NIT Calicut 

A report of 
Industrial Training
at BOSCH
A report of Industrial Training at BOSCH

1. Introduction

The Bosch Group is one of the world’s biggest private industrial corporations. Headquartered
in Stuttgart, Germany, the Bosch Group has some 283,500 employees worldwide, and
generated annual sales revenue of 47.3 billion Euros in 2010. There are about 350 subsidiary
and regional companies around the world.

Time line of Bosch

1. 1886 – 1900: The Workshop for Precision Mechanics and Electrical Engineering

On November 15, 1886, Robert Bosch opened the “Workshop for Precision Mechanics and
Electrical Engineering” in Stuttgart. At the outset, Bosch worked with two associates to
construct and install all kinds of electrical equipment, such as telephone systems and electric
bells. However, the company’s startup capital of 10,000 German marks was soon used up and
they had to rely on loans. Robert Bosch invested most of the company's small earnings in
modern machines. He later described his first years as a self-employed businessman as a
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Gottlob Honold also rejoined the company. In less than a year, Honold went on to develop a
high-voltage magnetic ignition system with spark plugs. When he unveiled the first prototype
in December 1901, Robert Bosch was very impressed, declaring: “You have hit the bull’s
eye!” This sentence marked the start of the history of innovations at Bosch.

In 1898 Bosch began to establish sales offices outside Germany – first in the U.K., followed
by France a year later, and then Austria-Hungary. Bosch was soon represented in nearly all
European countries. The first steps on other continents were taken in 1906 in the U.S. and
South Africa, followed by Australia in 1907, Argentina in 1908, and China in 1909.
Bosch launched another automotive breakthrough in 1913 – the Bosch automotive lighting
system. Comprising a generator, battery, voltage regulator, and headlights, this was the first
complete system from Bosch and it created the basis for today's automotive electrical systems
By around 1925, the network of international sales offices was already larger than it had been
in 1914.

Bosch automotive lighting

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3. 1924 – 1945: From automotive supplier to diversified group

The workforce and production figures continued to rise steadily until the fall of 1925, when
sales in the European automotive market suddenly collapsed. The massive slump hit Bosch
hard, with the number of associates falling from 13,000 to 8,000 in just a few months. And it
was not just workers in the workshops that lost their jobs during the crisis – the
rationalization measures also affected the company’s senior executives. The company’s board
of management was stripped back from eleven members to just three members and three
deputies. As part of the reshuffle, Robert Bosch also handed over the management of the
company to a small committee: Hans Walz was given responsibility for commercial affairs,
Hermann Fellmeth for engineering, and Karl Martell Wild was put in charge of sales and
human resources..

New areas of business

The crisis was quickly brought under control – thanks in part to the rationalization measures
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Like all other companies involved in the manufacture of armaments, Bosch was assigned
prisoners of war and later also forced labor to boost production.
On the other hand, Robert Bosch and senior Bosch executives supported resistance against
Hitler and provided those facing persecution with money or help with emigration. In 1969, on
behalf of the company, Hans Walz accepted the title of “Righteous Among the Nations”
bestowed by the Yad Vashem Shrine of Remembrance in Israel in recognition of these
efforts.
To ensure that the company remained in family ownership, Robert Bosch changed the
company from an AG (public limited company) to a GmbH (private limited company) in
1937. The following year, four years before his death, he wrote his will.
By the end of the war in 1945, large areas of the Bosch plants had been razed t o the ground as
a result of Allied air raids. Robert Bosch did not live to see the destruction, dying on March
12, 1942.

4. 1946 – 1959: Rebuilding and the economic miracle.

After 1945, despite the extremely difficult conditions, Bosch was able to build on its earlier
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and power tools. Blaupunkt introduced the first VHF car radio in Europe in 1952. The launch
of the “Bosch Combi” that same year marked a turning point for the company’s power tools
business as it reached out to the new target group of D IY enthusiasts.
In the area of automotive technology, Bosch initially reestablished the technology at pre-war
levels, while engineers worked flat-out to develop new, pioneering technology. The
mechanical gasoline injection system for passenger cars was taken into series production in
1951. The first semiconductors to be installed in a car (variodes) represented a further
milestone in company history. They were first used in 1958 in regulators for generators .

5. 1960 – 1989: Founding of the divisions and breakthrough in electronics.

As a result of rapid growth worldwide and full employment in Germany, a labor shortage
developed in the Stuttgart area, then the focus of worldwide production and the hub for
international exports. Bosch therefore recruited guest workers from southern Europe and
opened numerous new locations, including today’s plants in Homburg, Ansbach, Nuremberg,
Reutlingen, and Blaichach.
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foundation supports projects in the areas of education, health, international relations, society,
culture, and science. Robert Bosch Stiftung currently holds 92 percent of the share capital of 
Robert Bosch GmbH. Most of the remaining shares are held by the Bosch family.
This corporate constitution continues to play a key role in securing the entrepreneurial
freedom and financial independence of the Bosch Group. Most of the earnings generated
remain within the company, where they are used to secure its future. This allows the
company to plan over the long term and to invest heavily in the future without borrowing
from the capital markets. Robert Bosch Stiftung is paid a dividend, allowing the body to
sustain its commitment to charitable causes.

New divisions
In 1963, Bosch formed the Packaging Technology division through a series of acquisitions.
The pneumatics and hydraulics operations were merged to form the later Automation
Technology division, a precursor of today’s Drive and Control Technology division.
The board of management was particularly keen to expand the company’s international
business, laying the foundation for a second location in India, in Nashik, in 1973. The same
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6. 1990 – 2010: Solutions to the challenges of globalization.

The fall of the Iron Curtain also heralded a new era for Bosch. Access to the markets in
Eastern Europe and Asia in particular accelerated the pace of globalization, a process by
which previously distinct regional markets started to intermesh worldwide. Bosch was now
faced with the task of meeting these new challenges and grasping the opportunities that arose.
The share of sales generated outside Germany rose from 51 percent in 1990 to around 76
percent in 2009.

Herrmann Scholl took over as chairman of the board of management on July 1, 1993, a
position he held until 2003. He focused mainly on stepping up the company’s activities on the
emerging markets of Eastern Europe and Asia and safeguarding its innovative strength.

Opportunities in Eastern Europe and Asia

As early as 1994, Bosch had gained a foothold in 13 countries of the former Eastern Bloc.
Later on, Bosch opened a large number of manufacturing facilities in the region, for example
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strategically important contract to equip vehicles produced in China with electronic gasoline
injection systems. Bosch started assembling these systems through the joint venture company
UAES in Shanghai in 1996. 1996 also saw the start of production of diesel technology in
Wuxi, power tools in Hangzhou, and spark plugs in Nanjing. Further joint ventures quickly
followed, and Bosch founded a holding company for China in 1999.

Growth through acquisitions

Acquisitions in all the business sectors had a major impact on business. For instance, Bosch
acquired the brake division of Allied Signal in 1996, the industrial technology specialist
Mannesmann Rexroth in 2001, and the heating technology manufacturer Buderus in 2003.
The Security Systems division also expanded its portfolio by acquiring Philips
Communication Security Imaging, Telex Communications, and CCTV Extreme. The
packaging technology manufacturers Sig Pack, Pharmatech, and Paal were also taken over in
2004, 2007, and 2008 respectively. These acquisitions not only reinforced Bosch’s market
position in these segments, they also helped balance the company’s business structure.
In other areas, Bosch chose to hive off business activities when significant market
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Sustainability and corporate responsibility

Franz Fehrenbach, who succeeded Hermann Scholl as chairman of the board of management
on July 1, 2003, continued the strategy of systematically reducing the company’s dependence
on the automotive industry by targeting above-average growth in other business sectors. In
doing so, Fehrenbach placed great importance on globalization, environmental protection,
resource conservation, and energy efficiency. An important decision was taken in the spring
of 2008, when Bosch acquired the German solar cell manufacturer Ersol to create the new
subsidiary Bosch Solar Energy.

The global economic crisis in 2008/2009 caused Bosch sales to fall by around 15 percent to
approximately 38.2 billion euros in fiscal 2009, and meant that the company recorded an
operating loss for the first time since the Second World War. However, the crisis did not
affect the company’s long-term strategy, a strategy which is not only geared toward opening
up promising areas of business, but also incorporates an understanding of corporate
responsibility based on the principles of the company founder Robert Bosch. He appreciated
that corporate responsibility was essentially about finding a balance between business success
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In India, the Bosch Group operates through the following companies –

• Bosch Ltd.
• Bosch Chassis Systems India Ltd.
• Bosch Rexroth India Ltd.
• Robert Bosch Engineering and Business Solutions Ltd.
• Bosch Automotive Electronics India Private Ltd.
• Bosch Electrical Drives India Private Ltd.

Bosch Ltd.

Founded in 1951, Bosch Limited is India’s largest auto component manufacturer and also one
of the largest Indo – German companies in India. The company generated net sales of Rs.
6630 crores in 2010. The Bosch Group holds 71.18% stake in Bosch Limited.

Bosch Limited has a strong nationwide service network which spans across 1,000 towns and
cities with over 5,000 authorized representations to ensure widespread availability of both
products and services. The company is headquartered in Bangalore with manufacturing
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Areas of operation:

• Hydraulic braking systems: Brake boosters, master cylinders and brake-assistance

systems
• Wheel brakes: Disc brakes, drum brakes, parking brakes and rotors

Bosch Rexroth India Ltd.

Bosch Rexroth is one of the world’s leading specialists in the field of drive and control
technologies. Under the brand name of Rexroth the company supplies more than 500,000
customers with tailored solutions for driving, controlling and moving. As The Drive &
Control Company, Bosch Rexroth develops, produces and sells components and systems in
more than 80 countries in the technology fields Electric Drives and Controls, Industrial
Hydraulics, Mobile Hydraulics , Linear Motion and Assembly Technology and Pneumatics.

Robert Bosch Engineering and Business Solutions Ltd.

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Bosch Automotive Electronics India Private Ltd.

Bosch Automotive Electronics India Pvt. Ltd. (RBAI) is a 100% subsidiary Robert Bosch
GmbH, incorporated in April 2008 to manufacture Electronic Control Units for the
Automotive Electronics Division. RBAI will cater to both domestic and International OE
Customers via the Diesel Systems and Gasoline System divisions. Like any other Automotive
Electronics Plants, RBAI is also very committed to the highest level of quality standards. It
focuses on continuous intensive training to its associates with support from its lead plant
thereby achieves the global competencies too meet the customer expectations.

Bosch Electrical Drives India Private Limited

Bosch Electrical Drives India Private Limited has been formed since April 2008 with the sole
objective of dealing Electrical Drives products from Robert Bosch GmbH, Germany and also
from its affiliated and subsidiary companies in the rest of the world. Bosch Electrical Drives
India Private Limited is engaged in Sales, Manufacturing, Development and Application of 
Wiper Systems including Wiper Motors, Engine Cooling Systems including fan motors,
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segment of Bosch in India, supplying to the local automotive industry, and exporting
components overseas.

Business divisions: Diesel Systems, Gasoline Systems, Chassis Brakes, Automotive

Accessories, Car multimedia, Starters and Generators, Energy and Body Systems, Electrical
Drives, Spark Plugs and Glow Plugs.

Industrial technology
Bosch Rexroth AG is an expert for all drive, control and motion technologies. The Bosch
Packaging Machines division in India brings the global expertise to address the needs of the
local confectionary and pharmaceutical industries. The Special Purpose Machines (SPMs)
and High Precision Toolings division engineers customized equipment using cutting-edge
technologies for industries.

Business divisions: Automation technology, Packaging Machines, Special Purpose Machines.

Consumer goods and building technology

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BOSCH PRODUCTION SYSYTEM

Bosch designs, manufactures and sells its products throughout the world from 250
manufacturing sites in 90 countries. As one of Europe’s most innovative companies, (Bosch
is the third biggest lodger of patents in Europe), the firm is well placed to anticipate the
challenges every European manufacturer
manufacturer will have to face in the
t he future. Its response has been
to emphasise innovation in all areas and to provide a production system that will support this
by enabling it to compete with new competitors from all over the world. To meet these
challenges the company has developed the ‘Bosch Production System, to match its innovative
and operational capabilities.

With half its 230,000 workforce outside Germany, Bosch is a global player in the very real
sense of the word. Its three business sectors create products ranging from car components;
capital goods like packaging and locomotive technology to household appliances. And each
division has to respond to the opportunities and threats of their respective global market (see
box). The current market position of its power tools division illustrates the challenge, where
cheaper competitors from the Far East have reduced Bosch’s share of the German market
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In Search Of Simplicity

What makes the Bosch Production System of interest to other businesses is not just its
bringing more coherence to the organisation (which embraces thousands of markets,
customers and suppliers), but the project’s aim of simplifying the operations of a company
that has built its competitive advantage on integrating complex technologies into each stage
of its activities. In its Automotive Technology division, for instance, one out of four members
of staff is a software specialist. Bosch has built its very considerable global success on
harnessing technology and innovation, and now it needed an all-embracing production system
to deliver it.

One of the big drivers behind the Bosch Production System was to lower investment and to
improve Quality. Bosch is extremely technologically-driven, and it spends a lot of money on
IT, but that generates problems. In some instances Bosch somewhat over-automated, and that
was also one of the drivers of BPS. To really get a change into the company it must start to
think that things are not that complex, and they start to think with and run simpler systems
and be more efficient.
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The basis for Bosch’s new approach was the Toyota Production System and Lean Thinking
principles, as expounded by Daniel Jones, and both were active consultants in Bosch’s
project. The premise for any ‘Lean’ approach is that customer demand generates the ‘pull’
that drives production. Instead of ‘pushing’ production through the system and into
warehouses, production only takes place in direct response to customers’ orders, ‘pulling’
goods through production lines and straight to the loading bays. Inventory therefore is
avoided and seen as waste, and goods are produced only as customers require them. “Bosch
production system is based on pull on real customer ‘takt time’, and produced only in the
‘takt’ as customers want it. Then you also have a fast flow through your factory and this
requires very stable and very connected process.”

The focus on waste became a focus in communicating and driving the new manufacturing
approach, with its elimination from all activities as an overall target. This meant producing
the right part, in the right quantity at the right moment; “scheduled, produced, assembled and
transported” as Bosch term it – anything more is seen as waste and a signal that a process is
performing at “less than excellence”. Inventory – and inventory coverage – has therefore
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which should represent the current best practice of the company and those standards must be
connected so that you get the best results throughout the factory. And you can see the rhythm
in the factory –everything works hand in hand and there are is a minimum of inventory
around.

A consistent rhythm ensures a consistent flow through each production line. The objective in
developing the Bosch Production System was to extend such flows though each entire
factory, and ultimately through the entire group. When Bosch designed new production lines
in the past their major intent was to have highly productive single processes with the best
machines involved. But now for Bosch it is much more important to have very fast flow of 
the product from the factory, so throughput time and inventories are their now one of their
most important numbers, to get the flow into their
t heir factories.

Flexibility & the Vision Thing

For such a system to work in any factory, least of all in a worldwide company, flexibility was
a key principle. The reality of a production system, built around such variable demand is that
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DOING IT: The Practicalities of Implementation

The vital importance of management training in the implementation of BPS should not be
forgot. Because the Bosch Production System represents a whole different approach to how
the business operates, which demands more than mere instruction and instead requires
managers to re-assess how everything is done, and why, it is a paradigm shift that not
everyone finds easy to make. Many go into the meetings being complacent thinking ‘I know
all this already’, which is one of the main obstacles to introduce any production system.
Because people know some elements of the System, think they know it all and don’t see the
need to go deeper, but the basic understanding of BPS as a System approach isn’t there.

The emphasis in rolling-out BPS is on creating this understanding and its taking root in the
organisation. Instead of just instruction, Bosch uses a structured programme of lectures,
simulations (where over
over a three day introduction,
introduction, participants like plant managers rebuild
rebuild
production lines and measure the resulting performance), which culminates with site visits to
Japanese firms. A key objective is to ensure ‘value-mapping’ takes root, which ensures each
plant’s activities are seen from the perspective of customer value, generating ‘value streams.
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through the supply chain to get a material supply exactly in the rhythm that it’s needed, so
materials arrive at the point of use exactly as they’re required. Winning over suppliers to the
new rhythm is an ongoing challenge already underway and critical to the success of the BPS.
That’s where they have buffers now – less in manufacturing but in the supply chain. But first
Bosch learnt it in their own factories, then the supplier gets in a rhythm too and then they
minimize inventory throughout the supply chain, which of course is waste. Not because of the
depreciation (it’s a lot of money, but it’s not that huge), but because it’s a sign of how well
your processes flow. The overriding metric is really the inventory coverage as it shows you
where you’re going to .

The Role of Quality

While Lean-based Production Systems extend the quality remit to everyone, one should not
forget about the importance of a stand-alone independent department (as does
Flextronics).You absolutely need a very strong quality department independent from your
manufacturing as an interface with the customer. You need to have firewalls for the customer.
Bosch has had Six Sigma blackbelts for a number of years and is, integrating it in to the BPS,
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equipment, which is expensive and adds tremendous complexity to the manufacturing

processes. Now Bosch is focusing much more on the root cause of those potential problems,
eliminating them and applying simple poka yoke solutions [stopping all production to rectify
any problems) to prevent failures to occur. Now Bosch goes back into the design to check.
What makes Toyota strong is that they aim for perfect processes from an early design stage,
and carry out production in supported by a thorough and deep problem solving process.

The Final Frontier(s) and the Challenges

Manufacturers everywhere seem to have adopted Lean Sigma principles and variations of the
Toyota approach in the last few years. Because this approach builds on so many techniques,
is this the ultimate production system. Is this likely to be the dominant methodology for the
future?

This production system gives us the base to have one system in our factories. Right now
Bosch is in catch-up mode we all have to catch up twenty years on Toyota, and in that time
they won’t be stagnating. Toyota is thinking very intensely about where they want to go to
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BOSCH ELECTRICAL DRIVES INDIA PRIVATE LTD

Bosch Electrical Drives India Private Limited has been formed since April 2008 with the sole
objective of dealing Electrical Drives products from Robert Bosch GmbH, Germany and also
from its affiliated and subsidiary companies in the rest of the world. Bosch Electrical Drives
India Private Limited is engaged in Sales, Manufacturing, Development and Application of 
Wiper Systems including Wiper Motors, Engine Cooling Systems including fan motors,
HVAC blower motors, window lift motors and other system components.

RBDI (Robert Bosch Drives India) located in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Located just 3 km off NH
45 at a place called Guduvancherry caters to the need of various automotive giants like
Hyundai Motors India, Mahindra & Mahindra and Ford. It also acts as a tier two supplier for
Tata motors also. The main product that rolls out of the assembly line of Bosch is the Wiper
systems assembly and the Window lift Motor. The other products are Heat ventilation and Air
Conditioning (HVAC) motor, GPB motor, ECF motor and the Engine Cooling Fan Module
(ECFM).
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The thermal systems of the automobile like the motors required for air conditioning sytems
and engine cooling systems are also being taken care of in this facility. The main products that
are being assembled here is the HVAC motors and the ECFM. The major customers for
HVAC and ECFM are Subros, Renault and Tata motors.

Arm and Blade Assembly line

The arm and blade assembly line mainly deals with the assembly of the wiper arm and blade.
This part is the
t he sub assembly for the entire wiper systems. This assembly along with the wiper
motor assembly forms the complete system. Bosch assembles this on the request of its
customers. The main customers for this assembly are Ford and Hyundai. The wiper system is
not same for both the passenger and the driver sides. The driver side requires the arm to wipe a
larger area compared to the passenger side. This requirement is clearly seen in the design of 
the wiper motor assembly and the also in the arm and blade assembly. This requirement is
being taken care of in the wiper motor assembly with the help of a four bar mechanism which
is being driven with the help of the motor. The arm and blade assembly is also designed by
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the domestic purposes and two way pump models for both domestic and export purposes. The
main customer for the reservoir assembly is Hyundai Motors India.

The major difference between the one way pump and two way pump is the number of 
openings it has. The one way has only one opening and so it is connected to only one hose but
two way on the other hand has two opening so it is connected to two hoses. The cycle
c ycle time for
two way pump is slightly higher than the one way pump assembly. The assembly is tested in
the pressure testing apparatus for the pressure and the leakage if any. A very high standard is
maintained. The maximum output of the line is 750000 pc/ year when the line works for three
shifts but presently the line operates for two shifts.

The reservoir assembly and the arm and blade assembly lines are placed together in the same
allotted space. This space includes the space for the raw material, the operator and the
assembly stations and the finished goods. All these are placed together in the same space.

In this report an effort has been made to study the working of these two lines and to rearrange
the layout after identifying the flaws in the existing layout. This was done after a systematic
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ARM AND BLADE ASSEMBLY LINE

The work content for the arm and blade assembly line

1. Take the arm.

2. Fix the arm into the fixtures
3. Lock the arm tightly.
4. Pull the arm gently and place over the loadcell plate.
5. If the component is ok the machine shows a green colour.
6. Unload the part and do the visual control of the arm
ar m crack.
7. Take the blade and fix with the arm
8. While looking the blade the locking sound should be heard
9. Do the visual control of the blade damage.

The above given steps are the work content for the assembly of the arm and blade. The arm
load of the arm is very important for the wiper to work effectively. The other observations to
be done while checking the arm is that there should not be any kind of the visual
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present layout was analysed and the shortcoming were tried to be eliminated in the new
layout that was being designed.

In the present layout, the machines are being placed in the space given by 11.5x3.4 m. Within
this space we have two assembly lines functioning, one each for the arm and blade and other
for the reservoir assembly. The space allocated for the reservoir assembly is given by 6.8x3.4
m and for arm and blade assembly the space allocated is 4.7x3.4m.

The arm and blade assembly line has the following parts to be allocated within the assembly
line. The table below gives the list of parts and their space requirements.

S No Part Space Requirement(m)

Requirement(m )
1 Assembly Station 1.05x0.85
2 Arm feeder 1x0.55
3 Blade feeder 0.65x0.42
4 Raw material pallet (arm) 1.1x1.1
5 Raw material pallet (blade) 1.1x1.1
6 Incoming rejection pallet 1.1x1.1
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In the present layout the finished goods parts box is kept behind the operator. This requires
the operator to turn 180º after every part is being assembled. Thus it requires the operator to
turn 180º once in about every 35 seconds. So if the operator has to operate in an 8 hour shift
the number of time the operator has to turn is very high. This will lead to health issues for the
operator and can also affect the quality and the productivity of the line. Thus this should be
avoided while designing the layout. The operator should not be made to turn more than 90º in
one cycle.

The distance between the finished goods trolley and the operator is about a meter. The time
taken by the operator for moving the distance is about 4 seconds. This time is also a loss of 
productivity. If the FG trolley was place closer this time can be reduced. In every cycle if 4
seconds is lost then for a production of 500 parts a total of 2000 seconds is lost. This means
more than half hour production time is lost.
l ost.
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Figure 1: Existing layout for arm and blade and reservoir assembly line.

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Figure2: Arm and Blade Assembly

Assembly station

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RESERVOIR ASSEMBLY LINE

The work content for the Reservoir Assembly Line.

1. Take the hose from the rack.

2. Dip the hose assembly into the soap dispenser.
3. Take the motor from the rack.
4. Insert the nozzle presence hose assembly with the rear side of the motor assembly.
5. Take the tank from the carton box.
6. Palace the tank in the fixture.
7. Visual check and snapping and put green marks.
8. Insert the motor assembly into the tank.

The work content here does not specify the testing of the assembly and placing the finished
goods into the FG boxes. The testing of the assembly consists of various tests. The most
important of them being the leakage testing. The leakage of the tank can be a very serious
issue if not taken care of. Therefore the tank is being tested for leakage. This is being done by
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The reservoir assembly line has the following parts to be allocated within the assembly line.
The table below gives the list of parts and their space requirements.

Table 2: Assembly line Parts

S No Part Space Requirement(m)

1 Assembly Station 10 1.4x0.85
2 Assembly Station 20 1x0.8
3 Assembly Station 30 0.8x0.8
4 RM Pallet 1.1x1.1
5 Incoming rejection pallet 1.1x1.1
6 FG pallet 1.1x1.1
7 FG pallet(empty) 1.1x1.1
8 Pentagon board 1x1
9 Display board 1.26x0.64
10 Tank Feeder 1.72x0.8
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increased to two. Thus an additional operator is required for this layout. But actually if the
layout was managed properly this could have been reduced to one and again the extra
operator can be used somewhere else.

Thus we can see that there is plenty of room available for the improvement in the present
layout. In the next session we will be discussing the new layout and merits of this layout
when compared to the present layout.
la yout.
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Figure 3: Reservoir workstation 1

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Figure 4: Reservoir Workstation 2

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General factors to be considered in a layout design

Flow of materials

The flow of materials is very important in any layout, and it becomes all the more important
when it is an assembly line. Whenever the layout is being designed it should be designed in
such a way that the flow of materials is not being hindered. There are basically two types of 
flow in any layout, namely the internal flow and the external flow. The internal flow consists
of the flow within the layout or how the materials move from one machine to another. Since
it is an assembly line layout the flow of material is very important. The layout should
facilitate the flow of the material. The external flow means the flow external to the layout, ie,
the flow of the raw materials and the finished goods. The raw material pallet should be kept
in such a way that they are near the aisles for easy transportation and also the finished goods
pallets or trolleys should also be kept near the aisles for t he easy movement.

Distance travelled
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Operator’s convenience

Operator’s convenience should also be taken into consideration while designing a layout.
This is also very important since the operator is the one who is in the shop and who has to do
the operation. Therefore it’s the duty of the layout designer to take care of the ergonomic
factors while designing a layout. Most of the shop floor operations are inherently tiring and
require a great deal of physical work. So the layout should be designed in such a way that the
t he
operators effort is being reduced and he or she does not have to undergo high amount of 
physical strain. The operator’s mental setup also comes into the action. For example in
western countries the operators are used to work in the counter clockwise direction but in
eastern countries it’s the other way around. Therefore the work place design as well as the
layout design should be done keeping these factors in mind.

Space available

Space is always a constraint in the design of the layout in any case. The challenge is to come
up with the best layout within the given space. The space is not always available as a luxury
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Types of operations

The type of operation is another major factor while designing the layout. A layout engineer
should have a very good idea about the type of the operation and the difficulties faced by the
operator. He should also be well aware of the issues arising while the operation is going on.
The type of operation like those requiring high precision like that of a watch manufacturing
will have a different set of issues regarding the layout design than that of a job shop or a
foundry shop. Thus when layout designer designs the layout he should be well acquainted
with the operations himself. The best way to be aware of the issues are by going to the floor
and spending time over there, observing the operations, noting down the factors affecting the
operations, doing a FUSA study, talking to the operators, etc.

Environmental Conditions

The environmental condition in which the operator has to operate is also an important factor
that should be considered. For example in a watch factory the entire facility is arir
conditioned and the humidity is also kept under control. This is important since the part are
A report of Industrial Training at BOSCH

different parts that are being manufacture and their demand and how it can be grouped or the
layout can be designed to achieve an overall profitability.

Size of the finished goods

The size of the finished goods should also be considered. In assembly operations usually the
size of the produce goes on increasing with every operation. Thus this size also has to be
considered. For example in a automobile assembly line the size of the layout restricts the
number of the automobiles in the line but when we consider the layout of a small motor
assembly the size of the product does not increase to a large extent at each assembly station.
If the size of the finished goods is large enough that it cannot be moved by hands then the
layout should also have the space for the manoeuvring of the products also. Therefore the
layout designer should consider this factor also.

The above given factors are just a general view of the real life scenario. In every shop floor
there might be conditions that are unique to that shop. For a layout designer to design a good
layout he has to spent time in the shop floor and try to get himself familiarized with the
A report of Industrial Training at BOSCH

Figure 5: New layout for reservoir assembly

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A report of Industrial Training at BOSCH

Figure 6: New layout for arm and blade assembly

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A report of Industrial Training at BOSCH

Figure 7: New layout for arm and blade assembly and reservoir assembly

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A report of Industrial Training at BOSCH

Discussion on the proposed layout

The space required for the proposed layout is a total of 6.9x3.43m, in that a total of 
3.45x3.43m is allotted for arm and blade assembly and 3.45x3.43m for the reservoir
assembly too. The entire available space is being equally divided to accommodate both the
line. The total space utilization for the arm and blade assembly line is 61.82% and that fro the
reservoir line is 79.8%, which is larger than the original space utilization. The total combined
space utilization of the two lines together is given by 70.8% which is at least 20% more than
the original layout. The proposed layout actually
actually uses the available space in a more efficient
efficient
way. This increase has been achieved without compromising on the any other important
factors.

The next advantage of the proposed layout is that operator movement has been reduced in
both lines. In the proposed layout operator in the arm and blade assembly line has to move
only 1.30m compared to the 2 m in the existing layout. This saves about 1 second in every
cycle which adds up to the productive time for the operator. Where as in the reservoir
assembly line the operator has to move less than 0.5m to reach the finished goods pallet and
A report of Industrial Training at BOSCH

and so they can send the required number of trolleys. This will reduce the decision made by
the operators in the line leading to a less
l ess chaotic situation.

The material movement in the proposed layout is well taken care off. The raw materials are
kept near the main aisles. Thus the material loaders can easily manoeuvre the raw materials
through eh aisle and can load and unload the raw materials. When the finished goods is being
considered the finished goods is being place near the finished goods area. The main
advantage is that the finished goods do not have to move any considerable distance to reach
the storage area. A slight push will be enough. Thus again the cost of material handling will
be reduced in the proposed layout.
la yout.

Therefore we can see that the proposed layout has some obvious advantages
advantages over the existing
layout.
A report of Industrial Training at BOSCH

CONCLUSION

The existing layout for the arm and blade assembly and the reservoir assembly was studied
completely. The study revealed that there were some flaws in the existing layout. The flaws
like less space utilization, operator fatigue, long walking distances etc was identified.
i dentified. To have
a concrete idea about the time taken for the different operations and the time lost in moving
about by the operator due to the long distances the time study was conducted. The time study
revealed that the cycle time calculated for the both layout was not correct and the new time
study results were taken as the basis for further study.

Keeping the different factors affecting the layout design into consideration a new layout was
proposed and it was observed that the space utilization could have been improved and the
entire layout was rearranged into a smaller space. This material movement was facilitated, the
operator fatigue was reduced and the operator movement was also reduced. The new layout
also helped in reducing the number of operator from two to one in the reservoir line. Thus the
results of the study should be implemented and the issues in the real life should be analysed
A report of Industrial Training at BOSCH

APPENDIX
A report of Industrial Training at BOSCH

ARM AND BLADE ASSEMBLY LINE

S Trial Trial Trial Trial Trial Trial Trial
No Work Instruction 1 2 3 4 5 6 Trial 7 8 Min Max Avg
total 1.73 2.34 3.46 2.95 2.44 4.08 2.55 2.65
1 Take the arm from the cover 1.73 4.08 2.775
actual 1.73 2.34 3.46 2.95 2.44 4.08 2.55 2.65
total 3.46 5.81 5.61 7.03 5.61 9.38 4.48 5.2
2 Ckeck the visual control points 1.73 5.3 3.0475
actual 1.73 3.47 2.15 4.08 3.17 5.3 1.93 2.55
total 5.61 8.26 8.36 9.58 7.95 11.22 7.34 8.16
3 Place the arm in the fixture 1.84 2.96 2.4875
actual 2.15 2.45 2.75 2.55 2.34 1.84 2.86 2.96
Ckech the load and unload the arm from the total 7.85 12.55 11.32 16.72 11.42 12.95 9.18 12.54
4 1.73 7.14 3.50625
fixture actual 2.24 4.29 2.96 7.14 3.47 1.73 1.84 4.38
total 12.24 15.5 14.79 18.66 13.66 16.11 11.22 15.09
5 Take the blade from the bin 1.94 4.39 2.8425
actual 4.39 2.95 3.47 1.94 2.24 3.16 2.04 2.55
total 15.5 17.44 19.07 20.29 15.4 19.07 13.05 16.72
6 Hook in the arm 1.63 4.28 2.40875
actual 3.26 1.94 4.28 1.63 1.74 2.96 1.83 1.63
total 16.56 18.3 20.4 21.78 16.07 20.52 14.09 17.62
7 Mark the necessary points 0.67 1.49 1.1
actual 1.06 0.86 1.33 1.49 0.67 1.45 1.04 0.9
total 24.48 22.64 23.56 28.35 21.11 23.15 19.17 22.95
8 Take the cove rand pack the assembly 2.63 7.92 5.00875
actual 7.92 4.34 3.16 6.57 5.04 2.63 5.08 5.33
total 26.74 26.41 26.22 29.58 22.64 24.07 19.89 24.78
9 Move the assembly to the trolley 0.72 3.77 1.865
actual 2.26 3.77 2.66 1.23 1.53 0.92 0.72 1.83
total 28.32 28.45 29.88 32.35 23.76 25.8 21.01 26.62
10 Come back to the initial point 1.12 3.66 1.9825
actual 1.58 2.04 3.66 2.77 1.12 1.73 1.12 1.84
considering losses 0.9 without considering the walking time total time 27.02375
cycle time (sec) 30.026389 considering losses 0.9
total time 25.0413
cycle time (sec) 27.8236

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RESERVIOR ASSEMBLY LINE

Work involved Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Trial 4 Trial 5 Trial 6 Trial 7 Min Max Average

Taking the Rvr tank from the bin 2.14 2.24 3.26 1.42 2.55 1.42 1.93
1.42 3.26 2.137143

Marking the visual control points 0.92 2.65 1.33 1.02 0.62 1.43 0.72
0.62 2.65 1.241429

Take the motor from the bin 1.73 1.32 4.99 4.19 5.1 1.53 2.75
1.32 5.1 3.087143

Picking up of the hoses 1.16 1.63 2.55 1.63

1 .63 6.63 0.82 2.75
2 .75
0.82 6.63 2.452857

Dipping the hose in the oil bath and insertion of motor 2.43 1.67 1.53 1.02 2.55 1.22 1.02
1.02 2.55 1.634286

fixing the motor and hoses on the tank 7.53 4.35 6.23 6.32 6.43 5.61 5.71
4.35 7.53 6.025714

Connecting the hoses 5.3 4.56 3.46 4.69 2.85 4.48 5.81
2.85 5.81 4.45

starting the machine 17.73 21.13 16.12 13.97 18.26 13.88 13.46
13.46 21.13 16.36429

Final inspection and the markings 12.95 7.65 8.67 9.79 9.07 9.48 9.18
7.65 12.95 9.541429

Moving the material to FG area 1.33 2.14 1.22 2.34 1.94 1.02 2.04
1.02 2.34 1.718571

total time
48.65286

Cycle Time= 48.65

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