June 21, 2011
Source: Audi AG
· Investment of around e9 million
· Board Member for Production Frank Dreves: We want the best toolmaking division in the world.
· New equipment optimizes the synchronized production system
Ingolstadt, Germany – The Toolmaking Division of AUDI AG in Ingolstadt today launches operation of its new mechanical tryout press. The first machine of its type to be used within a toolmaking division of the corporate group will allow production processes to be verified as early as the testing stage. This minimizes processing times and ensures the quality of the tools and the forming procedures early on in the process. With this, we are completing another important phase in optimizing our synchronized production system, explained Frank Dreves, Member of the Board of Management for Production at AUDI AG. For Dreves, the objective is clear: We want the best toolmaking division in the world.
The new mechanical tryout press is used to test tools for their accuracy and precision in the forming process. Later on in the process they produce the outer panels for the vehicles, among other tasks. To date the tools have been tried out on hydraulically powered machines. Due to their construction, however, these machines cannot operate as quickly and powerfully. Audi therefore decided in favor of the mechanical tryout press, since it is also used in volume production. This means that the field testing and fine tuning of the tools take place under nearly identical conditions. That not only saves time and effort, but also ensures a superb level of quality in the delivery of the tools to the press shop.
The mechanical tryout press is an important investment milestone for maintaining our technological lead in the long term, emphasized Peter Mosch, Chairman of the General Works Council. The expertise and caliber of Toolmaking play a key role at Audi in ensuring the premium quality of our cars. This in turn directly helps to safeguard the site and the related jobs.
Were boosting our capacities with this so that we can accomplish more vehicle projects in Toolmaking with our own equipment, explained Michael Breme, Head of Audi Toolmaking, referring to the synchronized production system at Audi. The system is based on the principle of short paths and a fast and efficient flow of materials.
The basement of the existing Toolmaking building was expanded by 300 square meters (3,230 square feet) to allow the tryout press to be integrated. The high groundwater table required construction of a watertight concrete tray supported by a total of 111 bore piles that were each 14.5 meters (47.6 feet) long. The project lasted a total of 15 months from the planning stage to installation of the machine.
Audi Toolmaking plays a key role in the companys value-added chain. It is largely responsible for the high quality of the car bodies and it therefore ensures that Audis sophisticated designs are accomplished with uncompromising precision in series production. Audi Toolmaking enjoys an excellent reputation within the industry and plays a leading role vis-à-vis the global competition, as numerous awards and prizes attest. Roughly 900 people are employed in toolmaking at the Ingolstadt plant alone, with roughly 1,700 employed in toolmaking throughout the company.
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