“This comprehensive transformation is a central part of the US$580 million investment plan aimed at providing customers in the region with the next generation Ranger in 2023. The project also allocates 30% of the investments to the development of original auto parts. national”highlighted from the automotive.
According to the company, the new scenario offered by the industrial center includes world-class technologies, Manufacturing 4.0 processes, highly qualified work groups and innovation in each operation. “It is the product of the most important transformation process that it has undergone in its 60-year history,” highlighted.
The execution plan at the Pacheco plant began in 2021 and requires several stages. Until now Ford has already completed several of them, such as the sectors of Stamping, Bodywork and Assemblywhich today operate with levels of technology comparable to the most advanced production centers in the region.
The second stage of transformations, which took place last April and May and required stopping production processes for six weeks, included the installation and validation of state-of-the-art equipment in line with that used in the most modern plants in Ford in the world.
The sector of Bodywork is a clear example of this, with the addition of more than 300 automatic welding robots that operate in sync to form the body and cab of the Ranger. These technologies led to an expansion of around 90% of the area’s installed capacity. “The changes had begun during the first phase of works in 2021, and now half of the remaining modules have been added, completing the installation plan for the robotic cells to achieve the goal of zero manual welding in the main operations,” they detailed from Ford in an official statement.
In turn, in the area of Print -where production begins and the panels that form the skeleton of the pick-up are molded-, tests have already begun to put the new line of high-speed presses into operation. An imposing state-of-the-art facility measuring 59 meters long x 12 meters wide, which will allow the number of finished pieces per hour to be increased up to four times, given its simultaneous punching and stamping capabilities. For the settlement of the mega structure, initial works of soil movement and foundations were required, which required more than 900 cubic meters of concrete and 70 tons of iron. Likewise, the existing ceilings had to be raised more than 6 meters.
On the plant Mountingadding to the works completed and in operation in the Engine Dress-Up area, the transformation of the Chassis and Upholstery lines was completed, increasing production capacities. “This stage of the reform plan projected a comprehensive renovation, and so it was. Each workstation was completely modified to adapt to the new global production parameters”they pointed out from the firm.
The change was radical from the very conception of the lines, as they are now made up of individual and autonomous aerial transporters that move the Ranger pieces from one place to another: the motor goes along a rail; the chassis for another; just like the cabin and the box; until “meeting” at a certain point where the decking or assembly of all the parts is carried out. This system allows production to be programmed with greater flexibility according to demand, in addition to automatically adapting the height of the line at each stage so that employees can carry out their work with greater comfort, ease and minimal displacement, improving ergonomics.
On the other hand, the new 250-meter-long line of flat plates – which was assembled from scratch and where the last operations are carried out to complete the unit – incorporated, as in all the transformed areas, technologies applied to the safety of people and ergonomics, reducing physical effort to the tasks of each operator, in addition to providing new precision tools. Additionally, and in line with the well-being of the teams, throughout the plant, new advanced systems were installed for the air conditioning of the environments, achieving more comfortable spaces.
But it is not only in the physical facilities where innovation is seen. Thanks to the effective integration between people, machines and hyperconnected monitoring systems, data science has become a vital asset to continue increasing efficiency parameters, intelligently managing resources, and understanding the traceability of operations in real time . A digital and dynamic ecosystem, for a digital and dynamic culture. And it is in supply processes, for example, where this progress is visible. The implementation of new software made it possible to automate the internal logistics of the plant -both with the supply chain and with the production lines themselves-, optimizing the stock and distribution process of the parts necessary for the manufacture of Ranger.
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On the other hand, the complement between technologies with a purpose and access to information, were a catalyst to transform the experience of employees in their workplace. From the first phase of the modernization to now, employee teams have received more than 25,000 hours of training to acquire the tools and knowledge necessary to become innovation managers, make agile decisions and provide practical solutions based on data. A new concept of integrated and functional teams, where capabilities and strengths are enhanced to reach the end customer with greater efficiency and quality.
In turn, the renovation of the infrastructure also continues to advance. This means the revitalization of ceilings, floors and lights, which are being replaced by automatic control LED technology, of which to date have already been installed in 120,000 m2 of the plant. This lighting system provides optimal levels of light according to individual needs, and contributes to Pacheco’s sustainability thanks to its low energy consumption. In this sense, during the first phase, the compressed air equipment was also completely renewed, installing new state-of-the-art compressors to guarantee greater efficiency in operations.
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Thus, Ranger manufacturing in the country is already benefiting from this important investment plan, increasing its standards and daily production levels -today 38% higher than pre-pandemic records, and with installed capacity to continue growing-, and incorporating from 2020 more than 400 new collaborators to cover the growing demand in South America. This progress has also made it possible to add new export destinations, incorporating in 2022 the markets of the Dominican Republic, Guatemala and Panama to the markets of the region where Planta Pacheco already allocates 70% of its production.
Source: Ambito
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