Valmet is to continue manufacturing the Mercedes-Benz A-Class in Finland, with the the Uusikaupunki plant preparing for the new A-Class in an intensive personnel training programme and by implementing production line changes.
The project, started in March last year, is progressing according to plans.
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The intention is to exploit solutions developed for the previous A-Class as much as possible. The body shop is going through major changes based on the different BiW, but Valmet says that will also improve production efficiency. The current paint shop and general assembly lines will be updated.
In the body shop, mechanical assemblies are finished and work is now focusing on programming and implementation. The layout remains, but all manual stations are removed from BiW manufacturing. There are 73 new robots and the A-Class body shop features a total of 223 robots, raising the automation level from 90% to 95%.
The A-Class related changes to the multi-product lines in the paint and assembly shops are limited. In both shops, the changes are targeted to ensure the required capacity for manufacturing two car models simultaneously, increasing working ergonomics, safety and productivity.
“In manufacturing engineering, we have largely exploited our experience with the previous A-Class,” said Valmet SVP, Manufacturing Services, Pasi Rannus.
“However, the new A-Class is a different car, so training our personnel, especially in the assembly shop is a top priority.”
