Automotive - (Page 51)

abb digital 11/5/06 10:08 am Page 51 The investment by Jaguar Cars Limited represents a move intensive and unpleasant job. These savings in manpower away from intensive manual labour-based operations to a also appear to have had very positive outcome for Jaguar, robot-based system incorporating eight ABB industrial allowing it to transfer personnel to more rewarding robots. employment opportunities within new facilities for the XK Installation commenced in February 2005 and the facility, project, while realising cost savings on this project. which has a throughput of 43 vehicles per hour, has been in ABB in the UK, working in close collaboration with full operation since June. The facility is fully automated with colleagues in Germany, was responsible for the full turnkey no operator intervention during normal operating conditions operation including design, project management, and is described as 'no-touch,' in that no post operation manufacture and installation. This included sourcing and remedial sealing activities are required, as is normally the case installing the car body conveyor, roller bed, spray booths, with traditional automated sealing operations. robots, track motion, sealant dispensing systems, sealant Commenting on the possible impact of the automated storage system, guarding and control. ABB has also provided seam sealing facility, Robert Low, ABB senior project manager extensive on-going local support including provision of says: The automation of seam sealing and associated service parts, training and start-up assistance and a site- operations is a major investment for Jaguar and a significant, resident engineer. and timely, step forward in optimising the efficiency of the Operation of the facility is split into three separate 'sealing' Jaguar paint engineering process, particularly as the XK stations and can process the complete range of Jaguar car project ramps-up to production phase. The investment bodies, including the new XK sports car, the S Type and the XJ appears to have helped the company establish consistently saloon, both standard & long wheel base high levels of quality while totally The skid-mounted car bodies pass through an interior eliminating what was a labour seam sealing station incorporating three IRB 4400 robots and SEALED & SILENT ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, has revolutionised traditional car body seam sealing, soundproofing and under body sealing operations at the Jaguar assembly plant in Castle Bromwich, by installing a fully automated six-axis robot- based facility. David Marshall explains the processes involved. 51 

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Automotive

Editors Note
News
Investment In Excellence
Partnership in Action
Virtually Partners
Gatekeeper of the Supply Chain
We Walk as we Talk
Small, Smart and Speedy
Caslte Bromwich. A Lean Machine... Just Like The Car It Builds
Sealed and Silent
Space at a Premium in European Ports
All A1 at NYK & DCX
Any Colour You Like; As Long As It's Green
Design For a Classy Chassis
Keeping Score
A Combination of Man and Machine
Bouncing Czechs

Automotive

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