As a result of the huge investment currently underway at its Aveiro plant, which requires the construction of new facilities and the creation of new production lines and laboratories, Bosch adopted the strategy of releasing some of its production lines and entrusting them to reliable partners that have the necessary technical and human know-how.
ETMA was the only company selected in Portugal for that purpose. The production and assembly line of subassemblies for water heaters is already installed and operating in its facilities. This is a source of pride for ETMA, but also a big challenge, which we will cover in this article.
CONTEXT
Bosch Home Comfort is making an investment of EUR 100 million at its facilities in Aveiro, which should be concluded until 2026. The aim is to increase the production of heat pumps, an equipment that it considers to be key to decarbonise Europe. This decision aligns with the company’s motto: Make home comfort green.
It should be noted that the Bosch competence centre for hot water business is located in the Aveiro plant, with a production that is exported to more than 40 countries and that has a market share of 90% in Portugal.
Cooperation between Bosch and ETMA is long standing. Given today’s context at the Aveiro plant, Bosch got in touch with ETMA to present the challenge of being responsible for some of its production lines. With this invitation, ETMA brought together the necessary conditions to accept just one specific line. Its proposal for the development of subassemblies for water heaters was approved by Bosch and the project is in full operation since March of this year.
ABOUT THE PRODUCTION LINE INSTALLED AND MANAGED BY ETMA
Bosch has, therefore, installed the mentioned assembly line inside ETMA, including machinery and technology, and has also provided training (technical know-how) to the ETMA employees responsible for its operation. At least 10 company employees were assigned to the project, 4 of which are new hires, in order to ensure monthly deliveries to the client.
This is a long-term and ongoing project, consisting in the assembly of modules. There are currently 21 references that generate 21 different modules, which cover 80 types of metal parts in total.
While this type of production process is nothing new for ETMA, who already offers a unique system of 10 Integrated Production Processes, the approval of this project is adding value to its welding process, as it allows to have the brazing process in-house.
THE PRODUCTION PROCESSES COVERED BY THE PROJECT
In its entirety, this project covers processes such as the machining and crimping of tubes, as well as the welding and/or brazing of parts in each component of the different subassemblies produced.
Calibration and tightness are of particular importance along the entire production line, since it is mandatory to verify that there are no leaks in these gas tubes.
For that reason, the brazing process becomes particularly relevant here.
Brazing and welding are two processes used to assemble materials in different industrial sectors, such as plumbing (tubes and connections).
Welding is an operation that allows to join parts and is generally obtained by melting materials, such as a base metal and a filler metal. In this process, high temperatures correspond to the melting point of the metals.
In what concerns brazing, it is an assembly operation obtained by melting a filler metal (for instance, based on copper, silver, tin or nickel) and not the base metal. Therefore, the melting point of the filler metal shall be lower than the base metal one.
CONCLUSION
Besides the great logistical and financial effort from ETMA, to ensure the success of this challenging project, it is important to highlight that this is a project that falls outside the normal pattern of activity of the company, for which it had to create the best adaptability conditions.
Once again, ETMA has responded positively to a new challenge, for which it had to perform an internal reorganisation, but whose result has been successful until now. The company’s assembly sector is now even stronger and more prepared to better address its clients demands.
Contact us for more information: info@etmametalparts.com