The name Bosch resounds today throughout the world. After all, nearly every person living in Central Europe today uses a product carrying the Bosch label, or at least one which contains one or more of the manufacturers parts.
Corresponding to the immense growth of Robert Bosch GmbH, the structure of the Bosch-Group has expanded accordingly. What began as a sole proprietorship at the end of the 19th Century is now comprised of three divisions – automotive engineering, industrial engineering, and consumer goods/building services engineering. Electric tools, heating products, household appliances, security systems and broadband networks are produced with the highest quality in the consumer goods/building services engineering division.
This division is generally the most well-known among individual consumers because of the frequency of product use, and it serves as the basis of the recognition of the Bosch brand. However, with approximately 47,500 employees and revenues of 8.5 billion Euros, this division is only the second strongest, after automotive engineering. The automotive engineering division with its 143,000 employees generates average revenues of 24 billion Euros, approximately three times the value produced in its consumer goods.
Bosch’s international presence in the automotive industry is based on its broad set-up in this area. Bosch develops, builds, and sells systems, components, as well as complete systems for gasoline and Diesel systems, chassis systems, energy and body systems, car multimedia, automotive electronics, ZF steering systems, and retail automotive technology. To realize such an expansive assortment of goods and to focus specific business areas, Bosch operates out of numerous locations nationally and internationally. The Blaichach/ Immenstadt plant, with its 3200 employees, contributes significantly to Bosch’s overall division of chassis and gasoline systems. This plant in the Alpine Mountains develops, with international cooperation, new solutions for ABS, ASR, and ESP systems. It develops these solutions to the level of serial manufacturing and delivers its product together with sensors and ignition components all over the world.
Global activity in the field of automobile production demands adherence to the highest standards of quality, which have been unified on Bosch premises. As a successful supplier of top-quality products for over a hundred years, Bosch lays the highest claim upon its own quality control, above and beyond the certifications required in the field of automotive engineering. Auditing of processes according to VDA and DIN ISO/TS are common at the Blaichach plant. In order to reach and maintain such quality control, the Group Manager for Quality Assurance, Cyrille Caillié, relies on the merits of the CAQ AG Factory Systems software.
Since September 2002, a system is operational here which, besides its qualification on the basis of the parameters set by Bosch, easily stands out from alternative products of the competition not only in its content, but also in its cost-performance ratio. The foundation for this two-year-old cooperation with the software supplier from Rheinböllen im Hunsrück was the result of an exhaustive investigation at "Control", the annual quality control trade fair at Sinnsheim. Here, two coworkers from Mr. Cailliés team, Ewald Kienle and Thomas Serra, made an in-depth study of the merits and possibilities of diverse software solutions, in order to give two of the selected firms the possibility of a first test installation.
In addition to doing initial software tests, CAQ AG Factory Systems inquired about the possible peripherals as well as software and hardware requirements, in order to fine tune their own software as optimally as possible to fit the requirements of the Bosch plant in the Alpine Mountains. The fact that this flexibility and readiness to continually expand ones own product is the foundation for a successful business relationship was confirmed in the association between Bosch and CAQ AG Factory Systems.
"The ability to adapt and the readiness to optimize the software just a bit more all the time distinguishes CAQ AG,", explains the Team Leader for Quality Assurance in Audits. "Besides the very good cost-use ratio, this was an important criterion in choosing CAQ AG."
Still today, two years after the first installation, regular adaptations and expansions of the software are accomplished, which are based in part on the suggestions of Bosch coworkers and their customers. The openness of the system and the attendant possibility to continually fine tune the software according to the specifications of the respective client presents for CAQ AG Factory Systems an important criterion to set itself apart from the competition and maintain optimal user-friendliness.
Process Auditor, Thomas SerraThe usability of the software is also highly valued by the quality control team at Blaichach/Immenstadt. "We completed the first tests of the software independently," says Thomas Serra, who is responsible for the technical control of the software. "The system is self-explanatory in such a way that we could use the individual features already after the first day, without any further inqueries. The layout is highly reminiscent of Microsofts Outlook, and the application is correspondingly simple."
The coworkers are using the system provided by CAQ AG Factory Systems in order to apply the data that they obtain through daily auditing processes in a way that both adds value and supports production. In order to continually keep up with the updates and applications provided by CAQ AG Factory Systems, the service pack which is known as "TSP" is used. Here the coworkers receive, in addition to the software improvements released in very short intervals, the possibility for ancillary training and continuing education. Bosch admits that it does not utilize every update, since the improvements in newer versions are at times not relevant for daily operations at Bosch, but the company remarks with satisfaction that the CAQ AG software provider never rests upon its laurels.
Renowned customers especially demanding in the area of quality and environmental management describe their success stories and serve as guarantors and references for software that yields high performance and is reliable and fair.
From mid-size companies to multi-national corporations, CAQ AG develops innovative, integrated software solutions that satisfy the highest demands and meet all requirements of quality management.
Furthermore, CAQ AG software supports all quality-related processes pertaining to any value added chain, production companies, and service providers. We attach special importance to compliance with standards as well as 100% release-capability of all of our software solutions without any restrictions – all this while retaining the maximum degree of customization to satisfy customer-specific demands.
Although CAQ AG software solutions are installed on thousands of systems worldwide, we guarantee that you can update your version automatically, no matter how many updates and upgrades you have installed previously. All upgrades function with minimum servicing time and effort onsite. Updates install automatically without requiring you to consult or involve our service staff. Updates neither change nor impede any customer-specific configurations. This principle ensures the full value of your investments.
In all of our efforts our most important goal is not just to satisfy you, but instead to thrill you! One thing is essential to realizing this goal – and we are very proud of our accomplishments on this front: We have a highly motivated, engaged, and competent team in which and with which working is fun!
It is a matter of course for us here at CAQ AG that our employees in development, support, customer service, sales, and management, in addition to having university degrees as well as practical experience, have completed the training courses for “Quality Manager GFQ-IHK” or “Quality Assistant GFQ-IHK” and stay up-to-date by continuously completing training programs.
