working relationships. That is why people enter into business partnerships and collaborative projects, inventing and using tools and machines to achieve their goals faster, more effectively, and more efficiently (i.e. more comfortably or conserving more resources). The same is true of human–robot collaboration at the workplace. There are still too many activities where using only human effort is almost a waste of resources: complex calculations, repetitive movements, or unergonomic work. This is exactly where it makes sense to use systems that complement and support each other, since the combination of humans and computers or robots is extremely powerful. In a company, it is important to identify and capitalize on such potential. After all, the idea that “together we are stronger” applies not only to Ingenics and our clients, but also to people and robots on the assembly line.

Swarm assembly – the optimal approach

If one considers the efficiency of line production and the flexibility of island assembly, the obvious conclusion is that combining both approaches in an individual way would result in the optimal assembly process for companies.
This combined approach already exists and has a name: swarm assembly. Here, directed material flows and rigid chains exist alongside a flexible, modular concept – an effective mix that elevates every assembly line to a higher level.

By integrating or expanding HRC solutions and AGVs, it is possible to exploit the advantages of both line and island production, cherry-picking the best bits to suit a specific goal. Furthermore, the creation of an overall system with intelligent networking increases efficiency and flexibility with respect to products and production. For many years, a strength of Ingenics has been tailoring such scalable systems with adaptable structures for individual companies, helping them to achieve in maximum profitability and sustainable success as a result.