New frame line employed at Ford in Silverton
The pursuit of excellence within the manufacturing process, is relentless, and costly.
This installation measures 100 000m2 and will take your breath away. It employs advanced robotic manufacturing equipment and is part of Ford’s R15.8 billion investment toward the manufacturing of the new Ford Ranger.
Ford exports to more than 100 markets the world over and this facility will enable Ford to achieve production levels never thought possible before.
“The ladder-frame chassis of the Ranger bakkie is fundamental to its overall quality, performance and durability, whether used as an everyday family vehicle or in hard-working commercial applications,” says Ockert Berry, VP of operations at Ford South Africa.
“Accordingly, as with our new on-site stamping plant, bringing the manufacturing of the frame in-house allows us to carefully monitor and control every step of the production process.
“The facility is 95% automated, relying on 585 robots to assemble and weld the frames,” says Yetheen Gengan, area manager for the frame line.
“We use the latest SKS automated intelligent welding system with I&K pulse technology to guarantee the highest level of precision welding and consistency.
Quality control is demanding and includes an in-line perceptron measurement of every chassis produced in the plant.
“With these advanced and extremely accurate measurement and scanning systems, we are able to track real-time data to quickly identify and address any quality issues before the frame leaves the plant,”
Gengan says. “All of the data is stored in our quality management system to monitor trends, and we can access the measurements and imaging data at any point should a concern be raised on any chassis we produced.”
“Having the frame line located right next door to the assembly plant is immensely advantageous and improves quality and improved customer satisfaction,” concluded Berry.
Source: MotorPress
