Over 100 years of innovation from Bosch
Bosch has opened its new research campus in Renningen, near Stuttgart. The company has invested more than 300 million euros in the site, creating 1,700 jobs in a modern and inspiring environment. Bosch research and development is not only concerned with innovative products, but also with continuously refining manufacturing processes. In this way, the company has come up with many innovations since it was set up in 1886. A selection of some of them is presented here:
1902: high-voltage magneto ignition system with spark plug
In the summer of 1901, Gottlob Honold began work on a new kind of ignition to replace conventional and unreliable systems of the time. After just a few months the high-voltage magneto ignition system was born. Today, all petrol engines use this system and Bosch’s Gasoline Systems division manufactures modern ignition systems for a global market.
1927: diesel injection system for commercial vehicles
In the 1920s, the diesel engine was heralded as the powertrain of the future. Bosch was quick to latch on to this trend and started producing in-line pumps and injection nozzles for trucks on 30 November 1927. Nowadays, Bosch is one of the world’s leading suppliers of diesel injection systems.
1932: Bosch hand motor and Bosch hammer drill with impact mechanism
In 1930, Bosch engineers began developing hand-held tools to help manufacture its diesel injection pumps. Based on a hair trimmer and featuring an integrated motor, the power tools were flexible and portable. From 1932 Bosch sold them to builders and tradespeople, also launching the Bosch hammer drill for the construction industry. Today, the Bosch Group’s Power Tools division is the global market leader for power tools, power-tool accessories, and measuring technology. In 2015 Bosch Power Tools will launch more than 100 new products.
1933: first refrigerator
In 1933, Bosch built the first refrigerator designed to be affordable for the general public, costing 298 reichsmarks (approximately £21.50). Until then, fridges were the reserve of wealthy people or businesses (e.g. grocery stores and
restaurants). In 2015, Bosch is Europe’s most popular household-appliance brand, and continues to set trends worldwide. For example, with a connected fridge featuring integrated cameras which allow shoppers to check online how well stocked they are.
1953: hydraulic plow lift
In Europe at the start of the 1950s, farming still involved a lot of manual work. The invention of the plow lift, which used hydraulics to raise and lower the plow, made what had been a strenuous task child’s play. In 2001, Bosch joined forces with industrial technology company Rexroth. Today, Bosch Rexroth is one of the leading suppliers of drive and control technology globally, helping to move machinery and plant of all sizes.
1967: Jetronic electronic gasoline-injection system
In 1959, Bosch began developing an electronically controlled gasoline injection system. When this system, called Jetronic, was launched in 1967, it was the
first mass-produced system of its kind in the world. Nowadays, efficient injection systems are indispensable for modern cars. Bosch’s gasoline direct injection goes from strength to strength.
1978: ABS antilock braking system
Bosch produced its first ABS system for cars in 1978 following nine years of development. Since 1978, more than 190 million ABS systems have been manufactured at Bosch. All new cars sold in the EU today have ABS.
1985: Junkers/Bosch combined heating and hot water boiler with condensing technology
Although Hugo Junkers’ principle had existed since 1894, it was in the 1980s that Bosch produced the first gas-fired condensing boiler. The technology reuses the waste heat in exhaust gas, feeding it back into the heating circuit, thus considerably increasing efficiency. Condensing technology will become the de facto standard in the EU from September 2015. With sales revenue of more than 3 billion euros, Bosch Thermotechnology is a leading European manufacturer of energy-efficient heating products and hot-water solutions.
1995: micromechanical sensors (MEMS) in mass production
In the 1980s, Bosch worked on making sensors smaller, more reliable, and more energy-efficient. In 1995 it started mass production using a new process called plasma etching. Bosch’s current portfolio includes acceleration, yaw, mass-flow, pressure, and environmental sensors, as well as microphones. It produces more than 4 million sensors a day.
1995: ESP electronic stability program
Since being launched in 1995, ESP has prevented 190,000 accidents and saved more than 6,000 lives across Europe. Bosch is the world’s leading supplier, and celebrates a milestone this year: it will soon have sold 150 million ESP systems since production began 20 years ago.
2008: ultrashort pulse lasers used in production
In 2008, Bosch achieved a world first by using ultrashort laser pulses in the machines it developed in-house for mass production. This technology was put to initial use in the manufacture of lambda sensors. Today, one of the ways Bosch uses ultrashort laser pulses is to drill the extremely fine nozzles in the injection valves of its gasoline direct injection system. The result is a fuel saving of as much as 20 percent in gasoline engines and lower emissions.
2015: smart mowing 2.0 with the Indego 1 200 Connect
The unique, tried-and-tested “LogiCut” navigation system ensures that the Indego 1 200 Connect robotic lawnmower mows efficiently along parallel lines. This enables it to mow the same lawn area at least 30 percent faster than robotic lawnmowers that mow at random. Using a smartphone app, the lawnmower
can be simply and conveniently operated from anywhere. The app computes the
best time for the next cut. Using this web-based weather forecast, Indego Connect mows the lawn when the conditions are right: not too hot, not too wet, and not too cold.
Press photos: 1-CR-21448 to 1-CR-21464
Contact person for press inquiries:
Rianne Ojeh, 01895 838 822
Email: Rianne.Ojeh@uk.bosch.com
The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services. It employs roughly 360,000 associates worldwide (as per April 1, 2015). The company generated sales of 49 billion euros in 2014.* Its operations are divided into four business sectors: Mobility Solutions, Industrial Technology, Consumer Goods, and Energy and Building Technology. The Bosch Group comprises Robert Bosch GmbH and its roughly 440 subsidiary and regional companies in some 60 countries. Including its sales and service partners, Bosch is represented in roughly 150 countries. This worldwide development, manufacturing, and sales network is the foundation for further growth. In 2014, Bosch applied for some 4,600 patents worldwide. The Bosch Group’s strategic objective is to create solutions for a connected life. Bosch improves quality of life worldwide with products and services that are innovative and spark enthusiasm. In short, Bosch creates technology that is “Invented for life.”
The company was set up in Stuttgart in 1886 by Robert Bosch (1861-1942) as “Workshop for Precision Mechanics and Electrical Engineering.” The special ownership structure of Robert Bosch GmbH guarantees the entrepreneurial freedom of the Bosch Group, making it possible for the company to plan over the long term and to undertake significant up-front investments in the safeguarding of its future. Ninety-two percent of the share capital of Robert Bosch GmbH is held by Robert Bosch Stiftung GmbH, a charitable foundation. The majority of voting rights are held by Robert Bosch Industrietreuhand KG, an industrial trust. The entrepreneurial ownership functions are carried out by the trust. The remaining shares are held by the Bosch family and by Robert Bosch GmbH.
Additional information is available online at www.bosch.com, www.bosch-press.com, http://twitter.com/BoschPresse.
*The sales figure disclosed for 2014 does not include the former joint ventures BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH (now BSH Hausgeräte GmbH) and ZF Lenksysteme GmbH (now Robert Bosch Automotive Steering GmbH), which have since been taken over completely.
