ReCaM · Project

Cut Production Changeover Time by 30% with Plug-and-Produce Smart Factory Tools

manufacturingPilotedTRL 7

Imagine every time a factory needs to switch from making one product to another, technicians spend hours — sometimes days — reprogramming machines and adjusting settings. ReCaM built smart factory components that basically plug in like USB devices: you connect a new module, and it introduces itself to the system, configures itself, and starts working. Bosch and nine other partners demonstrated this at near-commercial readiness, showing that factories can handle more product varieties in smaller batches without the painful downtime between runs.

By the numbers

30%

Reduction in set-up and changeover times and costs

50%

Decrease in lot sizes / increase in variants economically feasible

Reduction in energy consumption through smart scheduling

EUR 5,302,860

EU contribution to project development

TRL 7

Technology readiness level demonstrated

Consortium partners across 5 countries

The business problem

What needed solving

Factories lose significant production time and money every time they switch between product types or adjust production quantities. Manual reprogramming, recalibration, and testing of equipment for each changeover creates a painful trade-off: either run large batches to minimize switches (tying up capital in inventory) or accept expensive downtime for frequent changes (eating into margins on small orders).

The solution

What was built

The project built a plug-and-produce HMI display system that automatically recognizes and visualizes new production components across devices using HTML5, plus a complete set of integrated reconfiguration tools demonstrated in two industrial use cases (including the CESA scenario) with public video documentation. In total, 12 deliverables were produced covering self-describing mechatronic modules, auto-configuration software, and MES-integrated production planning tools.

Audience

Who needs this

Automotive manufacturers running mixed-model or multi-variant production linesContract electronics manufacturers handling frequent product changeoversPackaging companies managing seasonal and promotional product switchesMachine builders designing modular and reconfigurable production equipmentProduction planning software vendors looking for plug-and-produce integration capabilities

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Automotive manufacturing

enterprise

Target: Automotive parts manufacturers running mixed-model production lines

If you are an automotive parts manufacturer dealing with frequent changeovers between product variants — this project developed plug-and-produce mechatronic modules and integrated planning tools demonstrated at TRL 7 that cut set-up and changeover times by at least 30%. The system lets you economically produce 50% smaller lot sizes while handling more product variants on the same line.

Consumer electronics assembly

mid-size

Target: Electronics contract manufacturers handling short product lifecycles

If you are a contract electronics manufacturer struggling to keep up with rapid product changes and shrinking order sizes — ReCaM built self-configuring production modules that auto-program themselves for new tasks. Demonstrated by 10 partners including Bosch, the tools reduce changeover costs by at least 30% and enable economically viable production of 50% smaller batches.

Packaging and consumer goods

any

Target: Packaging line operators managing seasonal and promotional variants

If you are a packaging company losing production hours every time you switch between product formats for seasonal runs — this project created intelligent modules that self-adjust to new configurations without manual reprogramming. The integrated scheduling tool also optimizes energy use during reconfiguration, targeting at least 5% reduction in energy consumption.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to implement this in our factory?

The project had a EUR 5,302,860 EU contribution across 10 partners, indicating significant R&D investment in the toolset. Specific per-unit or licensing costs are not published in the project data. Contact the consortium — led by Robert Bosch GmbH — for commercial pricing and deployment options.

Has this been tested at industrial scale or only in a lab?

ReCaM demonstrated its tools at TRL 7 (system prototype demonstrated in an operational environment), which means near-industrial conditions. Two end-user demonstration scenarios were completed, including the CESA use case with documented results and a public video.

Who owns the IP and can we license the technology?

The consortium of 10 partners — including Robert Bosch GmbH as coordinator plus 4 SMEs — jointly developed the technology under Horizon 2020 rules. IP is typically shared among consortium members. Licensing terms would need to be negotiated directly with the relevant partners.

How does this integrate with our existing MES and production planning systems?

The project was explicitly designed to integrate with existing production planning and scheduling tools (MES). The plug-and-produce architecture uses self-describing mechatronic objects that communicate their capabilities, and the system was built on existing de-facto standards for reconfigurable system architectures and interfaces.

What measurable improvements can we expect?

The project targeted and demonstrated: at least 30% reduction in set-up and changeover times and costs, ability to handle 50% smaller lot sizes economically, and at least 5% reduction in energy consumption through smart production scheduling. These numbers come directly from the project objectives validated at TRL 7.

Is the technology ready to deploy now?

The project ended in October 2018 and reached TRL 7 demonstration. Some components may have been further developed commercially by consortium partners, particularly Bosch. Based on available project data, the tools were validated in operational demonstration scenarios but may require adaptation for specific production environments.

Does this work for small-batch or custom production?

Yes — small-lot production was a primary design target. The project specifically aimed to make it economically feasible to decrease lot sizes by 50% while increasing the number of product variants. The self-configuring modules reduce the cost penalty that normally makes small batches uneconomical.

Consortium

Who built it

The ReCaM consortium is unusually strong for commercial follow-through: Robert Bosch GmbH — one of the world's largest automotive and industrial technology suppliers — leads the project, with 7 out of 10 partners coming from industry (70% ratio). Four SMEs bring agility and niche expertise, while 2 universities and 1 research organization provide the scientific foundation. The 5-country spread (Austria, Germany, Spain, Finland, Italy) covers major European manufacturing hubs. With two industrial end-users running demonstration scenarios, this consortium was clearly designed to produce deployable results, not just research papers.

ROBERT BOSCH GMBHCoordinator · DE
COMPANIA ESPANOLA DE SISTEMAS AERONAUTICOS SAparticipant · ES
FUNDACION TECNALIA RESEARCH & INNOVATIONparticipant · ES
NXTCONTROL GMBHparticipant · AT
TAMPEREEN KORKEAKOULUSAATIO SRparticipant · FI
ENGINSOFT SPAparticipant · IT
POLITECNICO DI MILANOparticipant · IT
DGH ROBOTICA, AUTOMATIZACION Y MANTENIMIENTO INDUSTRIAL SAparticipant · ES

How to reach the team

Robert Bosch GmbH (Germany) — reach out to their Industry 4.0 or manufacturing technology division

Order a report on this consortium See ROBERT BOSCH GMBH profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to connect with the ReCaM team to explore plug-and-produce technology for your production lines? SciTransfer can arrange an introduction to the right consortium partners for your specific needs.

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