Real-time transparency of your injection molding tools
Industry 4.0: Real-time transparency of your tools in supply chains
In complex supply chains as automotive parts production, many production tools used in the field lack reliable information as to their precise location, condition, and when they must be serviced or replaced. In the case of costly tools in particular, it can quickly pay off for both OEMs as well as the suppliers to achieve real-time transparency of tools in operation - thus improving the according supply chain.
Molding Tool Manager: High-quality injection molding
V1.0 will be available March 2018.
The Molding Tool Manager of Bosch Software Innovations, a sensor- and cloud-based solution, features a consolidated visualization of the quality indicators defined for a production order. This Industry 4.0 solution will consist of:
- a sensor stack - specially designed for complex manufacturing processes as injection molding
- a cloud solution for data processing and visualization of quality indicators, and
- a range of cloud services, as alerts for tool maintenance to your smart watch.
The huge benefits of Molding Tool Manager are manifold and can easily be quantified. Our customers expect to achieve savings of 14,000 euros per tool in injection molding. The benefits range from significantly reduced downtime costs over reduced onsite visits needed up to keeping quality indicators of injection molding at the highest possible level. In other words, manufacturing companies can optimize scheduled maintenance and keep an overview of lead times, production quantities and quality. Moreover, experts are actively supplied with the information they need in their respective work environment.
Reduction of downtime costs due to underdelivery expected.
Your benefit
Industry 4.0: Real-time transparency for injection molding tools.

Real-time transparency
Get real-time transparency of detailed process data, e.g. shot counts per tool – in one common dashboard for OEM and suppliers.

Quality visualization
Quality visualization of tool performance tracking, tailored to the KPIs defined for your production orders.

Plug & play
Instant access to process data, quality and performance indicators in your dashboards.

Retrofit
Solution provides its own network connection. No power supply needed (energy self-supplying).

Timely procurement
Significantly reduced downtime costs due to underdelivery. Makes timely procurement of follow-up tools easy.

Cost reduction
Reduction of weekend shifts and special traveling costs.

Digital maintenance schedules
They help to significantly reduce onsite visits.

Communication between OEM and suppliers
Direct link between deliveries, suppliers, tools, and related part numbers, simplifying communication of OEM and suppliers.

Improvement for suppliers
Process and quality improvement on suppliers´ side.
Reduction of follow-on tool costs expected.
The new face of Industry 4.0: Plug & play
Bosch Software Innovations will offer Molding Tool Manager as a plug & play solution to start using detailed process data from sensors instantly after mounting on tool or machine. For example, when using the on-tool option, after pairing the sensor with an app, shot count data is directly transferred via GSM, available in real time in the cloud and in your dashboards, customized for you as OEM as well as your suppliers. That means: Instant and real-time transparency for injection molding tools in your supply chain. Call it Industry 4.0.
V1.0 will be available March 2018.
Retrofit to manage your costly tools
Molding Tool Manager is highly customizable to deliver exactly the dashboards that feature and visualize your quality indicators and the services you need in your supply chain. The features and benefits of Molding Tool Manager can be applied to any other production process and network where costly tools are involved, e.g. in die casting.
As a retrofit solution, it can easily be started to prove savings and quality improvements in your supply chain. The sensor is used autonomous - so there is no need of network infrastructure or energy supply for you to get started.
V1.0 will be available March 2018.
Reduction of time for OEM/supplier communication expected.
Tool management services - at a glance
This is just a selection of possible cloud services implemented for our customers, based on real production data and on Sensor Cloud.

Shot count management

KPI performance dash board (OEE, shot count per day, etc.)

Quality alerts based on tool-specific usage

Maintenance dash board

Online tool book + configurator (tool-specific cleaning/replacements for hot runners and inserts, etc.)

Alert service for tool maintenance on smartwatch