Custom-Made Volvo Trucks | Mega Manufacturing | Free Documentary

trucks

kings of the road with enormous power their manufacturer demands good absolute precision and above all perfect logistics. The logistics part is very important for a company like ours, it makes the difference, it determines whether we win or lose the most powerful engines in the sector. For approximately 200

trucks

every day, each uniquely manufactured to

custom

er specifications and a feat of synchronized logistics profession to the minute, the Volvo FH is one of the most popular trucks in Europe and each one of them must be absolutely reliable and safe being located on the outskirts of Belgium In the city of Ghent is located Volvo's largest truck

manufacturing

plant.

It is the ideal location close to thousands of

custom

ers throughout Western Europe. Approximately 42,000 trucks are produced here each year, including its best-seller, the Volvo FH 420, with up to 750 horsepower and up to four axles. Combined gross weight of more than 70 tons Price from 85,000 euros The day of the

mega

factories begins at 6:00 in the port of Ghent with a container ship from Sweden that daily delivers the most important parts for the construction of the FH Yannick Mas is responsible for unloading the shipment and under considerable time pressure, the challenge is to unload the ship and then load it again as quickly as possible.

This must be done in one turn so that the ship can set sail again on time. The containers must leave as quickly as possible so that the parts are available at the factory on time Everything happens quickly, now trailer after trailer around 75 containers on the ship, each weighing up to 30 metric tons, are destined for the

mega

factory secured with a special anchoring system and parked as close as possible to maximize the cargo capacity on board the ship, these must land and get underway as soon as possible. They contain everything from steel beams for the chassis axles, gearboxes and small items to radios, microwaves and truck engines, all locked, loaded and ready to continue your journey. factory, another key component of the Volvo FH has just arrived at port 2, this time by train, the Cavs come from Sweden and the Ghent specialists transformed the bare cabin into a fully equipped long-haul truck application customized according to the Customers want these stickers to indicate the cab model and the associated chassis number.

They are also here on our list. Unfortunately, they are not always loaded onto the train in the correct order, for example four four eight are here next to eight four four zero, so I first have to line up the cabins correctly in the parking lot here so that they arrive at the factory in the correct order. Everything in the factory is governed by chassis numbers. They determine the order in which the trucks are built, hence the naked gabs. Here they also have to be in the correct order and since they are already painted you have to be careful not to scratch them.

The forks of the forklift are equipped with special guards that ensure that they do not come into direct contact with the cabins and scrape them. The freight cars are custom

made

so that the cabin fits exactly and is not damaged during transportation. There are three different cab sizes available and 650 color options. The most popular color, white, once the order is successfully placed, they immediately head to the factory by truck. For this it is vital that the taxis arrive at the factory on time, although we have a reserve of around 40 taxis, we have to maintain a continuous supply, otherwise production would come to a standstill and that would be a big problem, dates could be missed. agreed delivery times, which would be disastrous for customer relations and its brand image All the components that make up the Volvo FH are now on their way to the factory The truck plant consists of four main sections The assembly center a huge tire and rim warehouse the market adaptation center for the seemingly endless customizations and special requests the cab finish the large cab assembly building and the large main assembly building the heart of the factory the truck is assembled here in the 75,000 square meter main assembly building in the center of the building the double track assembly line 420 meters long, piece by piece, a thousand workers assemble one of the most popular trucks in the world, the Volvo FH, consists of three sections main parts, the steel chassis forms the base in the center, the heart of the braking system, the air compressor, the axles are mounted on the chassis the number depends on the customer's requirements then comes the powerful engine the last important section needed to complete the truck is the cabin each one unique everything starts with the steel beams until recently in containers in the port a side loader for cliff now transports them to the main assembly builds a side support it measures between five and a half and twelve meters and half long depending on the version of the trunk two side supports form the subframe of the FH the chassis two workers start by applying a simple white adhesive tape to the side supports this will act as a guide, they then mount it through the support, connect the side supports long and now the duct tape comes into play, it's there so assembly line workers know exactly where they have to put which bolts there are over 50 different bolts, screws and The rivets and the side bracket can have up to 330 holes, Lots of room for costly mistakes.

Production manager Kun has an overview of the entire production operation and knows that a mistake

made

early on could have fatal consequences. This is a rat clock that workers make. Making here is very important, it is the beginning of production, that aesthetic, all subsequent assembly is based on this framework. Yes, everything afterward depends on workers correctly installing each piece, a single rivet in the wrong place and, later on the assembly line, another piece. The consequence of a production stoppage instead of a problem-

free

mega-production is no longer possible. up to a thousand cable ties per truck must be wound around the correct cables, otherwise it may be impossible to mount the engine or cabin on the chassis, later around 1,500 individual parts are installed in 210 operations over the next eight hours, from From the simple, unadorned chassis to a state-of-the-art truck, every single truck that leaves the assembly line here in Ghent every day needs this part, the air pressure monitor, an essential piece of equipment for the fuel system. brakes, these hoses carry air and because each truck is unique, a different combination of hoses is required for each model.

A machine cuts a specific set for each truck from a selection of twenty kilometers of hoses of different thicknesses each day. Now you have to connect it to the air compressor, but the variety of hoses means that no two arrangements are the same. Keeping track here is essential or it can be very dangerous if you make a mistake here, a vital part of the truck will not work there. For Garmin, this device modulates the braking force, so it is crucial that I connect everything correctly, flexible, perfect, there is a code here that tells me which hose has to go far away from the room, this must be done correctly in four bits; otherwise, control.

The system may lock up or the brakes may fail. This is the heart of the entire brake system. The air compressor is now ready to be installed on our chassis. One of approximately 42,000 each year. Installation requires absolute precision if a hose does not seat properly or is kinked. This will prevent the entire truck from working. All the small components are installed, but these steps might be carried out differently in the future. Greater efficiency. Fewer air sources in an adjacent building. There working on tomorrow's production operation at the training center. The goal of these engineers is mega digital factory

manufacturing

with 3D guidance on monitors directly on the assembly line.

You can see here how it is inserted as an instruction manual. You can get closer and see how it is done in detail. The advantage is that you can zoom out to any level. here, for example, you can move a little and see where the cable should be connected, completely automatically. Moscow's mascot is the director of engineering and maintenance and wants to use this live data from the assembly line to improve workflow in real time, but that's not the most exciting part, here we call this a virtual story . We want to use virtual reality to train workers on new products.

It gives them a better idea of ​​what to expect. Yes, Anoka needs to build them from the new bazaar. Sweet apples. Corn apples. In this phase, right now, she is virtually inspecting a new truck, how it is built and what new features it has. This not only allows our engineers to become familiar with a product, but more importantly, it trains our assembly line workers and works the roseola to the sky for the committee to actually test this new thing. Technology will soon be implemented in the main assembly area to build even better trucks in less time.

The FH chassis is now ready for a significant moment at the mega factory. Production Manager The crude oil is present when the frame of the truck is raised into the air Oh, a color here that from there I love this Gaelic station the chassis is already finished that's what we hear next we turn it over and transport it to The automatic assembly line three Verlaine Brangham From then on the assembly line moves non-stop while we build the rest of the truck into the frame it belongs to. Wait, all the cables are now installed and after the station here, everything on the assembly line runs at a predetermined speed without interruption, this is when all the large sections are equipped with the shafts. engine the cabin now it's time for the big parts approximately 1,800 kilograms begin the next stage of their journey position so that the truck's axles can be assembled everything is carefully coordinated in this mega truck factory just a few meters away the most Importantly, the engine manufactured in the main plant in Sweden and painted in an iconic mobile green color is about to enter the building with between 420 and 750 horsepower, six cylinders that when turned on can displace an impressive 16 liters, together with the clutch of the transmission, an alternator has now been installed in the powerful engine.

Completely assembled, it can finally be installed on the chassis. There is one engine accessory that production manager Kun particularly likes. This is the Change with our pride and joy. A manual transmission in which several elements act together to facilitate shifting gears. Ocalan. is our special innovation the heart of the engine very important to us is a patented development inspired by the motorsport scene its purpose smoother gear changes and lower stall the secret of the ice shift transmission has two drive shafts that are connected to the motor through two clutches when driving the first gear is engaged through one axle the other axle already engages the second gear this is activated immediately when changing gears without the usual interruption prevents loss of traction a great help on hills in the engine station in the main assembly The engine construction is waiting to be installed on the chassis, now it is lowered onto the assembly line from above, below, the axles are already waiting to be connected to the drive shaft and then both will be attached to the chassis from now on, the assembly line is fully automatic. the clock always runs the engine has arrived fully equipped and weighs 2,000 kilograms this is one of the most important sequences in the plant everything has to fit perfectly I guide the engine, that means I make sure it is lowered exactly to the chassis all You have to pay Pay attention that none of the cables are damaged in the process, it is quite complicated, but works wonders for fans of pure raw power.

Spahn thought fantastic, we call this marriage, we have three marriages in the factory, the axles to the chassis, the engine to the chassis and the cabin to the chassis, so this is a happy occasion for us, there are only three connections between the engine and the chassis, but that's enough, when I see one of our trucks on the road, I see its engine, I say to myself. This is how I installed that motor. It always fills me with pride when a Volvo truck passes by. It's a great job. A computer is used during the final installation stage.

The so-called Montt system to fix the engine in its position individually according to the stored chassis. The number with the torque settings for the connections is stored in the computer. If these values ​​are not achieved, things cannot progress. Computer control ensures that the connection is successful and the customer can be satisfied or happy on those 20 dates. Gabor tries not all. that time: now that thechassis has its fifth wheel, then it will connect the truck with the trailer. From here it won't be much longer until the final marriage is made in the factory, producing trucks in an assembly that requires enormous amounts of energy on the outskirts. of the Ghent plant, Pascal, director of engineering and maintenance, is on the roof of an adjacent building with some colleagues for an on-site meeting, hidden from view on the roof is the truck manufacturer's power source, a huge solar plant made up of 15,000 panels we want to install the panel here, let's see how it can be done, the cable comes from down here, from back here, we understood that the Ghent truck factory was the first automotive plant in the world without carbon emissions On the one hand we use a combination of technologies.

We have three of our own wind turbines, each of which generates two megawatts and together they produce 10,000 megawatts per year. they produce 500 megawatts a year and the anikanova column faithful to mija watts maria this is complemented by solar and hot water accumulators and the purchase of green electricity apparently a third of the parts used to build the trucks are also made from recycled materials and there are also Making trucks with biomass plants and carbon neutrality sound like strange bedfellows, but it feels good to be able to say that we, as a factory, are doing something for the environment, let's absolutely get back to our truck before your marriage. in the main building the custom cabin has to be equipped here in the cabin adjustment the caps still have bears that arrived from Sweden by train this morning wait in front of the building now it's time to equip them each one totally unique and different 300 workers from the cabin finishing department transformed the bare shelves and two tops fully furnished the Matt wall panels the speakers all assembled by hand and especially important the bed 74 or 88 by 200 centimeters in size many customers request that the bunk beds be folded one on top of the other like in this The box of rubber seals demonstrates how important they are to the production operation and the huge trunk factory will become evident later, next to the cabin assembly line, a handful of workers take care of the truck's electrical systems, among almost a hundred different switches and sockets they find the right one. for each truck and assemble the instrument cluster, the steering wheel pedestal is already installed;

They check if all connections are correct at a test station and the instrument cluster is turned on for the first time. The areas surrounding the steering wheel are especially important. The main concern is the electronics, but we check every rivet and screw and if all the connectors are plugged in. Modern trucks like the FH are packed with computers. There is one element that is particularly important for steering: a special electric motor in the steering column. of the truck's sensors distributed around the truck and in the vicinity of the driver transmit information to this engine 2000 times per second, which makes maneuvers less strenuous, assists and keeps in the lane, compensates for strong crosswinds and even minimizes the impact of potholes.

Volvo calls this dynamic. Silicone steering adhesive is now applied to the finished instrument cluster. A special lifting arm lowers the cab center element into the cab. A few screws and it locks into place. A taxi takes five and a half hours to complete its journey through the cabin. in the mega truck factory and no two cabins are the same one of the 300 women in the factory works in the last third of the building Celine: from Ghent loves working on trucks when I tell people that I build trucks, they are always surprised because No I am not big nor strong but rather a small girl but they are impressed by the fact and that makes me feel good the windshields one of the few components of the mega factory installed by a robot first measures the exact dimensions of the cabin then grabs the appropriate windshield, He applies silicone to it and installs it with millimeter precision.

The unit cost two and a half million euros. It is important that this task be performed by the robot. We need absolute precision here. This is vital for the windshield to sit securely and be windproof. but despite this it does not always work perfectly, as we will soon see the timing of the seats, there are 12 different models to choose from, all designed for comfort and durability, now comes the steering wheel, each individually adjusted and mounted with this torque. This is followed by door side mirrors and labels, but the cab cannot yet be mounted to the chassis.

We'll find out in a minute why many operations at the megafactory involve strenuous manual labor, but the tasks this employee performs will simply soon become easier using muscle power. The truck manufacturer is testing new technology in finishing section exoskeletons. of the cabin. I don't think this here is right yet. I don't think you need to move your arms that far back, keep it up. again now the mechanical lifting aid developed in the USA is activated. it should lighten the load of the workers there are some tests in which the workers lifted up to and above shoulder height the exoskeleton helps them do this , for example, when I am fixing the roof strip and take that tool the tool above my shoulder was called yes operator Eduardo mom starts the braces of the device reduced the weight of the lifted parts by almost 7 kilograms does not make Edward more fast but you will have less shoulder and back problems later in life, it's actually quite easy but you have to get used to it for the first three weeks.

I had to make big adjustments to my work pace and the order of my work steps with a robot wouldn't help here. an option where you have to perform the same task over and over again that can be automated but is difficult to do in our factory because we have too many variants of trucks and cabs, we need the flexibility that our workers offer, we are a factory with humans and know our operators, so I think an exoskeleton is better than a robot. Workers like Edward are testing the technology and five stations in the plan, if the results are positive, could become commonplace here, back in our cab, like every cab in the truck factory. custom made according to the customer's wishes Emirate amis check if all optional extras are installed there is a microwave installed in this truck this is practical for the driver you can use it to heat or defrost things the microwave has an LED light three power and function settings defrosting.

It has a capacity of 17 liters dr. Burton 3 ho and down here we have a 33 liter refrigerator that can also be used as a

free

zer. The seat here has air suspension. You can adjust it to any height, which I think is a good feature since you don't feel the bumps or bumps. Additionally, there is a touch screen with navigation system and popular applications such as the Dynamo Note system, this allows the driver to monitor all their trips and activities and store them for two years. If I were a truck driver, I would feel very comfortable here, there is a lot of space. you can stand up, the bed is great and there is plenty of space to store things like clothes and food.

There is also more storage space here and there is a mirror for putting on makeup or shaving. Here you can do everything. This personalized mass production operation is carried out. possible thanks to a sophisticated logistics system, but something is still missing. The cabin is now fully assembled and could move on to final assembly, but it will undergo a water test. Sam will take her to the water testing bay. and check for leaks, the taxis are chosen at random and the team leader is good to declare that he is a little nervous before each of these tests.

We occasionally have problems with the robots, resulting in a leaky windshield or roof with roof antennas that won't seat. safe enough and letting water in can be a problem - fingers crossed that shouldn't happen normally, if the cabin leaks they have to test the previous ten cabins and the next ten - this significantly slows down production and all factory. It is soaked for 15 minutes and then moved to the yard to be manually inspected with a flashlight. If tested, Kin-fung hon ova finds that even a small puddle will stop production, but this time everything is fine, hoping to get the seal of approval, the cabin is fine, no leaks.

Can now be taken to final assembly level 4 Victor, assembles approximately 200 caps per day depending on the order book. Ours is now ready to be mounted onto his chassis in the main assembly. Building the heart of the truck. It manufactures our chassis along with its engine. Now the climax of the production operation is approaching. The cabin fell. 1,300 kilograms approached the chassis inch by inch. Everything has to fit perfectly. The next cabin will arrive in five minutes. You need to focus fully on the bolted joints at the rear and two at the front. the marriage ends and the next one begins immediately after our cab is lowered onto our chassis every time we have visits to the plant and we see a lid fall, they say now it's a truck, it's a really important station for us when the cab joins the chassis is now recognizable as a truck after joining the truck is almost finished but there is still something missing from the assembly center the truck plants a huge tire warehouse and gets one of the largest in Europe with more than 550 tread patterns and about 12,500 tires covering an area of ​​13,000 square meters a suitable tire to meet all the customer's needs and the corresponding rims there are also a hundred types of rims only special robots mount the tires on the rims one hundred and sixty-seven per hour each It takes 63 seconds faster than a human could from here, the tires now heading to our truck at the main assembly building.

A large five-way torque gun tightens all nuts at the same time, this saves time and ensures that no nut is forgotten. The diesel tanks can hold 900 liters of fuel and each customer can choose the most suitable truck for their filling of medicines with diesel and AdBlue, the final operation in the assembly building, one of the approximately 42,000 trucks that are built each year. Head now towards the finish line and the Ghent mega truck. factory is a very important station here all the hoses are pressurized for the first time and the power steering is tightened this is the crucial moment when it will become evident if there are leaks in the lines this is an important test after filling the tank If the truck can get off the line, we can have a big celebration.

Production manager Kun wants to start our truck personally. Super super perfect. A good truck like this rolls off the production line every ten minutes. It takes eight hours to build the FH. starting with the chassis with all the cables, hoses and air pressure regulator, then the axles, the drive shaft, followed by the engine with a smooth ice shift dual clutch transmission and finally the cabin with the electric motor to the dynamic steering system and one of the most popular in Europe. The trucks are complete, but not all fully assembled trucks are exactly how the customer wants them, that's where the market adaptation center of mega manufacturers comes in to fulfill special requests.

Specialists like Daniel D Koenig are responsible for this and the most frequently requested aesthetic changes eliminate the PA 1/ 5 you have to paint it in the color nine eight seven one seven then PA twenty to sixty in the color 7:05 the client wants to have specific vehicle parts in other colors, so Daniels' colleagues disassemble the finishing truck once again, which is time-consuming, but actually simpler than changing the production workflow in the main assembly building Meanwhile, line manager Daniel has to visit the paint mixing room, another truck's cab needs to be completely repainted. Good morning, how are you all doing?

Didier, can you finish mixing the color so we can paint the cabin please, the precise mixing ratio is stored in the computer, almost 900 colors are in stock, making countless shades and variations possible, even loud , we once had a customer who wanted everything in pink on the chassis and the pink and pink cabin, all the plastic parts in pink. this was our pink lady something that I will not soon forget the desired shade of black is mixed five liters are enough to paint a booth the spraying work is done manually by small teams of workers in the three paint booths where they can repaint practically the entire truck according to the clients, they even want the complete chassis if the client so wishes in a fewfew hours the yellow cab will look like this here black is popular but line manager daniel says colorful is coming back more and more customers nowadays want parts of the truck in different colors this in yellow this in red this in blue Sometimes we are surprised by the color combination but their motto is everything is possible from the market adaptation center to the main assembly our truck is not yet ready for delivery what is happening?

After production is as important as the assembly itself, extensive testing, the truck will now be tested in the test bay, test bench, acceleration, braking, light tester, crystal clay, Maui logs into a computer that is programmed with a test procedure for each truck's windshield wipers. indicators, headlights, horn and the best is yet to come, what I enjoy most is driving and accelerating when I first started, it was difficult to keep the truck centered, but after a few weeks I learned that the ropes still start gently and stay in the lane. first at 30 kph instead of 80 to warm up Dom grew to 1 then christophe hits the accelerator will the truck work as expected not far from the test bench at the end of the main assembly building there is another building to test the trucks with another approach ?

He is one of the factory's elite testers. David Pease is 35 years old and has been at Volvo for 12 years. 2 percent of trucks have to undergo intensive testing with it. This time it is the FH16, the premium model. David's eagle eyes detect something that is not so premium this here is a scratch on the indicator here in his pink. I'll show you how when I take off the glove I can feel it. I have to report it so it can be replaced. Reserved so Daniel wouldn't do it. I love it, it's phenomenal, it connects the city and is barely detectable even for the camera, but David is not only concerned with the visual appearance: he will be the first to drive the factory truck with 750 horsepower on its maiden voyage down the road public under realistic driving conditions.

To test things that cannot be tested in the new dyno update time, using the red light in the front, there is the collision warning system and if you drive too close, the red light comes on if you enter. You can set the distance and decide if you prefer to be closer or further away. Tania Oerlikon Caravan, the new helicopter spoiler or a standard butanone fake grouper. Forward collision warning. The collision warning and lane keeping system sent. These are the two most important things I test. Also Listen if the engine makes unusual noises or if anything in the cabin vibrates Where is Chloe in the cabinet?

David steps on the accelerator. He has without a doubt one of the most sought after jobs in the factory. Thanks for me. It's a childhood dream. Country 2004. Vortex. When I started in the factory I kept hearing about the Testing Department and what they do here, who would have something human that I wanted to do, that satanic heard.dual devours and now my dreams come true dream I am very happy on my big magnetic wall of gel eh and then he calls you to be the Big Easy jump forward to test the driver David drives for 50 kilometers apart from the scratch on the indicator the truck is impeccable back to the test bench the test track in the main building tester Christophe take the FH to the maximum speed it can reach the required 80 km/h yes it can this Chuck can reach up to 19 others can go as fast as 100 or 120 because each truck that leaves this factory is different, mega manufacturing, custom technology, requirements of the customer, test complete and at that point our Volvo FH is ready to be delivered to the customer, like approximately 200 others today, to fulfill their calling as powerful transport machines somewhere.

On Europe's roads, they are all built in the Belgian city of Ghent, at a mega-manufacturer, one of the largest truck plants in the world.