Background

The BMW light metal foundry in Landshut is a component supplier within the BMW Group. Key figures are: approx. 2,000 employees, 3 million cast components/year, 60,000 t/year, gravity die casting, die casting, and lost foam casting.

The group planned to expand its foundry with six 40MN die casting machines for the production of crankcases and structural components.

PI was commissioned to develop and implement the concept for the new die casting foundry. PI's scope of services covers all manufacturing and logistics processes, from the delivery of raw materials to the handover of pre-machined castings.

Results

• Factory commissioned
• Fully automated, fully interlinked production
• Continuous process and product data monitoring
• Implementation of the highest occupational safety and environmental protection requirements

PI services

Factory planning, process planning, logistics planning

Concept design
analogous to VDI 5200, phases 1 to 3

• Manufacturing segments and organization defined
  • Blasting plant
  • Smelting plant
  • 6 casting cells, each with insert preheating and crankcase cooling section as well as deburring stations
  • Heat treatment
  • Testing facilities, etc.
• Logistics concept (material flow, staging areas, conveyor systems, storage systems) created
• Layout created
• Resources (personnel, equipment, buildings, infrastructure) dimensioned
• Investments determined
• Master plan for implementation created

Detailing
analogous to VDI 5200, phases 4 and 5

• Detailed manufacturing segments and islands
  • Detailed layout
  • Machine installation plan created
  • R+I diagram for media supply and disposal created
  • System list created
  • System technology specified (specification sheet)
• Conveyor technology specified (specifications)
• Plant and conveyor technology tendered, quotations obtained and prepared for award
• Interfaces with engineering offices for construction and technical development serviced
• Budget and schedule drawn up

Implementation
analogous to VDI 5200, phases 6 and 7

• Details agreed with suppliers
• Interfaces with customers (planning, production, maintenance) and other suppliers or service providers (construction, media, crane service, etc.) coordinated
• Proper performance of individual services monitored and controlled
• Commissioning, rectification of defects, MFU/performance tests and acceptance coordinated
• Budget (investments) tracked
• Project progress recorded: minutes, photos, schedule

Topics

Factory planning: Value stream, production segments, material flow, layout, scalability, facilities/infrastructure/buildings, cleanliness, environmental protection

Process planning: Process engineering, plant engineering, simulation of capacity requirements, automation, interlinking, energy efficiency, IT, control technology, machine and process data acquisition, Industry 4.0

Logistics planning: Simulation of movements/inventories, load carrier design, transport technology, fire protection

Trades

Blasting, melting, casting, deburring, heat treatment, testing, conveying, automation, interlinking, etc.