Bühler, Uzwil, Switzerland, and Bosch Connected Devices and Solutions, Reutlingen, Germany (a wholly owned subsidiary of Robert Bosch) have decided to extend their current collaboration agreement.  Both companies are experts in the areas of Industry 4.0 (the Internet of Things) and food process technology. Contractual proceedings to form a commercial partnership were completed on 22nd August at the occasion of the Bühler Networking Days which took place earlier this week (see below, as well as EBS News for week of 27 June).

 

The cooperation provides great opportunities to leverage Bosch know-how in electronics, sensor technology, and software around the Internet of Things for the food processing industry. The two companies successfully cooperated in a two-year research project to integrate cutting-edge Bosch MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical systems) sensors into food production technology. The results are said to be very promising: individual rolls in rotating machines can now be equipped with wireless sensors to measure in real time temperature and vibration during the production process. This allows monitoring and optimisation of the end product through better alignment of the rolls. Operators also benefit from predictive maintenance services, reducing downtime and operating costs. First applications from this intensified cooperation will be launched in 2017. www.buhlergroup.com; www.bosch-connectivity.com 

 

 

Johannes Wick (right), CEO grains and food at Bühler, and Thorsten Müller, CEO, Bosch Connected Devices and Solutions, sign the R&D cooperation agreement