Bosch Rexroth bringing its Factory of the Future concept on the road

To help time-stressed engineers stay on top of the latest technologies, Bosch Rexroth is making its way across the U.S. with a mobile solution center for factory automation applications.

Rexroth sales engineers are able to discuss practical solutions to real customer problems with the latest innovations close at hand. Since the inaugural trip in June of 2016, the Rexroth road show trailer has visited more than 125 companies in the Great Lakes, Central and Northeast regions of the United States. Overall, more than 1,200 visitors have experienced the trailer so far.

Customers don’t have to leave their campus or fly to a trade show to see the latest in automation technology. Many are surprised by the breadth of Rexroth’s offering and impressed by the advanced capabilities the different Rexroth products exhibit when working together.

A lot of technology can fit in a single trailer — it truly is a traveling trade show booth. With interactive fully powered product displays, the Factory of the Future trailer includes CNC technology, machine safety concepts that are both drive and PLC based, cabinet-free/synchronization solutions, fully integrated mechatronics, anti-slosh/anti-vibration solutions and VarioFlow plusconveyor systems. A multi-axis coordinated motion control exhibit demonstrates precise positioning applied to hydraulics. Further expanding on Rexroth’s hydraulics capabilities, the Connected Hydraulics exhibit showcases advancements in intelligent hydraulic pump connectivity. Additionally, the exhibit introduces the IO-Link hydraulic components and their new network master module.

More featured products include the latest in energy efficiency and connected technologies such as Open Core Engineering, electro-hydraulic solutions, the Nexo cordless WiFi nutrunner, IndraDrive CS, IndraDrive ML high power drives and EasyHandling Cartesian motion robot systems. The recently-added electro-hydraulic interactive display demonstrates how Rexroth’s Sytronix variable speed pump drive provides its users with lower noise emission and energy savings through variable speed operation.

Rexroth’s innovative Industry 4.0 showcase validates how live data from shop floor equipment can be collected by Bosch CISS and XDK sensors, analyzed and processed with the help of Rexroth’s IoT Gateway and visualized in a cloud-based dashboard. A newly-added display showcases the Power Management functionality integrated into Rexroth’s IndraControl XM. This functionality helps manufacturers monitor power use in real-time to make adjustments and improve machine footprint. Additionally, all demos are running on IndraControl XM, Rexroth’s intelligent control featuring high-performance, real-time data processing capabilities.

The self-contained showroom is 28 feet long, 13 feet high and 8.6 feet wide and can be easily accommodated in most factory parking lots. The trailer has on-board climate control and video and includes a built-in awning to help shield participants from the sun.