Growing Trend Toward Modular Automotive Production Systems
5 February 1999
Manufacturing Leader Sees Growing Trend Toward Modular Automotive Production Systems
WARREN, Mich.--Feb. 5, 1999--
Versatile Manufacturing Technology Helps Auto Companies Respond
More Quickly to Changing Customer Needs and Market Conditions
Reflecting the auto industry's growing interest in flexible manufacturing systems, North America's largest machine tool company, the Industrial Automation Systems group of UNOVA Inc. , Friday reported that orders for its modular, high-volume manufacturing systems increased to more than 40 percent of its total volume in 1998.
This trend is expected to increase further in 1999.
Modular manufacturing technologies provide automotive companies with the flexibility to reprogram machining, welding and assembly systems in a timely and cost-effective manner to quickly adjust production output to market conditions. Modular manufacturing systems also let auto companies build factories with greater versatility for future engine or car body changes without extensive retooling or large capital investment, as in older systems.
"Auto makers need durable, high-volume systems, but they want systems that can grow and change with global market conditions," said Clayton A. Williams, president, UNOVA Industrial Automation Systems. "The popularity of our durable, high-productivity Mach I(tm) dual-spindle CNC machines, plus growing demand for our flexible Jaguar(tm) modules, demonstrates we have the right systems to meet the industry's future powertrain manufacturing needs."
Williams estimates that modular system architecture could allow car makers to reconfigure lines and utilize 70 to 80 percent of their original manufacturing system investment. Further, the time to install modular machines can be reduced by one-third when compared to conventional manufacturing lines.
"On the body and assembly side, we've also made substantial progress with our programmable press hemmers," added Williams. "These systems, now in production at several auto plants in North America, allow model changeovers in less than 15 minutes on the same line with unprecedented quality and productivity."
With more than $1.3 billion in manufacturing systems revenues, the Industrial Automation Group of UNOVA Inc., based in Warren, Mich., is North America's leading designer, developer, integrator and builder of dedicated and flexible manufacturing systems for the global automotive, diesel engine and off-road vehicle industries.
With headquarters in Southern California, UNOVA is a $2 billion industrial technologies company. It has leadership positions in manufacturing systems and machine tools for the global automotive, aerospace and general metalworking industries and for automated data collection, mobile computing, bar code and radio frequency identification systems for industrial, distribution, transportation, logistics and government applications.