Podium Advanced Technologies is a company operating in the field of advanced engineering for more than a decade, specializing in the design and development of innovative solutions for automotive, racing and sustainable transportation. Podium's mission is to combine passion with technology to create high-performance, personalized and sustainable products. Experience enables Podium to meet complex challenges and provide truly differentiated solutions in the global market. At the current stage of development, Podium invests not only in the capabilities of its engineers to develop batteries that are outstanding on the market, but also in the assembly process, which is the basis for ensuring quality and reliability.
Podium firmly believes that the combination of cutting-edge technology and efficient manufacturing processes is the key to providing products that not only meet but also exceed customer expectations. Podium is pleased to develop the new production line in cooperation with Bosch Rexroth, which shares the same values as Podium: the pursuit of excellence and high flexibility.
Question 1: What challenges did you face? What kind of supplier do you think is suitable for this project?
Giuliano Ellena, Podium Battery Manufacturing Engineering Manager:
Our market is a growing and very competitive market, so it is crucial for us to ensure a dynamic life cycle and sustainable technological improvement, and we have successfully met this requirement by studying assembly dynamics and developing the best solution.
Battery technology continues to advance as industry needs and relevant environmental regulations continue to evolve. We must find a leading supplier who is a globally recognized expert in battery production, has the ability to recommend the best solutions to customers, ensure sustainability, innovate vigorously and adopt cutting-edge technology.
Quality and safety are two aspects that drive production, and thanks to the use of real-time monitoring systems such as thermal imaging cameras, it can be guaranteed that there are no abnormalities in the product. The use of isolation tools is another important choice we made together with Bosch Rexroth to meet the highest safety requirements.
Question 2: Why did you choose Bosch Rexroth as a partner to develop the battery production line?
Giuliano Ellena, Podium Battery Manufacturing Engineering Manager:
We chose Bosch Rexroth because of its quality and safety guarantees. Bosch Rexroth's international experience in the battery industry is highly recognized, and it is crucial for us to work with a partner who can quickly understand the core challenges of our business. We work together throughout the process, from the design of the production line to the delivery of components, including connection to the existing environment. In terms of selection, Bosch Rexroth has a wide range of products that can be easily and quickly assembled with each other.
Bosch Rexroth's innovative modular approach allows us to quickly customize the production line and modify the assembly process when necessary to meet the specific needs of our customers.
The market competition is very fierce, and as a company that continues to lead innovation, we must guarantee future-oriented solutions. In addition, Bosch Rexroth has a large network of certified partners to cooperate with.
Question 3: How important is the digitalization of production data in this project?
Andrea Galvanin, Project Manager at Bosch Rexroth Automotive:
From the beginning, traceability of production data has been a basic requirement for Podium to ensure the best possible product quality. The battery assembly conveyor line includes assembly stations equipped with an operator guidance system and a tightening gun.
The software installed in the tightening gun allows each component installed on the battery to be identified and tracked, while the assembly operation is recorded by the operator guidance system and the data is then sent to the company's MES system.
Due to the interconnectivity of the production line elements and the integration of digital functions in the products, we can supervise production and ensure that all components are assembled in the correct way to achieve zero-defect production.
Question 4: How did Bosch Rexroth specifically support the Podium implementation project?
Luca Pantaleoni, Business Development Manager at Bosch Rexroth:
The strength behind the entire project was continuous communication in all aspects of development. We started with an approach for standard products and then customized them to fully adapt to the needs of Podium, ensuring the same output quality as an automatic production line. From hardware to software, from assembly to data collection, we support customers in developing production lines in a fully customized way and assist customers in determining the battery assembly sequence.
Every project is unique, and the product portfolio, coupled with long-term experience in the battery field, enables us to respond to a variety of possibilities.
Because the products contain high technology, we open the door to future developments dominated by flexibility: today, the production line assembled by Podium is able to realize 500 different models of battery assembly, and the battery can be directly installed on the vehicle while ensuring data traceability.
In addition, the certified partners we work with have the capabilities required to implement customer-required projects and customizations to solve complex challenges while guaranteeing maximum efficiency.