GM's engine plant in New York is revolutionizing the manufacturing process with the introduction of smart bolts that collect real-time data during production. These innovative fasteners are designed to minimize errors and improve efficiency on the assembly line. Given the complexity of engine structures, issues like machine malfunctions, faulty components, or human mistakes can occur. However, GM’s Tona Wanda plant in New York has taken a high-tech approach to tackle these challenges, using a seemingly small but highly advanced component: the "data bolt."
Recently, this 75-year-old facility invested $400 million in upgrades, aiming to produce a new line of fifth-generation six- and eight-cylinder engines. As a pioneer in the automotive industry, GM was among the first to integrate RFID technology into its tracking systems. While RFID tags have been used for over a decade, the latest innovation involves embedding them directly into critical parts like cylinder heads and engine blocks.
These data bolts resemble regular bolts but feature hollow heads where epoxy, memory chips, and spiral wires (acting as antennas) are installed. Despite their small size, they can store up to 2KB of data—enough to record detailed information about each stage of the engine assembly. This data is then uploaded to the factory’s central server, enabling better traceability and quality control.
The system operates across 50 points along the production line, with each data bolt transmitting information to the server. Automated machines are equipped with RFID scanners and writers that read the data before processing and update it afterward. If an error occurs, the next step in the line can detect and isolate the affected part, allowing workers to inspect it promptly.
At the Tona Wanda plant, when assembling cylinder heads and engine blocks, the engine is placed on a pallet, an RFID tag is attached, and the serial numbers are recorded. The RFID tag captures the entire assembly process and sends it to the central server for easy access. This helps prevent misplacement of parts, which was a common issue before the implementation of the data bolt system.
Peter Laskiewicz, a GM manufacturing engineer, noted that the system saves significant time, especially during high-speed production. With parts scattered across the floor, identifying the correct location for each component used to be time-consuming. Additionally, if a part missed a machining step, it could damage expensive CNC milling machines—each worth around $1 million. Now, the data bolts help avoid such costly mistakes.
After the cylinder head is processed, a special machine tightens 20 bolts simultaneously. The data stored on the RFID tags becomes crucial at this stage, ensuring that all bolts are properly tightened. Some bolts require precise torque settings, and the number of times they can be loosened is limited. The data from the tags ensures accuracy, preventing leaks and future failures.
GM's use of data bolts is primarily aimed at improving quality control and streamlining the production process. The system allows workers to quickly identify and address issues after machining. If a supplier reports a problem with a batch of parts, GM can easily trace which engines were affected by accessing the data from the bolts.
Looking ahead, GM plans to expand this tracking system to other factories, though no specific timeline has been announced. Marc Brazeau, a manufacturing expert at AlixPartners, believes this system could become widely adopted in the industry, predicting major changes in assembly manufacturing over the next four to five years.
LED MR16 Spot Light,Dimmable Led Spotlights,Indoor LED Spotlights,Indoor LED Spot Light
Foshan Extrlux Co., Ltd. , https://www.extrlux.com