DEUTZ AG gets ahead of the game by optimising its engine assembly. The Cologne-based engine maker is looking to the future by investing €2.5 million in a new just-in-sequence (JIS) assembly centre at its Cologne-Porz facility.
The 12,000 m² building will enable DEUTZ to respond to increasing product diversity in the wake of the new emissions legislation by optimising its assembly processes and materials management. In the new JIS centre, a wide range of individual components are picked just-in-time in the correct sequence and in many cases they are pre-assembled before delivery to the assembly line. Suppliers send components to the sequencing centre on the day they are required which permanently reduces the stocks of materials on site. The variable components for managing materials within the JIS assembly centre are available at more than 30 workstations in the form of sequence boxes.
The gradual switch to delivering via the JIS centre was started in mid-2009 with Alexander Colombo as project leader. To put the new logistics processes into practice, production management systems have already been switched to end-to-end sequencing in which different orders are lined up for production. With the necessary lead times, this ensures that the JIS centre and suppliers deliver the right quantities on the right date. Along with the introduction of just-in-time/just-in-sequence logistics, the company benefits from new opportunities and its workflows within engine production are optimised. In future, only basic components that are used for all engine variants will be held at the workstations on the assembly line; other parts will be supplied just in sequence so as to minimise the amount of walking required.
The new just-in-sequence centre will employ around 50 people in two shifts. These employees previously worked in assembly. In their new role, they will sequentially supply up to 50 individual engine assembly workstations.
The contact for this DEUTZ AG press release is:
Public Relations
Janina Decker
Tel.: +49 (0)221 822-2493
Fax: +49 (0)221 822-15-2493
E-Mail: decker.j@deutz.com
