REAL-WORLD APPLICATION

Drive efficiency with scalable automotive production

Automotive production is growing more complex, demanding greater speed, quality, sustainability and flexibility. To keep pace, customers are prioritizing standardized processes and applications. Scalable, reusable technologies strengthen this focus, delivering consistency and enabling innovation.

Advanced orange robot arms in industrial automotive manufacturing plant.

Challenge

What are the major challenges when automotive shop floors combine components from many suppliers?

Combining components from multiple suppliers drives up inventory costs, since carmakers must stock and manage many different spare parts
Multiple supplier systems complicate maintenance, as technicians need different tools and know-how for each component
Inconsistent machine interfaces and guidelines make it harder for shopfloor workers to operate and switch between machines

Solution

Modular toolbox standardizes machine interfaces across suppliers:

SICAR Automation Suite combines a software library, ready-to-use project templates and proven guidelines that let carmakers apply the same automation standard across machines from different suppliers
Ready-made PLC/HMI templates and a shared software library provide proven control, state management and diagnostic functions that can be reused across different machines
Reusing pre-validated component lists and specification templates instead of sourcing and engineering from scratch reduces engineering effort and shortens the time to a working concept

Automotive engineer using standardization tools on a tablet.

Standardize automation, cut costs and complexity

Unify machine interfaces and processes across every supplier with one modular toolbox. Carmakers cut inventory and engineering costs while unlocking a higher level of shopfloor automation.

Reduce storage costs

Standardizing on one set of validated components across projects means fewer part numbers to warehouse and track. That frees up storage space and capital that would otherwise sit in redundant stock

Reduce engineering costs

Reusing the same tested software modules and project templates on every new line cuts repetitive engineering work. Teams commission machines faster and free up capacity for higher-value tasks.

Increase automation

Reusable software functions, standardized interfaces and application templates make it easier to scale automation concepts across machines and production lines, increasing the overall degree of automation.

CASE STUDY

Electric car factory for China’s sales champion

China’s electric vehicle leader, BAIC BJEV, built its first mass production base for energy vehicles. The company used Siemens solutions to enhance the brand, improve quality and better meet market needs.