Bosch Rexroth Introduces Manufacturer-Independent Ecosystem to Expand Digital Transformation Efforts

Bosch Rexroth (Bosch) recently become a partner to the neutral, manufacturer-independent digital solution for the agricultural industry, NEVONEX. 

 

Bosch Rexroth and NEVONEX

Through the cloud-connected ecosystem, Bosch intends to help improve the digital connectivity of agricultural machinery. The NEVONEX platform has been designed to enable digital services directly on agricultural machinery. NEVONEX users can now access Bosch’s RCU (Rexroth Connectivity Unit) telematics unit as a compact connectivity device for a wide range of agricultural applications.

 

Video used courtesy of NEVONEX

 

Industrialization has made it possible for agriculture to play a much larger role in society than ever before. While farming was once a very labor-intensive profession, modern innovation has made it possible for farmers to focus on decision-making while machines do much of the work. 

Digital transformation is playing an increasingly important role in agriculture because it provides access to previously unavailable information due to geographic limitations. Farmers can now use sensors to monitor their fields for pests and plant diseases, all while using drones to plant seeds more efficiently.
 

NEVONEX  

Like for Smart Factory operations, greater connectivity and wider adoption of automation technologies for agricultural operations can increase productivity. This could mean a higher yield of products or crops. The NEVONEX ecosystem provides farmers with three basic components: agricultural machinery from NEVONEX Partners, a NEVONEX-enabled control unit, and app-like digital services that enable novel agricultural machine functionalities. 

 

NEVONEX digital ecosystem. Image used courtesy of Bosch Rexroth

 

Users can select these digital services through NEVONEX partners that involve crop protection, fertilizing, harvesting, sowing, soil cultivation, and management. Once users have chosen their desired services, they can purchase the hardware and call an installation provider for an appointment, starting in January 2022. 

To find out about the installation process for NEVONEX, you can visit this page. Customers only need to use a single retrofit kit to update existing and new machinery with digital services from different providers.

 

Digital Ecosystem Expansion

Bosch has expanded the NEVONEX ecosystem by adding its RCU telematics unit. Unlike proprietary telematics control units (TCUs), Bosch’s processor-based, modular RCU has an open-source Linux operating system.

The actual device software is installed in layers and is therefore transferable. The RCU has been designed to allow vehicle and machine data to be pre-processed in specific ways and transferred to the cloud with improved bandwidth.

The RCU is a critical component of Bosh’s modular BODAS Connect telematics system. With BODAS Connect Device Connectivity, machines used by manufacturers or agricultural specialists can be connected and monitored for RCU status. Remote diagnosis and management of controller networks can be conducted.

BODAS Connect Device Connectivity also offers customers over-the-air services for the RCU and connected Rexroth controllers and can add data management flexibly.

 

A closer look at the BODAS device. Image used courtesy of Bosch Rexroth

 

To find out more about BODAS Connect Device Connectivity, you can visit their website. If manufacturers are looking to speed up time to market, then Bosch’s BODAS Connect All-in-One-Connectivity system may provide an alternate solution.