Mercedes-Benz Truck Factory Overview
The world’s largest truck factory, located in southern Germany, produces up to 470 trucks a day, with a new truck rolling off the assembly line every 130 seconds. The factory exports vehicles globally and offers a huge range of vehicle versions and over 450 colors. The Mercedes-Benz Actros is the factory’s most produced truck, with engines coming from the company’s own factory in Mannheim. Almost 11,000 people work at the factory, producing trucks for the global market, with one in five trucks in Europe coming from this facility.
Evolution of Truck Production
Mercedes-Benz truck production in Germany has evolved since the first truck rolled off the line in 1963, with robots now performing tasks such as welding and assembly, reducing manual labor and increasing efficiency, allowing for a new truck to be produced every 130 seconds.
Assembly Line Process
The assembly line is designed to be efficient, with no time wasted on mistakes or searching for parts. Employees sort parts into baskets in the exact order they will be used, guided by green and red lights. The frame construction station is a kilometer long and has a large production capacity. Computer-controlled robots assemble the cabs with precision, and a driverless transport system moves them to the next station. A special camera system checks every cab for perfection before allowing it to proceed.
Frame Construction and Painting
Bolts are laser-marked to indicate their correct position in the frame construction, which uses around 300-400 bolts per frame and is the basis for every truck produced. The finished frames are heavy and require automated transportation systems. The frame is built upside down, and axles are installed, which can weigh up to 900 kilograms and are designed to handle the strains of accelerating and stopping the truck. The chassis is then painted, and the frame is not turned over until the paint is dry, after which the truck is ready to move to the next station.
Cab Painting and Quality Control
The cab is then painted, first receiving a primer coating by passing through a dip tank, which prevents rust, and the cab is rotated to ensure corrosion protection in every area. The primer and cab have different charges, attracting each other like magnets, ensuring a strong bond. The primer is applied to the cab using a cathodic immersion process, ensuring optimal adherence. The cab then undergoes PVC seam sealing to prevent moisture entry. Multiple coats of paint are applied using a high-efficiency system with electrodes and turbine-driven atomizers, resulting in a uniform color and minimal material usage. The paint is completely dry after 45 minutes and undergoes precise quality checks to ensure accuracy, with employees verifying the color shade to meet customer specifications.
Engine Assembly and Testing
The engine, built in Mannheim, consists of around 2,500 individual parts and is available in ten versions with horsepower ranging from 328 to 625. The engine is transported through the factory using automated guided vehicles and undergoes various assembly stages before being inserted into the frame. Engine assembly involves hoisting the block onto the cylinder head, mounting and bolting it, and checking cables and connectors with a tablet. Employees follow a checklist, scanning barcodes and verifying components are properly set and secured, marking them with yellow paint for confirmation.
Testing and Quality Control
Engines are tested on 11 test benches that perform both hot and cold tests, with each engine going through an automated performance program after being filled with water, oil, and diesel. The engines are then checked for leaks and inspected with a UV light, with any issues being addressed immediately. After testing, the engines are cooled, dismantled, and put on a suspension track to be taken through the paint shop in a specific order, starting with a scan cabin that creates a 3D image for the paint job.
Logistics and Supply Chain Management
Logistics play a crucial role in the initial processes, delivering parts to the assembly line with precision, and working closely with production. An ingenious logistic system backs up the process, utilizing automated conveyor belts to move boxes and saving storage space by only placing parts to be used in the next few minutes onto the conveyor belt. A warehouse uses an ingenious logistic system where every delivered box is scanned and registered, and its small parts are sorted and stored in a high rack storage area by 12 huge automated storage and retrieval system robots.
Inventory Management and Tracking
The system tracks every part, including screws, radios, and cable ties, and always knows the location of each box, except for hazardous substances. A system using barcodes and scanners efficiently sorts boxes into wagons, similar to supermarket baskets, allowing employees to easily access the right parts in the correct order on the assembly line. A control computer ensures accuracy by tracking which parts are in each compartment and in what quantity.
Final Assembly and Quality Control
The assembly line is nearing its end, where the two main components, the cab and frame, come together in a process called the “wedding”. The truck is then equipped with tires and filled with necessary fluids. The vehicle is brought to life with the initial ignition, and its systems are tested one last time to ensure everything is functioning properly. Trucks undergo a wide range of tests on in-house chassis dynamometers before being allowed on the road. A final check takes place at the “paint transfer square” where trucks are inspected for scratches and dents every 130 seconds.
Shipping and Delivery
A truck production facility checks vehicles every 2-3 minutes, with a truck leaving the kilometer-long production hall every 130 seconds. About one-fifth of the trucks are loaded onto ships and sent abroad as completely knocked-down (CKD) parts, which are packaged in special boxes or mounted on wooden frames. The facility develops its own packaging in-house and tests prototypes before mass production, with the goal of maximizing the number of parts that can be included in each shipment.
Packaging and Transportation
A company packs parts into the least amount of space while ensuring maximum protection, using a method called Kolo equal packaging, and conducts tests, such as the shake test, to simulate travel and ensure safe transportation. The company also provides assembly instructions and offers to assemble the first truck with the customer, allowing employees to gain hands-on experience and knowledge to assemble subsequent trucks efficiently.
Design and Development
The vehicle’s design had to appeal to a targeted audience with a strong sense of taste, requiring a precise and reliable look, as if formed from a single solid block. The design, led by Kai Eber, aims to grab buyers’ attention from the start, showcasing the truck’s capabilities through honest and functional styling with no superimposed elements.
Conclusion
A new truck leaves the assembly line every 130 seconds, with engines produced in the company’s own factory in Mannheim, where self-driving robots transport heavy parts and 2,500 individual pieces are assembled into a diesel engine within a few hours. The factory receives over 550 truckloads of parts daily, and 35,000 boxes are moved in and out of storage every day, with man and machine working together to assemble trucks that can leave the factory in less than a day.
Key Vocabulary
| Term | Definition | Example Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Assembly Line | A production line where workers or machines perform a specific task in a sequence to manufacture a product. | The Mercedes-Benz truck factory has an assembly line where a new truck is produced every 130 seconds. |
| Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) | A vehicle that is guided by a system of wires or sensors to move materials or products around a factory or warehouse. | The Mercedes-Benz factory uses AGVs to transport engines through the factory. |
| Cathodic Immersion Process | A method of applying a primer coating to a metal surface by immersing it in a tank of primer. | The Mercedes-Benz factory uses a cathodic immersion process to apply a primer coating to the truck cabs. |
| CKD (Completely Knocked-Down) | A method of shipping products where the components are disassembled and packed separately for easier transportation. | About one-fifth of the trucks produced by Mercedes-Benz are shipped as CKD parts. |
| Driverless Transport System | A system of vehicles that can move materials or products around a factory or warehouse without the need for human drivers. | The Mercedes-Benz factory uses a driverless transport system to move cabs to the next station. |
| Inventory Management | The process of managing and tracking the stock of goods or materials in a factory or warehouse. | The Mercedes-Benz factory uses a system of barcodes and scanners to track every part, including screws and radios. |
| Kolo Equal Packaging | A method of packaging parts into the least amount of space while ensuring maximum protection. | The Mercedes-Benz factory uses Kolo equal packaging to pack parts into special boxes or mounted on wooden frames. |
| Logistics | The process of planning, implementing, and controlling the movement and storage of goods or materials. | Logistics play a crucial role in the initial processes of the Mercedes-Benz factory, delivering parts to the assembly line with precision. |
| Quality Control | The process of checking and testing products to ensure they meet certain standards or specifications. | The Mercedes-Benz factory has a quality control process that includes checking every cab for perfection before allowing it to proceed. |
| Robotics | The use of robots to perform tasks, such as assembly, welding, or material handling. | The Mercedes-Benz factory uses robots to perform tasks such as welding and assembly, reducing manual labor and increasing efficiency. |
| Supply Chain Management | The process of managing and coordinating the flow of goods, services, and information from raw materials to end customers. | The Mercedes-Benz factory works closely with its suppliers to manage the flow of parts and materials into the factory. |
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Vocabulary Quiz
1. What does the term “cathodic immersion process” refer to in the context of cab painting?
A) A method of applying paint using electrodes and turbine-driven atomizers
B) A process of rotating the cab to ensure corrosion protection in every area
C) A technique of applying primer coating to the cab by passing it through a dip tank
D) A method of ensuring optimal adherence of primer to the cab
2. What is the purpose of the “shake test” in the context of packaging and transportation?
A) To simulate the travel of parts and ensure safe transportation
B) To test the durability of the truck’s engine
C) To check the quality of the paint job on the cab
D) To verify the correct assembly of the truck’s frame
3. What is the term “wedding” referring to in the context of the assembly line process?
A) The process of painting the truck’s cab and frame
B) The process of assembling the engine and inserting it into the frame
C) The process of bringing the cab and frame together to form the complete truck
D) The process of testing the truck’s systems before it leaves the factory
4. What is the function of the automated storage and retrieval system robots in the warehouse?
A) To sort and store small parts in a high rack storage area
B) To assemble the truck’s engine and insert it into the frame
C) To paint the truck’s cab and frame
D) To test the truck’s systems before it leaves the factory
5. What is the term “CKD” referring to in the context of shipping and delivery?
A) Completely Knocked-Down parts, which are packaged in special boxes or mounted on wooden frames
B) Completely Knocked-Out parts, which are discarded after production
C) Completely Assembled parts, which are shipped directly to customers
D) Completely Disassembled parts, which are stored in the warehouse
Answer Key:
1. D
2. A
3. C
4. A
5. A
Grammar Focus
Grammar Focus: Use of the Present Simple Tense for Describing Habits, Routines, and General Truths
Grammar Quiz:
Choose the correct answer for each question:
1. The Mercedes-Benz truck factory ____________________ up to 470 trucks a day.
A) produce
B) produces
C) is producing
D) will produce
2. The assembly line ____________________ to be efficient, with no time wasted on mistakes or searching for parts.
A) is designed
B) was designed
C) has been designed
D) will be designed
3. The frame construction station ____________________ a kilometer long and has a large production capacity.
A) is
B) are
C) was
D) were
4. The company ____________________ its own packaging in-house and tests prototypes before mass production.
A) develop
B) develops
C) is developing
D) will develop
5. A new truck ____________________ the assembly line every 130 seconds.
A) leaves
B) leave
C) is leaving
D) will leave
Answer Key:
1. B) produces
2. A) is designed
3. A) is
4. B) develops
5. A) leaves