Vorsprung durch IoT. Andy Ward, CTO at Ubisense offers a perspective on how Internet of Things and M2M have revolutionised the car industry moving from a highly programmed, inflexible production line to a totally flexible, personalised production line. Key is to offer context about activity.

1. © 2014 Ubisense Limited 1
Vorsprung durch IoT – The Industrial IoT in car manufacturing
Dr Andy Ward, CTO, Ubisense
2014-05-22

2. © 2014 Ubisense Limited 2
A typical car production line
2014-05-22 Confidential & Proprietary
Body work Paintshop
Test / finishing
(“Offline”)
Assembly
(“Online”)
These sections of the
process are manually-
intensive, so further
efficiencies are highly
sought-after!

3. © 2014 Ubisense Limited 3
The challenge of mass customisation
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BMW 1 Series BMW 3 Series Sedan
BMW M3 Series Sedan BMW 4 Series Convertible
BMW M4 Convertible BMW Z4 Roadster
plus multiple engines + huge number of trim/accessory options…
BMW Regensburg
2015
BMW 3 Series Touring
BMW Regensburg
1990
Mass customisation
requires that
processes are both
efficient AND flexible!

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The car plant as a connected environment
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Manufacturing
Execution
System (MES)
Ethernet
backbone
Manual
barcode
scanners
Wired
tools
Wireless
tools
Line-side
proximity
sensors
Programmable
Logic Controllers
(PLCs)
There’s lots of connectivity
in car plants, but not always
the context required to make
decisions automatically!

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Adding location tracking for context
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TagsSensors
Precise 3D
Location
(Accurate to
15cm in 3D)

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A richer Industrial Internet of Things
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Manufacturing
Execution
System (MES)
“Tool is working on
car #67”
“Program tool with settings
for Convertible”
“Store these torque results with the
car on which the tool is working”
#142 #67 #241
The IoT reconfigures the
systems automatically -
flexibility with efficiency!

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Increasing visibility of offline processes
• Model physical layout with important geometric features
• Model all process areas & work-cells
• Model all rework & rectification bays
• Model expected process flow & step dependencies
• Measure area & work-cell performance
• Measure product activity metrics
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Adds context to the monitored
process – what happens
where, why and when?

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Insights into offline processes
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Some real-world installations
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~8000 cars are made using
Ubisense systems per day –
4% of global passenger
vehicle production
BMW Regensburg
Models: 1/3/M3
4/M4/Z4
In production since: 2008
Cars / day: 1200
Scope Online
Line coverage: 2.0km
# location sensors: 620
# location tags: 1600
# tools monitored: 240
VW Emden
Models: Passat
(various)
In production since: 2012
Cars / day: 1600
Scope Online /
Offline /
Outdoor
Line coverage: 2.0km
# location sensors: 1050
# location tags: 4800
# tools monitored: 300
BMW Mini (Oxford)
Models: Mini (various)
In production since: 2011
Cars / day: 900
Scope Online / Offline
Line coverage: 1.6km
# location sensors: 625
# location tags: 2350
# tools monitored: 160

10. © 2014 Ubisense Limited 10
Conclusions
• The Industrial Internet-of-Things is solving real-world problems today
• IIoT techniques are improving car production efficiency, quality and flexibility
• They are doing this by automating processes and providing process visibility
• To support this, context is as important as connectivity
Thank you for your attention!
andy.ward@ubisense.net
2014-05-22 Confidential & Proprietary