Bosch Selects EAI Solutions to Improve Manufacturing Process Planning
9 September 1999
Bosch Selects EAI Solutions to Improve Manufacturing Process Planning
Bosch to Cut Lead Time by Shortening the Production Planning Process Cycle
AMES, Iowa, Sept. 8 -- Engineering Animation, Inc.
today announced that Robert Bosch GmbH ("Bosch"), a leading
manufacturer of automotive equipment, high-technology communications equipment
and consumer goods, will use EAI's software solutions to speed its
production-planning process. Bosch will integrate the following EAI solutions
-- ergonomics and human factors, factory layout and product and process --
into its recently launched Cooperative Production Engineering (COPE)
initiative, which was designed to streamline and improve the product
development and product-planning process. COPE will rely on EAI's software
solutions as the technical centerpiece from which new product production
concepts will be defined during the critical, early stages of product
planning.
"EAI's solutions, when integrated within the COPE process, will enable our
design engineers to shorten the planning phase for new product lines, thus
cutting product time-to-market and reducing production costs," said Kurt
Schreier, general manager for engineering and production systems at Bosch's
corporate research and development department. "The implementation of EAI's
solutions is of strategic importance for the process-planning tasks at Bosch,
because these innovative tools support our COPE initiative during the initial
decision-making phases of the manufacturing planning process." Bosch's
corporate research and development department is responsible for research and
preliminary engineering.
In addition to cutting production time and costs, EAI's production process
design solution will support and simultaneously document the planning of new
production lines -- from preparing technical specifications and process
planning -- to project engineering and producing the product in a digital
factory.
"Bosch maintains a significant presence in more than 120 countries and is
a world leader in manufacturing automotive equipment and consumer goods," said
Raimund Menges, vice president and general manager of European operations at
EAI. "We are proud that this renowned company has selected EAI's solutions to
become a vital part of their effort to streamline production planning
processes and reduce costs."
In addition to saving time and costs, EAI's solution includes many
state-of-the-art features that allow design engineers to efficiently plan
production processes. With a simple mouse click, users can seamlessly view
relevant product data such as number of parts, costs and quality
specifications. Planning components can be changed, shown from multiple
viewpoints or displayed during various production stages -- such as during the
production process or after production is complete. In addition, a graphical
editor enables engineers to easily design, alter or add to the product
structure.
About EAI
Engineering Animation, Inc. is the leader in Internet-enabled visual
process management, collaboration, analysis and communication solutions for
extended manufacturing enterprises. EAI's e-vis.com ( http://www.e-vis.com )
and VisEPM solutions help manufacturing companies drive down costs while
improving business practices, efficiency, quality and time-to-market. The
company maintains its corporate headquarters and technology center in Ames,
Iowa and has offices worldwide.
About Bosch
Robert Bosch GmbH, headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany, is one of the
worldwide leading manufacturers of automotive equipment such as ABS, EPS,
brakes, fuel-injection technology and driver information systems. Other
products include power tools, household appliances, thermotechnology,
automation technology, and packaging machinery. Bosch is counted among the
enterprises with the strongest sales (more than $27 Billion in 1998) and among
the biggest employers in Europe. In 1998 about 188,000 employees were engaged
at 185 locations all around the globe.
For more information about EAI, visit http://www.eai.com or call
515-296-9908.