A comparative study of automation strategies at Volkswagen in Germany and South Africa

 

 

O. Wessel; I. Gorlach

School of Engineering, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, South Africa igor.gorlach@nmmu.ac.za

 

 

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ABSTRACT

The final car assembly lines at Volkswagen's production sites in Germany and South Africa are analysed to determine the best automation level based on cost, productivity, quality, and flexibility for a plant location. The methodology used is proposed by the Fraunhofer Institute. The final assembly processes are analysed and classified according to the automation level. The operations are evaluated at every level of automation based on information from existing factories. If the best levels of automation for all the parameters correspond, the optimal level of automation for a plant is reached. Otherwise, improvements and/or additional considerations are required to optimise the automation level. The result of the analysis indicates that the highest automation level is not necessarily the best in terms of cost and quality, and some de-automation is required. The analysis also shows that a low automation level can result in poor product quality and low productivity. The best automation strategy should be based on the analysis of all the aspects of the process in the local context.

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OPSOMMING

Die finale monteerlyne by Volkswagen se aanlegte in Duitsland en Suid-Afrika is ontleed om die beste outomatisasievlak te bepaal gebaseer op koste, produktiwiteit, gehalte en aanpasbaarheid gegee die ligging. Die metodologie wat gevolg is, word voorgestel deur die Fraunhofer Instituut. Die finale monteer-prosesse is ontleed volgens outomatisasievlak. Die aktiwiteite is ontleed teen elke vlak van outomatisasie gebaseer op inligting van bestaande vervaardigingsaanlegte. Indien die beste outomatisasievlakke vir alle parameters ooreenstem, dan is die optimale vlak van outomatisasie bereik. Indien nie, is verbeterings en/of addisionele oorwegings nodig om die outomatisasievlak te optimiseer. Die resultaat van die ontleding toon dat die grootste mate van outomatisasie nie noodwendig die beste is in terme van koste en gehalte nie, en dat 'n mate van 'de-outomatisasie' benodig word. Die ontleding toon verder dat lae vlakke van outomatisasie kan lei tot swak produkgehalte en lae produktiwiteit. Die beste outomatisasiestrategie moet dus gebaseer word op 'n ontleding van al die prosesaspekte in 'n plaaslike konteks.

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1 The author was enrolled for the M Tech (Industrial Engineering) Degree at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University