Assembly Technology
When the workbench teaches, not the manual: seamless and engaging knowledge transfer in modern factories
Manufacturing companies today face one of their toughest challenges: finding, training, and retaining the right operators. Unemployment rates are historically low, competition for employees is becoming increasingly intense – and when someone leaves, the time and energy invested in their training can disappear overnight.
But what if training time could be reduced by up to 70%? What if a new operator could work independently from day one – without errors? And what if the processes you previously could not measure suddenly became visible in numbers?
This is the topic of an upcoming podcast conversation between Dr. Zoltán Sas, Industry 4.0 System Design Engineer responsible for Didactics at Bosch Rexroth, and Rob Reynders, expert at the Belgian operator guidance platform Arkite. Rob spent nearly twenty years in the automotive industry before joining Arkite four years ago – because he had seen with his own eyes that the system truly works.
“A 32-step process, zero errors – and I had never seen it before”
The best demo is not a presentation. I experienced the power of Arkite firsthand.
When my colleagues integrated the system into the Bosch Rexroth CUBE showroom, they told me: “Zoli, you will present it.” I asked what exactly I was supposed to present – because I had never seen the process before. It was a 32-step assembly task involving an AMR system, a screwdriving tool, manual assembly, a conveyor belt, and a collaborative robot.
No training. Not a single error.
Arkite displays real-time, step-by-step instructions directly on the operator’s workbench. A dedicated 3D sensor validates each assembly action, ensuring that every process step is executed correctly. In addition, an integrated vision sensor performs automated quality inspections to verify the presence, orientation, and condition of components throughout the assembly process.
If an error is detected, the system immediately provides feedback and prevents the operator from proceeding until the issue has been corrected. No paper-based instructions, no dependency on experienced colleagues for training, and no unnecessary downtime - just a digital guidance and quality assurance system that supports operators and safeguards manufacturing quality in real time.
Not only for newcomers – and not only for large enterprises
Employee turnover does not only take knowledge away – it also takes the time and cost invested in training. According to Rob, companies using Arkite have reduced scrap and rework rates by 65–100%, while training time has been shortened by an average of 70%.
But the system goes beyond onboarding and retraining. The so-called Experience Level function automatically monitors the operator’s speed and error rate, then adjusts the level of detail in the instructions accordingly. It does not slow down experienced workers with unnecessary guidance – but if something goes wrong, it immediately alerts them.
Language barriers are not an issue either: instructions can be translated into any language – today, even with AI support – and when the operator logs in, they automatically receive the instructions in their own native language.
The SME perspective is especially important. For a smaller manufacturer, where production volumes may be lower and processes more variable, Arkite delivers value exactly where many similar tools fall short: it reduces the cognitive load on employees and enables a level of quality assurance that previously may not have been feasible. There is no need for a dedicated quality engineer at every workstation – the system automatically takes over this role.
What you could not measure before – now you see in numbers
This is one of the least talked-about, yet most important values of Arkite.
In most manufacturing processes, there are stages where data simply did not exist before. How long does it take an operator to find the right screw? How much time passes between picking up a tool and actually tightening the screw? At which step do most people get stuck – and why?
Arkite records every single step: the duration of each operation, screwdriving values, quality inspection results, and feedback from integrated tools. This does not only create traceability – it provides a real analytical foundation:
For lean specialists, it shows where the actual bottlenecks are.
For process engineers, it makes visible who is struggling with what, and why.
For management, it makes cycle time optimization opportunities measurable and data-driven.
In many cases, these numbers simply did not exist before. Arkite does not just create better processes – it makes visible, for the first time, what used to remain invisible.
When the stakes are truly high: Volvo, BMW, Webasto
Volvo Cars, Ghent: Operators need to insert rubber plugs into the car body before it enters the paint shop. If one is missing, the car has to be repainted. Arkite uses seven projectors to show precisely where each plug needs to go, from the wheel arches to the engine compartment. The system has been running there for more than five years.
Webasto: In a panoramic roof assembly process, Arkite validates that the operator has correctly applied the primer to the required area. The system guides the employee through the full process and only allows them to continue once the step has been completed correctly.
BMW, Dingolfing: A few years later, a similar application was implemented at BMW in Dingolfing. In this case, the operator needs to de-grease the edges of the panoramic roof using an alcohol-infused towel. The validation logic is similar: Arkite checks whether the operation has been carried out in the right place and in the right way, then records the data as proof.
These examples clearly show where Arkite is strongest: wherever human attention is critical – and where the consequences of an error can be irreversible.
Open system, zero vendor lock-in – and that is no coincidence
Arkite is built on a fully open architecture. It supports all standard industrial communication protocols and integrates seamlessly with existing MES and ERP systems, smart tools, barcode scanners, printers, and measuring devices.
This is one reason why Arkite fits naturally into the Bosch Rexroth ecosystem: it does not lock users into a single supplier chain, does not require custom development for connectivity, and does not force companies to compromise on their existing infrastructure. It connects, integrates, and creates value immediately.
For small companies, it can be the most cost-effective entry point into the digitalization of manual assembly. For large enterprises, it is a low-cost yet powerful tool that fills the gap neither automation nor ERP systems can cover: the actual human-machine interface on the shop floor.
Arkite Academy – because knowledge should be accessible
All barriers to self-learning have been removed.
Arkite Academy offers structured, self-paced learning materials for anyone who wants to gain a deeper understanding of the platform – whether it is a manufacturing company planning to implement the system, a development team exploring integration opportunities, or a university where students can work with a real industrial environment.
The goal is simple: to enable anyone, anywhere, to build their knowledge at their own pace – without prior programming experience or external support.
This makes Arkite especially attractive for:
Manufacturing companies – from SMEs to large enterprises – where quality assurance in manual assembly and reducing training time represent real business challenges.
Researchers and universities, where process engineering students can gain hands-on experience with a real industrial system.
Teams developing augmented reality (AR) concepts, where Arkite provides a ready-made platform for testing and validating ideas.
Custom electronics development projects, where the open API and standard protocols enable deeply customized integration.
Any manual assembly process where quality and training have so far remained unresolved challenges.
The last missing step in digitalization
Most manufacturing companies today already have ERP systems, MES systems, and automated warehouses. But the shop floor operator often still works with paper-based instructions – or relies on knowledge stored in their head, knowledge that has never been formally captured.
As Rob puts it: “This was the blank spot. Arkite fills that gap.”
Some companies have already taken this one step further: every new production process is documented directly in Arkite – without paper or PDF files. It can be updated anytime, retrieved anytime, and made immediately available to any shift.
The full conversation is coming soon
If you are interested in how training time can be reduced, how institutional knowledge can be retained despite employee turnover, and how labor shortages can become a manageable challenge, keep an eye on Bosch Rexroth’s channels.
In the upcoming podcast episode, Rob Reynders and Zoltán Sas will also discuss the steps of implementation, how pilot projects are structured, the use of Arkite in universities and vocational training, as well as concrete use cases.
Want to find out how Arkite could fit into your manufacturing processes?
Get in touch with us, and our experts will help you identify the right solution.