PressClub Global · Article.
BMW Group’s home plant ready for BMW i4
10.09.2020 Press Release
Plant Munich heralds the age of fully electric mobility Conversion of plant successfully completed for BMW i4 production Plant Director Robert Engelhorn: “Most comprehensive overhaul of assembly in the history of the plant.”
Press Contact.
Jochen Diernberger
BMW Group
Tel: +49-89-382-27935
send an e-mail
Author.
Jochen Diernberger
BMW Group
Related Links.
This article in other PressClubs
Munich. At BMW Group Plant Munich, everything is in
place for production of the fully electric BMW i4 to begin. After six
weeks of intensive conversion work, series production of vehicles has
resumed, with around 5,000 associates returning to the line. “We have
completed the comprehensive restructuring and conversion of the plant
successfully, on schedule and without complications,” said Plant
Director Robert Engelhorn. At the BMW Group’s home plant, a new era is
about to begin: “Our plant can now manufacture the fully electric BMW
i4 on the same line as diesel-, petrol- and hybrid-powered vehicles,”
Engelhorn added.
“Outstanding planning and preparation, and perfect collaboration
between the many in-house and external partners meant we were able to
ready BMW Group Plant Munich for the mobility concepts of the future
in the space of just six weeks,” Engelhorn reported. The entire
development and conversion of the plant came at an investment of
around €200 million. Approx. €700 million had already been invested
between 2015 and 2018 to install a new, resource-efficient paintshop
and extend the bodyshop for production of the BMW 3 Series.
In recent weeks, a particular challenge facing the team was the
confined space within the production halls, which made conversion and
installation work difficult. Previous systems had to be removed with
very little space to spare, and new ones installed and launched.
Before conversion work began, plans were made with the help of digital
tools that simulated the line sections, system designs and production
processes by virtual reality. “This allowed us to make the best
possible use of the limited space available in our plant, and to see
exactly which processes needed adjusting,” Engelhorn explained. Much
of the expertise for the upgrade came from production workers
themselves, who used VR goggles to obtain a clear picture of what
their stage of work would look like, and offered valuable feedback on
ergonomics and process optimisation.
The bodyshop at Plant Munich is a shining example of smart,
efficient integration, as the majority of production processes for the
BMW i4 can be carried out on existing bodyshop systems. Additional
systems were required merely for the floor assembly and rear section
of the BMW i4, as the electric drive and high-voltage battery mean
these are quite different from conventional architectures. The approx.
550-kilogram battery pack will be fitted to the body by a new, fully
automated battery assembly system, which uses camera systems to check
automatically if the battery pack is positioned correctly on the line.
The battery pack is also transported to the line and bolted to the
body fully automatically.
A new electric overhead conveyor has also been installed for BMW
i4 production, along with stronger conveyors in the vehicle finish
area. “This has been the most comprehensive overhaul of assembly in
the history of Plant Munich,” Robert Engelhorn pointed out.
As the number of driver assistance systems, safety equipment and
connectivity features steadily increases, function-testing of the
various in-car innovations and technologies during production is
becoming more and more complex. To meet the ever tougher quality
requirements, Plant Munich is making greater use of digitally
connected production and testing systems. Complex logistics and
production processes are also supported by myriad digitalisation
solutions and interconnected smart systems.
During the conversion of Plant Munich over recent weeks, the
focus was very much on integrating the BMW i4 into existing production
systems. But systems and processes were also prepared for series
production of the BMW M3, which will be manufactured on the same line
as well. Established back in 1922, the BMW Group’s home plant is now
set to deliver a wide-ranging product portfolio that includes not only
the BMW i4 but also the combustion- and hybrid-powered BMW 3 Series
Sedan and BMW 3 Series Touring, and the new BMW M3.
The tremendous flexibility of the plant and the extraordinary
skills of the team are impressive.