Internship Project Report

On
Material Handling & Related Machinery

AMITY SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY

(May - June, 2014)

Submitted by: Submitted to:

Akshay Mistri Mr Vijay Kumar
B.Tech MAE (2011-15) Faculty Guide
Enroll. No: A2305411185
Semester – 7
 Contents

1. Acknowledgement……………………………………………………………………01

2. Abstract ……………………………………………………………………………...02

3. Declaration…………………………………………………………………………...03

4. Company Overview………………………………………………………………….04 – 06

5. Engine Technical Specifications…………………...………………………………...06

6. Common Rail Direct Injection Technology… …………………………………........07

7. OM611 (CRDI Engine) Engine Block Line………….……………………………...08 – 10

8. OM611 Engine Assembly Line….…………………………………………………..11 – 12

9. OM616 Head Manufacturing Line…………………………………………….…….13 – 14

10. OM616 Block Manufacturing Line………………………………………………….15 – 16

11. OM616 Engine Crankshaft Assembly Line…………………………….…………...17 – 19

12. OM616 Engine Assembly Line.……………………………………………………..20 – 21

13. Engine Testing………….…………………………………………………………....22 – 23

14. Front Axle Assembly Line…………………………………………………………..24 - 25

15. Dual Mass Flywheel Cell (DMFW) & Transmission Line………………...………..26

16. E-21 6 Speed Gearbox Assembly.…………………………………………………...27 – 28

17. Machinery observed…………………………………………………………………29

18. Suggestions for better Material Handling…………………………………………....30 – 32

19. References……………………………………………………………………………33
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Any project is the fruitful outcome of the hard work of many. Through this document I would like to express
my gratitude toward those whose support and co-ordination have been an essential ingredient of this project.
Firstly I would like to thank Mr S.K. Dutta, Sr. Div. Manager-Personnel, Force Motors Pithampur, and Mr
A. V. Shitole training officer Force Motors Pithampur for giving me a chance to undergo training at this
esteemed organization.
I would like to special thanks Mr Pankaj Vyas, GM (Engine Shop) for the sincere guidance in my project.
I am thankful to them for their continued guidance and support along with their vast pool of knowledge, which
was the essential for completion of this project.
Along the way, I was also ably supported and guided by Mr Sanjay Karmakar and Mr Piyush Chaturve di
in the engine shop. And I would like to mention that the help is even more credible, considering that the
workload of staffs was immense.
I would also like to thank Mr Vijay Kumar for his guidance during my internship. He has always supported
and corrected me as and when needed. I also extend my heartfelt thanks to Prof Vijay Kumar, HOD-MAE
to encourage us in right direction.
Finally I thank all the persons who are directly or indirectly connected to us during the training and supported
us throughout to complete the training by constant effort.
 ABSTRACT

Material Handling is common problem that many industries are facing today. This report is outcome of a
project Material Handling & related Machinery done in Force Motors Ltd. Pithampur, Madhya Pradesh. This
project aimed at observing material handling equipments used in the Engine Shop of the industry. Machinery
being used such as CNC’s were also being observed on various manufacturing lines. Two engines namely
OM611 and OM616 are being produced in the engine shop. There are various manufacturing lines for the
parts of two engines in the shop along with their final assembly lines. These manufacturing and assembly lines
are discussed one by one with all material handling and machinery being used. Some basic material handling
equipments used are conveyor, hoist & tackle, hand pallets trucks, forklifts etc. The basic aim in material
handling is to transport material/product to its destination with least amount of damage to it and with least
amount of inputs. Damage occurs when metal to metal contact exists between machined surface and any other
metallic surface during transportation of material. Also during lifting of heavy cylinder blocks it must be lifted
from right position to avoid any dents on machined surface. While placing material on pallets it must be noted
that material/products do not touch each other. Many things along with described above needs to be taken care
of during material handling. Material handling does not add value to the product directly but is an important
part of manufacturing industry to improve the quality of the product. Machinery observed include CNC
machines with Fanuc and Siemens designed controllers of different levels of accuracy. Fanuc controllers are
used for rough machining while Siemens controllers are used for final machining and providing superior
surface finish to the product. All these have been briefly described in the report.
 Declaration

I undersigned, student of Amity School of Engineering & Technology, Amity University, Noida
Hereby declare that study conducted by me at Force Motors Pvt. Ltd., Pithampur and its effectiveness is a
result of my own work and will be purely utilized for academic purpose only.

Date

Place AKSHAY MISTRI

 COMPANY OVERVIEW

Force Motors, formerly Bajaj Tempo, is an Indian manufacturer of three-wheelers, multi-utility and cross
country vehicles, light commercial vehicles, tractors, buses and heavy commercial vehicles. It was origina lly
named Firodia Tempo Ltd. and later after partial acquisition by Bajaj Auto as Bajaj Tempo Ltd.
The company was founded in 1958 by N. K. Firodia. Bajaj Auto bought a controlling stake in the company,
renaming it "Bajaj Tempo". Germany's Daimler-Benz, a long-time collaborator with Firodia because of their
ownership of the original Tempo works in Germany, owned 16% of Bajaj Tempo. They sold their stake back
to the Firodia group in 2001, meaning they once again held a controlling interest. It was agreed that the
company would gradually phase out the use of the "Tempo" brand name, as it still belonged to Mercedes-
Benz. The name of the company was changed to Force Motors in May 2005, over the objections of Bajaj
Auto.
Force Motors started production of the Hanseat three-wheeler in collaboration with German Vidal & Sohn
Tempo Werke and went on to establish a presence in the light commercial vehicles field with the Matador,
the proverbial LCV (light commercial vehicle) in India. Bajaj Tempo was associated with Mercedes-Benz
since 1976 and in 1982 they began building the Mercedes-Benz OM616 diesel engine. Through the 1980s and
1990s, and especially in the last five years with a major product development effort, Force Motors has
introduced new light commercial vehicles, a face lifted series of Tempo Trax utility vehicles, new tractors,
and a new range of three-wheelers. The Matador, which defined the light commercial segment in India, saw
sales collapsing in the late 1990s and Bajaj Tempo began a substantial program of developing modern vehicles
to replace it.
Bajaj Tempo also built the diesel engines used in the Mercedes-Benz W124, and later W210, as manufactured
in India. This was a small-scale endeavour, but while it did not net BT much profit they benefitted from the
connection, both in terms of reputation and technology.
The company which mainly operates in commercial vehicle segment, entered into the "personal vehicle "
segment in August 2011 with the launch of its first SUV, named Force-One.
The company manufactures trucks at Pithampur, the industrial hub of Madhya Pradesh in Indore in a
joint venture, Man Force Trucks Pvt. Ltd, with MAN AG of Germany. MAN Force trucks are exported
overseas to countries such as Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and certain African nations; markets where a low selling
price is essential. The JV was dissolved as on March 2012 with Force Motors having sold and transferred
remaining 50% of Man Force shares to MAN AG for Rs 10 per share.
Tractors are built under the Balwan and Ox (formerly Tempo Ox) brands. The tractor field was entered by
(then) Bajaj Tempo in 1996-1997, and were developed indigenously, rather than depending on imported
technology.
Products

Force Motors manufactures a range of vehicles including Small Commercial Vehicles (SCV), Light
Commercial Vehicles (LCV), Multi Utility Vehicles (MUV), Sports Utility Vehicles (SUV), Heavy
Commercial Vehicles (HCV) and Agricultural Tractors.

1. Personal vehicles

• Force One (SUV)

• Force SUV Gurkha

2. Commercial vehicles

• Force Trax (SUV-MPV) - Town and Country, Challenger, Pick-up

• Force Traveller (LCV) - A modified Mercedes-Benz T1

• Force Trump 40 (SCV)

3. Agricultural vehicles

• Balwan tractors

• Orchard tractors

Force one
FORCE ONE is one of the finest sports utility vehicles made by an Indian OEM. The turbocharged Force One
beats faster than any other SUV in its segments. Infused with a new 2.2 litre FMTECH Common Rail engine,
its subdued growl is like a beast waiting to be unleashed. It’s available in Ex, SX and LX variants.
Technologically advanced, great roads presence, excellent ride and handling, immense space creating comfort
at a very competitive price are some of the features of the FORCE ONE. This is an SUV tailor made for the
Indian customer.

Trax: MUV (Multi utility vehicle)

Trax is the first fully indigenous multi utility vehicle developed in the country. Over the past two decades it
has established itself as the preferred people and goods carrier in rural India.
The Trax is a rugged, reliable; all-terrain vehicle powered by the legendary Mercedes- OM 616 derived diesel
engines. Tough and stylish with durable steel pressed body primed with state-of-the-art CED process,the Trax
has unmatched off- road applications for people and goods transport.
Traveller 26
Originally designed and produced by Mercedes Benz AG, Germany as T1 Transporter, it is now manufactured
in India as the “Traveller”. This range of passenger and goods carriers is powered by the fuel efficient TD
2200 Common rail engine available in both BS III and IV versions. So whether it is for personal or business
use, movement of men or material, the Traveller is an ideal choice.

Force Gurkha

Rough Cut Line

FinisCut Line

Force Traveller

Force One

Engine Technical Specifications: Two engines are being manufactured in the Engine shop namely OM611
and OM616. These two engines are originally designed by Mercedes. Technical specifications of the two
engines are -:

Engine Displacement Bore Stroke Cylinders Valves Power Torque

OM 611 2148 cc (2.148L) 88mm 88.3mm Straight-4 16 80 kW at 3800 270 N-m
RPM at 1400-
2400
RPM
OM 616 2399 cc (2.399L) 90.9mm 92.4mm Straight-4 16 43.5 kW at 4000 130 N-m
RPM at 1800-
2000
RPM
 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐑𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐃𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐈𝐧𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 (𝐂𝐑𝐃𝐈) 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲 [𝟏]

In common rail systems, a high-pressure pump stores a reservoir of fuel at high pressure — up to and above
2,000 bars (200 MPa; 29,000 psi). This technology is used in OM611 engine. The term "common rail" refers
to the fact that all of the fuel injectors are supplied by a common fuel rail which is nothing more than a pressure
accumulator where the fuel is stored at high pressure. This accumulator supplies multiple fuel injectors with
high-pressure fuel. This simplifies the purpose of the high-pressure pump in that it only needs to maintain a
commanded pressure at a target (either mechanically or electronically controlled). The fuel injectors are
typically ECU-controlled. When the fuel injectors are electrically activated, a hydraulic valve (consisting of a
nozzle and plunger) is mechanically or hydraulically opened and fuel is sprayed into the cylinders at the
desired pressure. Since the fuel pressure energy is stored remotely and the injectors are electrically actuated,
the injection pressure at the start and end of injection is very near the pressure in the accumulator (rail), thus
producing a square injection rate. If the accumulator, pump and plumbing are sized properly, the injectio n
pressure and rate will be the same for each of the multiple injection events.

Schematic Diagram of CRDI Technology

 Flowchart of CRDI engine (OM 611) Block Line

Spi ndle drilling SPM ( 3

Store (Casting of engine block is mm drilling on head
given) face profile at 25˚ & 47˚)

Broa ching SPM (Surface

broa ching on cylinder block
& bea ring cap)
BFW HMC-2 (Milling, drilling &
reaming on sump & head face)

Oi l way l eak testing machine

( oi l l eak test a t 1 bar pr.)

Notch milling machine (on

crankshaft bearing)
Nut Runner machine (bearing
ca p a ssembly & torquing)

BFW HMC-3 (drilling, tapping &

reaming on sump & head face) Li ne Boring machine (finish
bori ng of cra nkbore & s trong
bore wi th dowel hole)

BFW HMC-4 (drilling, milling &

reaming on starter & opposite Spi ndle Line boring machine
starter face)

BFW HMC-5 (milling, drilling, Pi s ton Boring SPM

tapping, reaming on radiator &
flywheel face & hole on head face)

K & Ra y wa shing machine

(Wa s hing after boring)
BFW HMC-6 (drilling, milling tapping,
reaming on radiator & flywheel face
& nozzle hole on sump face)
Pi s ton Bore honning (1
mi cron a ccuracy)

Spindle drilling SPM (ø3 mm

drilling on face profile at 25˚ &
47˚) Hi gh pressure washing
ma chine

Final product goes to final cut line

through roller conveyer Pre-di spatch Inspection

Rough Cut Line Finish Cut Line

 CRDI Engine (OM 611/TD 2200) Block machining line

Raw material: Block casting (from

vendor)

Engine block casting comes as raw material

on pallets by the help of forklifts.

Pallets used for raw material are of iron

because there is no machined surface
produced yet. So, little chance of damage is
there by iron pallets.

Block casting is then lifted by hoist and

tackle and kept on a conveyor (metallic
roller). The block then moves on the Fig. 1 Engine Block

conveyor and gets machined as it passes through different machines.

Loading and unloading of block on machine is also done by the help of hoist and tackle. To turn the block,
conveyor also has Turn over devices (TOD’s).

First rough cuts are made on rough cut line and then block moves to finish cut line for final machining.
Machining processes such as drilling, milling, broaching, tapping, reaming etc. are done on BFW HMC
(Horizontal machine centre) CNC machine and on notch making machine, spindle drilling machine. While
on finish cut line loading, unloading is not required because conveyor moves through the machine or may
have an automatic conveyor. Final machining is done on finish cut line and very less amount of metal is
removed. After several machining processes like boring, honing, washing etc. At the end pre-dispatch
inspection (PDI) is done and finally blocks are kept on wooden pallets and sent for assembly.

Observations from the existing setup

 There is metal to metal contact between

 Metallic rollers of conveyor and machined surfaces of the engine block.
 Machined surfaces of the engine block as they collide while sliding over conveyor

creates minor metal loss from the block.

 Improper rubber covering on tackles for lifting the block touches the machined surfaces may damage
the surface finish of the block.
 Rotary table used for turning consumes time for moving the blocks.
 Unevenness in level of conveyor at the joints (point where conveyor of machine starts) induces sudden
vibration or impact in the moving material.
𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐮𝐦𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐑𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐫𝐬 [𝟐] may be used since it avoids collisions and provides a better control
over the flow. These can be made power driven so that manual push by the worker is required. Also, rubberised
rollers will prevent metal to metal contact between the rollers and the block. Accumulation Roller conveyer
is explained in the end of the report. Curved conveyors can also be used at curves instead of rotating tables
which consume a lot of time in material movement.
Flowchart of CRDI engine (OM 611) Assembly Line

Store (Finished engine block

is given)

Nozzles for Oil/Water are

attached

Crankshaft assembly

Piston & Connecting rod

assembly

Oil sump assembly

Cylinder head assembly

Camshaft assembly

Fuel Injection pump assembly

(F.I.P)

Tappet cover assembly

Engine Batch & Serial number

plate attached

Alternator assembly

Oil Seperator

Turbo Charger (for turbo

engines)
 CRDI engine (OM 611) Assembly Line

Raw material: Engine block (Cast Iron).

Finished engine block arrives from store on pallets with

the help of forklifts. For assembly operations engine
block is mounted on a trolley which is constrained to
move on rails made on the floor. Engine is mounted
on the trolley with the help of hoist and tackle. While
the machines for various operations are mounted on
cross rails attached to the ceiling. As the operations
are completed the worker pushes the trolley towards Fig. 2 OM 611 Engine
the next station manually. Engine mounted on trolley is free to rotate, Block

providing the worker easy turning of the engine. Various assembly processes can be seen from the
flowchart. The engine moves on the assembly line along with the trolley on which it is mounted. Each
station has various installations which are arranged properly in a rack. The machines mounted above on
cross rails are manually moved by worker over the trolley for specified operation. After the operation is
done machine is moved back from the assembly line manually.

Observation from the existing setup

 Trollies used for mounting engine, move on rails which consume a considerable amount of
floor space. This floor space can be regained by using other systems for handling (rather than
rail trollies) engine block.
 Trollies are heavy after engines are mounted, manual pushing may be tedious job and has
chances of collision.
 Guide rails needs proper maintenance. (dust and obstruction free)
 Human machine interface (HMI) which ensures that all operations have been done before
engine moves to next station of the assembly line may be used at every station.

Trollies move on rails which consume floor space can be replaced by other methods which consume least
floor space. One of such method is discussed in the end of the report.
𝐌𝐚𝐜𝐃𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐝 𝐇𝐮𝐦𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐲 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 (𝐌𝐇𝐀) 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐄𝐱𝐦𝐚𝐜 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧[𝟑] have
created vertical conveyor mini- line supported by incoming materials inspection and line-side delivery of
components. Each station is equipped with a sophisticated MacDonald Humfrey ‘Human Machine
Interface’ (HMI) providing guidance to each operator on the precise sequence of operations required at
each stage of assembly to ensure ‘No Fault Forward’ (NFF) assembly.
Flowchart of OM 616 Head Line

Store (Engine Head is

recieved, manufactured
by a vendor)

Cam Bracket assembly

Burr Line Boring

machine (cam bracket
boring)

Inspection (By air plug

gauges)

Robotic washing
machine

Pre-dispatch Inspection
 OM 616 Head manufacturing line

Fig. 3 Engine Head Fig. 4 Camshaft bracket

Raw material: Engine head (from vendor)

Engine head is received from store on pallets with the help of forklift. Then they are lifted with help of hoist
& tackle and kept on a table where camshaft holding brackets are assembled to it by bolts. Camshaft brackets
needs finishing on the internal surface of the bore. For internal finishing, engine head is mounted on Burr line
boring machine (by hoist & tackle) which provides final finishing of the internal bore of cam brackets. Total
three brackets are assembled in which two are of Ø49 + 0.025 mm and one of Ø35 + 0.025 mm.

Then head is kept on inspection table (by hoist & tackle) and bore size is checked by air plug gauges. After
inspection head is kept on an automatic conveyor which takes the heads to an automatic robotic washing
machine. After washing heads go through a pre-dispatch inspection on the automatic conveyor after the
washer. Then finally the head assembly is stored on pallets and sent for engine assembly.

Observations from the existing setup

 A rubber belt is used as a tackle for lifting the heads (raw material), which is not advisable. This may
damage the head or cause an injury to the worker.
 Loading of the head on boring machine is done by the same hoist and tackle, which is a risky job as
the heads are heavy.
 A part of roller conveyor used between the inspection table and automatic conveyor has metal rollers
which is not suitable as there occurs metal to metal contact which may damaging the head.
Flowchart of OM 616 Block Line

Store (Finished engine

block is given)

Robotic washing
machine

Flange assembly (Flange

for flywheel side)

HMT Flange boring

machine

Inspection

Automatic Washing
Machine

Finally on pallets
 OM 616 Block manufacturing line

Raw material: Engine block

Finished engine block is

received (from vendor) on
pallets by the help of forklifts.
The blocks are then lifted by
hoist and tackle and kept on
automatic conveyor which takes
them to an automatic robotic
machine. After washing the
Fig. 5 Engine Block
blocks are lifted from the
conveyor by hoist and tackle
and kept on another conveyor
where flange (silver coloured
portion, can be seen on leftmost side in the picture) is assembled. Then final boring is done on flange by
HMT flange boring machine. Then it is lifted by hoist & tackle and kept on inspection table. Then it is kept
on an auto conveyor by the help of hoist & tackle from where it goes for final washing. It is unloaded by the
help of hoist & tackle and kept on pallets which are sent to engine assembly lines.

Observations from the existing setup

 Roller conveyors used are metallic which created metal to metal contact and may damage the
moving metal blocks.
 There is a gap of conveyor between automatic washing machine and area for flange
assembly. Hoist and tackle is used between the two which is time consuming and tedious.
(Shown in fig. 6)

Fig. 6 Fig. 7
Flowchart of OM 616 Crankshaft assembly Line

Store (Crankshaft
comes on trollies)

Sprockets & disc

assembly

Crankshaft assembly
holding fixture

Flywheel with starter

ring assembly

Crankshaft Balancing
Machine

Manual Washing
machine

Finally on pallets
 OM 616 Crankshaft assembly line

Fig. 8 Crankshaft

Crankshaft comes on trollies designed to

handle them. Then on the trolley itself
sprockets and disc are assembled.
Sprockets are first heated to 150 ˚C in a
blast heater then are attached on the
crankshaft. Sprocket can be seen in Fig.9
with teeths.Then the crankshaft is fixed
on crankshaft assembly holding fixture
with the help of hoist & tackle. Flywheel
with starter ring is attached on the
opposite side of the crankshaft on this
fixture.Then crankshaft is loaded on a
crankshaft balancing machine which uses ABRO and a Seimens
software designed for balancing the crankshaft. As crankshaft is made Fig. 9 Sprocket
to rotate on the machine, two encoders sense the
unevenness in the mass and send it to the ABRO software which
provides amount to metal to removed from the flywheel and disc side.
An automated vertical drill and a horizontal drill is used to remove
metal from disc and flywheel side respectively. Then crankshaft is
lifted by hoist and tackle and kept on wooden pallets and sent for
washing in a manual washing machine. Finally the crankshafts are kept
on pallets and sent for asembly.

Observations from the existing setup

 Trollies used for crankshaft are to be pushed manually. This requires effort and turning of it
manually is difficult.
 Sprockets and discs are aseembled on the trolley itself. This might put pressure on some parts of
crankshaft when sprockets and disc are hammered to slide in.
 Proper tackle is not used for handling. Crankshaft needs to be turned vertically to be kept on pallet.
This is difficult and dangerous with a normal tackle.
 Washing machine used is manual with metal roller conveyors. Also, the machine grabs the
crankshaft with metal jaws which may be avoided.
Hand pallet trucks, trollies used can be replaced by motorised 𝐋𝐨𝐰 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐎𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬 [𝟒] manufactured
by Linde Material Handling company. These pickers have max. load capacity of 1515 kg. Also, as they are
powered vehicles turning and moving of load becomes easy. Hydraulic Hand Pallets trucks may also be
used.
Flowchart of OM 616 Engine assembly Line

Store (Finished
engine block is given)

Crankshaft assembly

Piston Assembly

Oil sump assembly

Head assembly

Camshaft assembly

Fuel Injection Pump

Intake & Exhaust

assembly

Turbocharger
assembly

Tappet cover

Finally on pallet
 OM 616 Engine assembly line

Raw material: Engine block

Engine Blocks are received on assembly line on

wooden pallets. On this assembly line the block moves
on roller conveyors. Blocks are lifted by hoist & tackle
and kept on roller conveyor. Blocks are turned upside
down (by turn over devices) for crankshaft assembly.
After this stage the block is mounted on saddle on
which it moves throughout the line. Various processes
can be seen in the flowchart of the assembly line.
Heavy inputs such as cylinder head, intake and exhaust
manifolds are lifted by hoist and tackle for their
assembly on the block.

After engine assembly is completed, engine is lifted by

hoist and tackle and kept on pallets. Then these pallets
are sent to testing area for engine testing. Fig. 11 OM 616 Engine

Observations from the existing setup:

 Roller conveyors used are not properly covered by rubber. This introduces metal to metal contact.
 Saddle on which engine is mounted is of metal, may be replaced
by other material to avoid any metal to metal contact. (Fig. 12)
 Roller conveyor do occupy a considerable amount of floor space and needs lubrication and

Fig. 12 Engine on a Saddle

maintenance.
Flowchart of Engine Test Area

Engine from
Assembly lines

Test area

Test bed

Pallets

Powerpack
assembly

Pallets
 Engine Testing

Engine testing is done on test bed designed for

engine testing. Engine first is sent to oil filling
station for oil filling. Then it is brought to test
bed by a trolley where it is lifted by hoist and
tackle to mount it on test bed. On test bed
various inputs to the engine like water supply
(for radiator), fuel supply, intake and exhaust
systems. Flywheel of the engine is coupled to
the rotor of an eddy current dynamometer.
Different parameters such as torque at various
RPM’s, fuel consumption, air fuel ratio for the Fig. 13 Engine on a Test bed
intake mixture, concentration of environment pollutants in exhaust gas,
temperatures and gas pressures at several locations on the engine body such as engine oil temperature, spark
plug temperature, exhaust gas temperature, intake manifold pressure. If the readings are under specified
norms then it is passed on with a “Tested OK” sticker. Engine (with Testes OK sticker) is lifted with hoist
and tackle from the bed and kept on trolley which takes it to the engine storing area. From this storing area
engines are sent to vehicle assembly plant.

Observations from the existing setup:

 Hoist and tackle are used to lift engine, which may not be appropriate for such a heavy and
sophisticated product.
 Trollies are used to transport
the engines to test bed which
is of metal, introducing metal
to metal contact. This may not
be so significant, but still care
needs to be taken.

Handling during engine testing seems

satisfactory. Engines are kept on
trolley and then moved from store to
the test bed.

Folding Engine Crane may also be

used for easy movement of engine. Fig. 14 Engine on pallets
Flowchart of Front axle assembly

Store

Beam storing
area (on pallets)

Shimming stand

Assembly line
(Station 1)

Station 2

Station 3

Station 4

Pallets
 Front axle assembly

Beam of I-section comes on wooden

pallets with the help of forklifts. Beams
are of two types T1 and T2, T1 being
shorter in length.With the help of hoist
and tackle beams are lifted and placed
on shimming stand for assembly of
stub axle with help of a king pin. A
shim is used to adjust the clearance
between stub axle and the beam. King
pin is first cooled in liq. Nitrogen at -
170 ˚C. Beam is lifted by hoist & tackle
Fig. 15 Front Axle
and kept on trolley of the assembly
line. The trolley consists of metal vices
which hold the beam. End clip (to provide hole for greasing), circlip (to avoid leakage of grease) is attached
at station 1. Brake clip is also attached here which constraints the rotation of the stub axle. Then on station 2
greasing of the stub axle is done. Hub is attached on station 3 and locked by lock nut. Brake callipers are
attached at station 4. After the assembly is completed here, it is lifted by hoist & tackle and kept on wooden
pallets. From here the pallets are sent for final assembly in the vehicle by the help of forklifts.

Observations from the existing setup:

 Hoist-tackle is used for lifting the beam. There are chances of slipping of beam from the tackle.
 Shimming stand (Fig.15) is of metal. Care needs to be taken to avoid metal to metal contact.
 On trollies of the assembly line, beam is gripped by vices. If vices are tightened too much, it may
damage the beam shape.

Fig. 16 Shimming Stand Fig. 17 Front Axle stored on pallets

 DUAL MASS FLYWHEEL CELL (DMFW)
& TRANSMISSION LINE
A flywheel is a rotating mechanical device that is used to store
rotational energy. Flywheels have a significant moment of inertia
and thus resist changes in rotational speed. The amount of energy
stored in a flywheel is proportional to the square of its rotational
speed. Energy is transferred to a flywheel by applying torque to it,
thereby increasing its rotational speed, and hence its stored energy.

Fig. 17 Flywheel

Conversely, a flywheel releases stored energy by applying torque to a mechanical load, thereby decreasing
its rotational speed.
Firstly flywheel parts such as sealing cover, hub plate, retaining plate ,disc plate ,hub, timing plate, ring gear
,bow spring inner, bow spring outer are brought to the DMFW cell units with the help of trolley.
Then manually, the parts are lifted and kept on the various machine such as electron beam welding, inductio n
heater, torque tester, grease stabilising unit for various operations for the assembly of flywheel.
After the assembly, flywheel is taken for the final assembly of engine with the help of trolley.
A machine consists of a power source and a power transmission system, which provides controlled applicatio n
of power. Often transmission refers simply to the gearbox that uses gears and gear trains to provide speed
and torque conversions from a rotating power source to another device.

Observations from the existing setup:

 The input/primary discs come on trolley stacked together on rods. Although not significant but there
is partial metal to metal contact between the discs. This can be observed in fig. 18.

Since the parts are light, can be handled safely by worker. Material handling on this assembly line is safe and
statisfactory.

Fig. 19 Flywheel parts on trolley

Fig. 20 Flywheel discs on trolley
Flowchart of E21 6-Speed Gearbox assembly

Store

Main Housing
in pallets

Assembly line
(Station 1)

Station 2

Station 3

Station 4

Station 5
 E21 6-Speed Gearbox assembly

Main housing comes in pallets from the

store. The housing is mounted on trolley
which moves on the assembly line. The
trolley moves on rails made on the floor.

At station 1, lay shaft is meshed with the

main shaft of the gearbox in the housing.
Lay shaft is the shaft which contains gears
but does not transmit the primary drive of
the gearbox, in or out of it. These two
shafts are lifted by hoist and tackle
Fig. 20 Front Axle stored on pallets

designed for them. An input shaft is then lifted by hoist and tackle and meshed with the main shaft of the
gearbox. The input shaft can be seen in left hand side of fig. 16

At station 2, Oil pump for oil circulation and a connection plate to hold the input shaft on the housing is
attached. Shimming is also done here. In shimming, a shim as shown in fig.17 is used to reduce clearance
between shaft and bearing races. Input shaft is heated for attaching races on the input shaft. At station 3, rear
cover with range group (Planetary gear system) with 4 planet gears is attached.

Gear shifting mechanism is attached on station 4. Then final oil testing is done
on station 5. The gear box assembly moves on trolley throughout the assembly
line.

Observations from the existing setup

 The trolley moves on rails which consume floor space. This space can
be regained and used in other ways.
Fig. 21 A Shim
 Lay shaft, main shaft are lifted by hoist and
tackle. This may introduce metal to metal
contact with gears of the shaft.

The assembly line seems to be good in terms of

material handling with minimum amount of metal to
metal contact.

Fig. 23 Planetary gear system

 Machinery Observed

CNC Machines: BFW HMC (Bharat Fritz Werner, Horizontal Machine Centre) 650HE Series [5]

This CNC machine is a two axis machine with an ATC (Automatic Tool Changer) capable of holding 40
tools at a time. It has two worktables which increases the productivity. While the worker loads the
component on one worktable, the component on other table gets machined. There is an automatic chip
conveyor which collects chips from the machining zone. It has 40 m/min of rapid traverse rate and feed rate
varying between 1-20 m/min.

Crankshaft balancing machine: This machine is used to balance rotating mass of the crankshaft to reduce
its vibrations. The worker loads the crankshaft on the machine. Then it is made to rotate at a particular RPM.
Two encoders measure the unbalanced weights on disc side and the flywheel side of the crankshaft. Two
drills remove material automatically from the two sides using information received by encoders. This
encoders are designed by company
named ABRO, a world leader in dynamic
balancing. After material removal again
the crankshaft is made to rotate and same
procedure is followed until the crankshaft
is balanced to required precision.
 Suggestions for better material handling

 Accumulation Roller Conveyor : The accumulation roller conveyor is used as a zero-pressure

conveyor for transport units. Rollers are stopped specifically to avoid collision when one transport
unit comes to a standstill. Accumulation roller conveyors are ideally used in areas where there are risks
of jams and in buffer zones. Accumulation roller conveyors may be driven by a powered belt or by
motor rollers. Single conveyor segments are disconnected if the next segment is occupied by a transport
unit. Rollers are rubberised avoiding metal to metal contact between the rollers and moving product.

Curved Conveyors Rubberised Rollers

 Curves: Within live or accumulation roller conveyors, curves are used for turning totes while
guaranteeing a continuous flow. SCHAEFER Motor Rollers (SMRs) has also made possible to create
an accumulation area in the curves. Based on three basic curve segments, it is possible to build eleven
different curves within a range of 30° to 180°. By combining different curve segments, it is also
possible to build S-curves. Turning is easy with these curves and less time consuming than rotating
tables.
 Macdonald Humfrey & Exmac Automation Ltd. created assembly line for engines :
MacDonald Humfrey Automation (MHA) and sister company Exmac Automation have joined forces
to help automotive engineering specialist Ricardo create a state-of-the-art 600 square metre assembly
facility to build its first ever high-performance engine at Ricardo’s Technical Centre in West Sussex.
Providing a near cleanroom production environment the facility has the capacity to produce 4000
engines annually across two daily shifts.
o Its core is a ten-station vertical conveyor mini-line supported by incoming materia ls
inspection and line-side delivery of components. Each station is equipped with a sophistica ted
MacDonald Humfrey ‘Human Machine Interface’ (HMI) providing guidance to each
operator on the precise sequence of operations required at each stage of assembly to ensure ‘No
Fault Forward’ (NFF) assembly. Tools at each station are instrumented to provide data
 directly into a central warranty database for each engine, providing complete finished product
traceability.
o Each line station is interlocked via its HMI to ensure that all operations and checks have been
successfully completed and recorded before the line can be indexed and the engine moved
forward to the next station.
o To meet the specification within the space available Exmac designed a compact 10-station
back-to-back manual line that takes up very little floor space in the new building. The system
allows Ricardo to load engine blocks onto the line and rotate them at any of the stations, and
indexes manually to allow greater control over the assembly process.
o Engine blocks are fixed to lightweight trolleys using a vertically mounted slew ring and
quick release plate, that allows it to be rotated through 360 degrees whilst is locked in place to
allow complete access for operators. Engines start their build sequence at station 1 and when
all assembly functions are completed the control system allows a stop to retract for the operator
to push the trolley (running in a steel track) to a holding position until station 2 is clear. The

trolley is then pushed to station 2 where it is again held in place for that station’s assembly
functions to be carried out …….and so on to station 10.
 o A latched turn-post at each end of the line (providing a swing-gate effect) allows trolleys be
re-directed to the opposite side of the line after assembly operations at station 5 are completed.
When a trolley reaches station 10 the engine block has been transformed into a fully assembled,
complete engine.
o The Exmac-designed mechanical locking systems locate and secure trolleys at each station
until the MacDonald Humfrey HMI system confirms that operators have completed all
required tasks at each station, and assembly can continue on a no-faults- forward basis.
o If an engine needs to be reworked, trolley and engine can be moved to a holding position at the
end of the line. When work is completed, both are returned to station 1 (via the turntable if
necessary) and then moved to the appropriate station to allow the engine to continue its build
programme.
o The bespoke MHA Human Machine Interface’ provides Ricardo production engineers with a
list of operations that they can vary and configure themselves. For example, not only are they
able to set task-by-task instructions showing assembly operators how to build the engine, they
also include time allocated to each task, DC tooling operations, air tests, and gasket glue
plotting. In addition, the HMI integrates all operations and confirms – with a time and date
stamp – that all tasks have been completed. Effectively this means that every single operation
– including every bolt to be tightened – has its own programme! Detailed on-screen informa tio n
and visual aids are shown at each of the ten stations and data is fed to an MHA pick-to-light
system to ensure efficient error-proof component picking.

Observations from this assembly line :

 Floor space is regained.

 Better and easy handling.
 All processes to be done on a station are ensured by HMI.
 Fixed process time at each station.
 No fault basis.

This technique may be used in OM611 Engine assembly line where trollies run on rails mounted on floor. It
will recover the floor space and provide better handling.
 References

1. Common rail, Wikipedia.org from < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_rail >

2. Cisco-eagle, cisco-eagle.com , 888-877-3861 from < http://www.cisco-eagle.com/catalog/c-
3206-accumulation-conveyor.aspx >
3. Exmac Automation, exmacautomation.co.uk from <
http://www.exmacautomation.co.uk/macdonald-humfrey-and-exmac-create-the-assembly-line-for-a-
new-high-performance-engine-at-ricardo/ >
4. Linde Material Handling (UK) Ltd., www.linde- mh.co.uk from < http://www.linde-
mh.co.uk/media/country_site_uk/pdf/materials_handling_facts_and_goootruck_guide_1_07.pdf >
5. Bharat Fritz Werner Ltd. (Kothari Group), www.bfwindia.com from
< http://www.bfwindia.com/BBB/products/pdf/unicorn.pdf >