The future of the body shop: maximum flexibility and independence

Central obstacles to making body shop construction systems more flexible and to increasing their transformation and integration ability are vehicle body assembly lines and the logistical supply of components. Ingenics has now succeeded in producing a layout describing the scenario of a future body shop that meets all foreseeable requirements.
To this end, current restrictions and obstacles were analyzed before alternative solutions were worked out and turned into a coherent whole, known as “pit stop production.” This allows bodywork production that is independent from specific product requirements, ensuring maximum flexibility.

Today, modern body shop construction systems are characterized by fully automated, cycle-bound routine processes that are able to master component positioning and geometry creation as well as numerous joining technologies with a high degree of dimensional and repeat accuracy. This consensus, shared by all manufacturers, has been formed and established around the world in favor of efficient, high-quality production and manageable operations.

However, today’s sophisticated technical standard also has several limitations. Production systems that are designed for specific product requirements prove to be extremely inflexible when it comes to product- or process-related changes and adaptation requirements. In practice, this often means that car body construction systems can only be used for one model cycle.

Furthermore, the need for flexible production is being fueled by the growing number of body variants, and by electric mobility. Ultimately, the industry wants to make arrangements for a harmonious transition that will also meet expectations of ambitious financial returns. People believe that increasing flexibility in production in these parallel worlds is a key element of success.

In the interests of the automotive industry's future viability, the question of whether today's manufacturing systems in car body construction are prepared for current and future changes must be asked. The answer is clear: these systems are either not prepared at all, or only to a very limited extent. They lack various forms of flexibility, including product and succession flexibility, adaptability, integration and adjustability.

When discussing eff orts to make body shop construction systems more flexible in the future, it is important not to call into question previous achievements in terms of efficiency, capacity utilization, output, quality, and ultimately profitability. Forward-looking concepts must take into account all new developments in connection with digitization and Industry 4.0, and they must be designed accordingly – which makes these performance indicators all the more relevant.

Taking all of these contextual factors and demands into consideration, Ingenics has succeeded in developing a coherent overall picture describing the scenario of a future body shop that promises to meet all foreseeable requirements: Ingenics pit stop production.

Vehicle body assembly lines represent a central obstacle to making body shop construction systems more flexible and to increasing their transformation and integration ability. Spatially, they are limited to a rigid line structure: the position of lift systems always determines the length. At the same time, product requirements known in the early stages of planning influence the content. Such an approach rules out the possible concepts that could increase flexibility.

Ingenics Pit Stop Production deliberately relies on a modular structure that provides an alternative approach while taking into account key success factors such as short throughput times, high cost-effectiveness and reliable quality.
 

Instead of invariably passing through each station of a production line as previously, regardless of the available technology and necessary content – a one-dimensional process – pit stop production is based on the multiple use of different subassembly states.

This makes it possible to avoid redundancies, utilizing more plant capacity and responding to technical availability. The ultimate goal is to meet the demand for joining technology for each product derivative or variant with a corresponding choice.

All other disciplines in the body shop have been examined just as thoroughly and developed with a view to increasing flexibility. For example, pit stop production also provides a solution to logistical challenges related to the increasing range of parts for combined production. The principle of pit stop production is based on the unique combination of several innovations, drawing on automatic guided vehicles, layout sequences, and data networking.

As a collection of production modules, the central pit stop production facility can be designed and implemented at any time, regardless of current product-specific projects. This allows it to be independent of specific product requirements, and it can grow in terms of both content and technology. As the heart of one or more body shops, it can be integrated into buildings with relatively simple modifications, even those not originally intended for body shop facilities. But Ingenics pit stop production even goes a step further: it not only demonstrates innovative Industry 4.0 approaches, but also integrates their potential in a coherent overall concept.

At a crucial time for the future of the automotive industry, manufacturers are focusing on managing increasing variance intelligently. Ingenics pit stop production significantly contributes to this by meeting current and future requirements in a sustainable, modular, and innovative manner.