What's new
What's new
By:
Advanced search…

BMW i3 production process videos

N

Nick Mueller

Titanium
Joined
Jun 12, 2006
Location
Munich / Germany
Hi!

Here ate 3 videos of the production of the new BMW i3, the electric car to hit the market next month.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
About 1 and a half hour of watching. No narrator, no explanations, still not boring.

It doesn't show the whole process, like carbon fiber production in the USA.
Some things are quite strange to me, like assembly of the gear box. So sloooow. But maybe these shots were taken in the early phase (completely new plant) and all went at half speed.

Personally I think, the i3 will be a huge success for BMW. Others think different.


Nick
 
I like the production of the videos as well. I wonder if they are using UV cured adhesives? Quite a design project for tooling . . . Likely more engineering in the tools and robotics / sequencing programming than in the vehicle itself.

Notice the robots operating in safe limited speed mode until the guard doors slide shut and latch after which they take off at a good clip.
 
In Part 1 at 14:30,and again in Part 2 24:30 inspection occurs after chassis/body sub-assembly is completed instead of concurrently and in parallel with the sub-assembly process. Lots of room for optimizing those types serialized processes.
 
Here is a short video of the SGL carbon-fiber plant in the USA:
SGL

I find the depth of in-house production (if you call a joint-venture in house) quite interesting. BMW is even making their own electric motors in their plant. Maybe their motivation was "We make our IC-engines, so we can wind our motors too". A completely new set of knowledge required. Like with the mass production of carbon bodies.

Hopefully, the i3 doesn't end like the GM EV-1 :) Considering the investments in plants, technology and knowhow BMW made, they are damned convinced of their success.


Nick
 
Why does the i3 have to be butt ass ugly?
Click to expand...

Not so sure wether it is ugly. Looks like it depends a lot on the color. With some, it also looks ugly to me. With others, I like it from the pictures I have seen.

Haven't seen one yet, despite they drive around here frequently since months for factory tests. I'll judge, when I have seen one in real.

Nick
 
Not BMW (spit) but watched a documentary on McClaren about their new road car.The carbon fibre tub was made in Austria and required 4000 man hours.McClarens engineers brought the process inhouse in the new factory and are building them in 4 hours.
 
Nick Mueller said:
Hopefully, the i3 doesn't end like the GM EV-1 :) Considering the investments in plants, technology and knowhow BMW made, they are damned convinced of their success.


Nick
Click to expand...

The EV1 is what convinced me to quit my job and start my own company. The last company I worked for designed among many different things, EV dynamometers and battery simulators. After working on 3 systems for the EV1 I became depressed when my boss told me to divest my efforts in motion control and focus on EV dyne work. Making motors go round and developing drive technology was boring to me.
 
It's always interesting to see how the Germans do it.

The lack of flexibility is interesting. I suppose because this car is just so unique. In a Japanese auto plant, they would be able to make 3 or 4 different models on the same production line by using different tooling. Model change overs would take 30 minutes or so.

I didn't see any stamping, but they appear to make a lot of plastic parts in house. Very few people around in that part of the plant.

No one seems to wear safety glasses.
 
Nick Mueller said:
Not so sure wether it is ugly. Looks like it depends a lot on the color. With some, it also looks ugly to me. With others, I like it from the pictures I have seen.

Haven't seen one yet, despite they drive around here frequently since months for factory tests. I'll judge, when I have seen one in real.

Nick
Click to expand...

The window kicking down behind the front seats is beyond terrible. And the fake grill is unforgivable.

There's no reason E cars have to look like dog shit.

The Nissan leaf headlights are some of the worst design I've ever seen, anywhere.
 
The lack of flexibility is interesting. I suppose because this car is just so unique. In a Japanese auto plant, they would be able to make 3 or 4 different models on the same production line by using different tooling.
Click to expand...

As far as I know, they have a plant for every type. There is enough room to expand in Germany.
The factory in Munich is quite crammed up. At Landshut, they have as much room as they want.

Nick
 
The carbon fibre tub was made in Austria and required 4000 man hours.McClarens engineers brought the process inhouse in the new factory and are building them in 4 hours.
Click to expand...

These 4000 hours are for a F1-chassis.
The chassis for the road car still is made in Austria, in 4 hours.

Nick
 
Nick Mueller said:
These 4000 hours are for a F1-chassis.
The chassis for the road car still is made in Austria, in 4 hours.

Nick
Click to expand...

Not true,according to what McClaren said in the documentary and they were talking soley about the road car,it's costs and the reductions they were having to make in man hours in order to produce the numbers required.
So you are saying McClaren executives have lied?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

R
Machining Techniques
Replies
6
Views
616
just Dave
just Dave
G
Mazak SQT10MS - MMP process HELP!
Replies
3
Views
440
gecko
G
S
Inspection station and mic. Set for non machinist operators??
Replies
5
Views
262
RJT
R
F
Establishing a supply chain for your product + finance/accounting questions.
2 3
Replies
43
Views
1K
Ox
Ox
WizardOfBoz
Machining thicker carbon fiber ring shapes
Replies
15
Views
584
ArmchairEngineer
A








 

ABOUT PRACTICAL MACHINIST

With more than 10.6 million unique visitors over the last year, Practical Machinist is the most visited site for metalworking professionals. Practical Machinist is the easiest way to learn new techniques, get answers quickly and discuss common challenges with your peers. Register for the world’s largest manufacturing technology forum for free today to stay in the know.

Learn more about us.

STAY CONNECTED

Facebook Instagram YouTube LinkedIn Pinterest Twitter Tiktok

Register Become a forum member. Register today.

Sign Up Sign up for our e-newsletter.

© 2024 Copyright Practicalmachinist.com. All Rights reserved.

Back
Top