MFGE425 Assembly PDF

AUTOMOTIVE MANUFACTURING AUTOMOTIVE MANUFACTURING
Before Ford, the vehicles to be assembled was stationary and

assemblers were moving from car to car.
Henry Ford introduced first moving assembly line, a conveyor that
moved the vehicle past a stationary assembler, in Detroit in 1913.
Ford Factory
There are still some expensive cars that are built without any assembly line
due to low production volume.
For example, for V12 Ferrari models, only two people construct the complete
engine. Another extreme example is Enzo Ferrari, which is built stationary and
takes approximately 3 months to produce!
Material used in automotive industry Material used in automotive industry
The bulk of an automobile is steel for structural components and petroleum-
based products (i.e. plastics) for the others. Plastics are used in the exterior as
well, such as bumpers and front grills. The light-weight materials derived from
petroleum have helped to lighten the cars by as much as thirty percent.
Aluminum and carbon-fibre bodies are also becoming popular although the
latter is only limited to high-end sports cars.
McLaren F1, the first road car (!) to use carbon-fiber monocoque
The use of composites in body panels
CFRP roof of BMW M3 CLS is 6kg
lighter than a steel roof, which helps
decrease the cars center of gravity.
Different materials used in an
automobile chassis and body panels
Cylinder heads and blocks that are completely made of aluminum is
becoming increasingly popular although common choice of material is cast-iron.
Apart from being lighter, aluminum has an excellent thermal conductivity that
means better cooling properties. This makes aluminum a very attractive choice
particularly for cylinder heads.
Heads and blocks are cast to a near-net-shape and requires further machining
on the mating surfaces for accuracy.
Aluminum alloy wheels are becoming increasingly popular. Magnesium-
aluminum alloy wheels are used for high-end cars due to its light weight.
Aluminum pistons are also used in performance cars although they usually
require a special lining around the pistons. However, steel is still the material of
choice for connecting rods and cranckshafts due to strength (e.g. an Impreza
crankshaft is subjected to a force of 10 tons in an instant) and cost reasons. For
high-end sports cars, it is possible to find examples of titanium connecting rods.
Titanium Connecting Rod
Aluminum Wheel
Cast-iron discs are usually used for brakes. Cast-iron disc is the heaviest part
of a brake - about 8 kg each. An expensive alternative is carbon-fiber discs.
However, they require very high working temperature, otherwise braking power
and response will be unacceptable. Porsche introduced ceramic disc brakes that
weighs 4 kg each. It is basically made of carbon-fibers that are siliconized at
1,700C in a high-vacuum process.
The Mercedes-Benz CL 55 AMG "F1 Limited Edition
The first roadgoing vehicle with a ceramic breaking system
Designing a car Designing a car
After making a market research, a proposal for the car is made. Introducing a
new car generally takes three to five years from inception to assembly.
With the help of computer-aided design equipment, designers develop basic
concept drawings that help them visualize the proposed vehicle's appearance.
Based on this simulation, they then construct models that can be studied by
styling experts familiar with what the public is likely to accept. Aerodynamic
experts also review the model.
Meanwhile, performance characteristics and components of the engine and
drive train are designed in computer environment. Prototypes are built and tested.
Feasibility studies on crash tests are also undertaken.
After all models have been reviewed and accepted, tool designers begins
building tools that will manufacture the components. Designing the
manufacturing processes also requires extensive use of computers and testing.
Materials used in a typical car
Manufacturing processes used in a typical car Manufacturing processes used in a typical car
* Pictures are taken from Kalpakjian & Schmids manufacturing textbook
Cast parts in a typical automobile
Formed and shaped parts in a typical automobile
Machined parts in a typical automobile
Joining technologies in a typical automobile
Assembling the components Assembling the components
The frame (floor pan) is placed on the assembly line and clamped to the
conveyer to prevent shifting as it moves down the line. From here the
automobile frame moves to component assembly areas where complete front
and rear suspensions, gas tanks, rear axles and drive shafts, gear boxes, steering
box components, wheel drums, and braking systems are sequentially installed.
The body (monocoque chassis) is built up on a separate assembly line.
Stamped sheets and extruded bars are joined together to produce a one-piece
structure. Robots performs several thousand spot welds on a single chassis. Laser
welding is also becoming popular.
Adhesive bonding will be a good alternative to welding in the near future. In
bonding, structural adhesive (e.g. epoxy) is applied to specially treated surfaces
and cured in an oven. Above, two outstanding examples of a road going car
whose body put together using this technology (Jaguar XJ, and Lotus Elise).
Once the body shell is complete, it is attached to an overhead conveyor for
the painting process. The multi-step painting process entails inspection,
cleaning, undercoat (electrostatically applied) dipping, drying, topcoat spraying,
and baking.
The body and chassis assemblies are mated near the end of the production
process. Robotic arms lift the body shell onto the chassis frame, where human
workers then bolt the two together. After final components are installed, the
vehicle is driven off the assembly line to a quality checkpoint.
The final components are assembled. The vehicle can now be started. From
here it is driven to another line, where its engine is audited, its lights and horn
checked, its tires balanced, its charging system examined, etc. Any defects
discovered at this stage require that the car be taken to a central repair area,
usually located near the end of the line. A crew of skilled trouble-shooters at this
stage analyze and repair all problems.

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AUTOMOTIVE MANUFACTURING AUTOMOTIVE MANUFACTURING

Before Ford, the vehicles to be assembled was stationary and

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