The BMW Group offers premium emotions. Exceptional automobiles, which are characterized by high quality and outstanding design. Automobile production with this claim is a complex process with a high logistical effort: As premium is not only best quality but delivered individually tailored and in time. This is made possible by the particularly efficient, customer-oriented production system of the BMW Group. The basic idea: The vehicle desired and ordered by the customer determines the automotive production process, not the vehicle planned by the company.
As a vehicle is produced: The production process in four steps.
Press shop: high-tech material in top form.
The stamping plant provides the sheet metal parts for the bodywork. The manufacturing process begins with extremely heavy rolls of steel and aluminum sheet, the so-called coils. In the coil systems, the bands are initially cut to form boards and then pulled with the most modern, fully automated high-speed servo presses in several steps, bent and punched. This results in molded parts such as side frames, doors, hoods and roofs.
The BMW Group uses a function-oriented mix of proven deep-drawing steels and high and higher strength materials.In the item production we already lay the basis for the unique design and the extremely rigid, but lightweight bodies of our vehicles.
The technology used in the BMW Group is the most advanced worldwide. The available total press capacity of a plant is up to 10,000 tons.
Body shop: Precise finish.
Body shop means the precise assembly of several hundred individual parts made of steel and aluminum of different sizes and thickness to a precision body. Depending on the vehicle requirement besides steel and aluminum also carbon and fiber composites (SMC) are installed. With a high degree of technical know-how resulting from welding and joining techniques such as spot welding, soldering, screwing and gluing, as well as the new laser welding millimeter accuracy bodies. Most modern robots perform these serious and complex work with maximum precision, while highly qualified employees control the machine and wait.
Highest automation.
With a degree of automation of up to 95 percent of the so-called spot welding - the robot is here at predetermined locations of the body weld points - is the production area of the body a highly automated technology in the BMW Group production.
Paint: brilliance with function.
Hardly a detail of an automobile acts so strongly on the senses like the color of the paint. At the same time it serves to protect and preserve the value of the automobile.
But the bodies are first cleaned in plunge pools and degreased, then coated with a zinc phosphate layer. This forms the basis for lasting corrosion protection. Then four more coats of paint, protect the vehicle against environmental influences and give a durable color gloss.
After each production step, the quality is checked in the paint. Laboratory specialists examine, for example, by environmental simulation, the colorfastness of all coatings and resistance to environmental influences.
Mounting: Individual and precise.
Experienced and well-trained staff complete the painted bodies. In the course of individual production can be realized even unusual customer requests. Various equipment, attachments, country versions and more lead to the distinctive customized product. More than 20,000 interior variants are possible solely with the BMW 3 Series. Due to this limitless possibilities it almost never happens that two identical vehicles are coming consecutively on the assembly line.
Final assembly.
Within the final assembly the highlight of the entire production takes place, the so-called wedding. The drive unit of the engine, transmission, axles and exhaust system meets precisely to the corresponding body and is screwed. The proverbial Sheer Driving Pleasure is essentially determined by the exact coordination of these components. Now the vehicle is stationary on its own wheels. Last parts are mounted and the engine is started for the first time. After numerous tests the new vehicle rolls off the line.
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Page Overview: Vehicle production