11 replies to this topic

[danrock101]

I'm actually amazed at how they build their engines, from what I can make out, a guy puts in the bearings and the robots do the rest lol! looks so futuristic
linky

Edited by danrock101, 18 September 2010 - 05:49 PM.

[HARBER07]

Link? LOL

[danrock101]

Link? LOL

lol crap, let me find it again

[danrock101]

err link added lol, good job I didn't have private browsing on as I usually do when watching videos

[Jordie]

thats new mini engines bleh....

i prefer the old video which shows a guy using an air tool to do up all the head nuts at once on an a series engine

[jay30]

err link added lol, good job I didn't have private browsing on as I usually do when watching videos

Ummmm! So what videos are you watching to need private browsing? Nah! Don't bother answering because we all have our own ideas LOL

[jay30]

Love the bit at 1:09 where the guy pushes the badge on but the left wing lifts. Quality control

[Dan]

There are obviously many stage left out. Robots do certain things but assembly is still largely a human procedure in modern engine plants. Did you see the cart that each engine is moving about the factory on, the one that has shelves at one end? The parts pickers put a complete engine as parts on those shelves and the cart drives about the factory being assembled as it goes and it picks up shelves on its way. It visits robots in between each stage, normally for checking or critical torqueing. The cart is very advanced and in some engine factories also has coolant and lubrication circuits in it so that the engine is dyno'd right on the cart it is built on, in a dyno station near the end of the line. As it arrives at each station, the cart re-orients the engine to present the assembly worker with the face he needs to work on and presents the parts needed. It's all about doing everything quickly and accurately.

At the MINI factory, only the body assembly and paint buildings really rely on robots. The final assembly is almost enirely a human operation, there's only one robot on that line I think.

[MiniAlex]

Link? LOL

lol crap, let me find it again

Hehe!! I always forget to post the link .. it once took me 3 times to attatch some pictures to an e-mail of my new Mini! I just kept forgetting!!

[maggies_minder]

that plant is on a massive industrial estate, where all the boy racers used to go.
you get a driving asbo for going anywhere near it now (bit of trivia for you).

[Bungle]

a little different to classic mini production

[mab01uk]

If anyone is interested in seeing this for real (also a good day out for Mini clubs), to book a tour and see for yourself how the MINI is made, contact Plant Oxford here:
(There is also a small museum area with some famous classic Mini's on show)

E-mail: [email protected]
In writing to :
Plant Tours, Communications Dept. (TO-K), BMW Group Plant Oxford, Oxford, OX4 6NL.
Phone: 01865 825 842
Fax: 01865 826 750
http://www.bmweducat...NT_TOURS_V3.pdf

Note: We regret that children below the age of 14 are not allowed on site for Health and Safety reasons. Our maximum group size will be 30 people. Plant Tours start AM and PM and last approximately two and a half hours.