Bosch Group Improves Quality of Inspection Process with Zebra Machine Vision Solution

Leading manufacturer uses Zebra’s Aurora Design Assistant machine vision inspection system to increase operational visibility

LINCOLNSHIRE, Ill. – Nov. 1, 2023 – Zebra Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: ZBRA), a leading digital solution provider enabling businesses to intelligently connect data, assets, and people, today announced the Bosch Group is improving the quality of its inspection process and achieving higher production volumes using Zebra’s machine vision solutions to enhance operational visibility and quality inspections.

At the Bosch manufacturing facility in Curitiba, Brazil, the company’s primary focus is developing solutions for the diesel engine injection systems for the automotive industry. The injector nozzles are a critical engine component, working to move diesel fuel into the engine’s combustion chamber for vehicle propulsion.  

“We wanted to further automate the inspection process with an enhanced vision system and improve the mark-reading and verification process as well as the traceability of the injector nozzles,” said Moises Santana, Vision System Designer, Bosch. “We now have an outstanding, agile hardware and software solution that can also handle three independent inspection and verification processes simultaneously using the same computer.”

With the new Zebra machine vision system, the Curitiba plant achieves production volumes of 7,000 parts per day and has decreased the daily percentage of false rejects to less than 5% — a significant improvement over previous iterations. The original design includes a quad-input Zebra Concord PoE frame grabber and a Zebra Indio I/O card inside an industrial PC with an Intel® i7 core running Zebra’s Aurora Design Assistant software, which controls the whole system. The system has enabled the team to reduce cost and set-up time and simplify installation.

“The level of technical support available plus the accessibility of online training was incredibly advantageous. From acquisition to analysis and processing of images, everything was seamless. The Zebra solution provides real-time visibility, helping us maintain our commitment of applying exceptional quality standards to Bosch’s products,” said Santana.

The system itself is simple to operate, with the Aurora Design Assistant graphical user interface making it easier for a machinist with no prior machine vision expertise to manage the operation. With the new vision system online, Bosch is already looking to add two more cameras to the process to inspect defects on the surface of the injector nozzle and replicate the solution to a second machine.

“With Zebra’s machine vision software, components and systems, manufacturers, warehouse operators and other businesses can leverage industrial automation to keep up with demand and be competitive in their markets,” said Vanderlei Ferreira, Vice President and General Manager, Zebra Technologies Brazil. “Using our solutions, manufacturers can effectively pack different inspection and verification processes into a single vision system, which can significantly increase efficiency and decrease overall system cost.”

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • Bosch Group, a leading global supplier of technology and services, selected a Zebra machine vision solution in Brazil to improve traceability and verification of injector nozzles.
  • By deploying the Zebra solution, the Bosch Group reduced the number of machined parts requiring post-production manual inspection.
  • Using the new machine vision system, the Curitiba plant achieves production volumes of 7,000 parts per day and has decreased the daily percentage of false rejects to 5%.
  • To learn more, read this case study.


ABOUT ZEBRA
TECHNOLOGIES 

Zebra (NASDAQ: ZBRA) helps organizations monitor, anticipate, and accelerate workflows by empowering their frontline and ensuring that everyone and everything is visible, connected and fully optimized. Our award-winning portfolio spans software to innovations in robotics, machine vision, automation and digital decisioning, all backed by a +50-year legacy in scanning, track-and-trace and mobile computing solutions. With an ecosystem of 10,000 partners across more than 100 countries, Zebra’s customers include over 80% of the Fortune 500. Newsweek recently recognized Zebra as one of America’s Most Loved Workplaces and Greatest Workplaces for Diversity, and we are on Fast Company’s list of the Best Workplaces for Innovators. Learn more at www.zebra.com or sign up for news alerts. Follow Zebra’s Your Edge blog, LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook, and check out our Story Hub: Zebra Perspectives.

Media Contact:
Diana Calderón 
Zebra Technologies  
+57 3138021009 
diana.calderon@zebra.com

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