The facility is powerful: the oven 36 meters long, the associated compressing table heavy 80 tons. Steel slopes roll through the heating oven at 930 degrees and then suddenly cooled down while pressing. “When it comes to warm forms, the structure of the metal is changing, complex shapes are possible,” explains Thomas Stasiewicz about the hissing and pounding of the facility. The press plant’s operations manager strips gloves and grabs a fully shaped part. Almost two meters long, bent, highly festival: “That”, he says, “is a roof strut for the new Grandland.”
The strut is one of a total of 115 press parts that are manufactured in the Kaiserslautern plant for the new top SUV from Opel. From the finger-sized gear holder to the complex tunnel from five individual parts: There is a lot of know-how from Lautern in the body of the new Grandland. Whether a side winner, wheel arches or door impact beams – in total, an average of over 18,000 components per week are delivered from the Palatinate to Eisenach. To where the new Grandland is manufactured based on the StLA medium of medium.
115 different press parts that are installed in the new Grandland come from Kaiserslautern.
Particularly crash -relevant components – such as the roof struts – come from the warm wall. She moved into Lautern four years ago. “High strength combined with comparison -wise thin -walled construction mean: a plus of security and little weight,” explains Stasiewicz. The 35-year-old is what you call an “own plant”. 20 years ago he came to Opel after Lautern to train as a cutting -out mechanic. Today he is responsible for the company’s operation. 260 employees belong to his team.
Press for every occasion
Under his responsibility, the components for the Opel Grandland in the K19 form. Much of the classically cold pressed, i.e. at room temperature with huge tensile and pressure forces. The machine park is diverse: there are small presses for small parts, other presses are combined in a row. Robot arms lift the workpieces from one forming step to the next. The long press roads are the giants among the forming systems: at one end the steel board wanders and comes out five pressed punches in a row as a finished component. In this case: as a trunk floor for the Grandland.
Whether press parts, assemblies or raw parts-Lautern currently supplies 23 of the 26 Stellantis works in Europe.
Crash security meets lightweight construction: crash-relevant components are produced in the warm wall system.
The board is heated and then shaped in the tool and deteriorated.
The warm -shaped press parts are processed in automated laser cutting systems.
The two crane systems on the forehead of the hall deliver incessantly supplies: steel coils weighing up to 50 tons. Machines such as the Large Progressive Press are directly equipped with the wound metal straps. “Rolling, cutting, pressing – everything runs automated from A to Z,” says Stasiewicz. Fascination is swinging. Even after 20 years. No matter where you look in the K19, there is a lot of operation. Striving for reinforcement struts from the large transfer press. “A Highrunner,” comments the operations manager. Means: “The strut is not only installed in the Grandland, but in many other models.”
“Made in Lautern” across Europe
“The occupancy rate is 100 percent,” confirms Robert Leitner, among other things, responsible for planning the volumes in the factory. The full order books are currently being processed not only in the press plant in three -shift operation. Whether press parts, assemblies or raw parts-Lautern supplies 23 of the 26 Stellantis works in Europe. Not only the new Opel Grandland is buyers, components are made of Lautern in more than 30 Stellantis models. “This gear holder alone,” says Leitner, pointing to a car next to the small press, “there are ten models.” 500 part numbers are stored in the system. Say: 500 different components belong to the louder portfolio.
The books are full – the orders are currently being processed in three -shift operation.
Leitner has also learned his profession from Pike at the Palatinate location, and he has been there for 30 years. As a former maintenance engineer, he knows the machine park very well, and its expertise now also includes process optimization, the so -called Advanced Industrial Engineering. “New technologies and methods are mandatory from us at the location. They make us versatile – and efficiently, ”he says. An important lever is the further automation. How far advanced the self -sufficient work of the machine park is can also be observed in the K25. In that hall in which the press parts are processed if necessary.
Machines work self -sufficient
It is a fascinating spectacle: in 54 closed cabins, the so -called welding cells, robotic armed movements. They set welds and welding points, apply adhesive, add components. 28 other cells specialize in the “humpback welding”; A technology to apply connecting elements such as nuts or bolts. Some cells are permanently equipped by hand from the outside by employees, and others are no longer necessary. “It is enough to provide a shooter once an hour,” says Florian Klinker, group leader of the engineering team.
“New technologies and methods are mandatory. They make us versatile – and efficiently. ”
– Robert Leitner –
Welding: 54 welding cells and 28 “humpback systems” belong to the machine park in the K25.
The Lauterer employees are currently producing components for 23 Stellantis works for Europe.
The self -driving tractor brings the finished components to the shipping area.
The “shooter” is a large basket. Press parts for further processing are ready in this, not placed according to a pattern, but by chance. With the help of a 3D camera, the robot arm takes precisely, places the workpiece on the work surface-and the welding process starts. “Four other cells will soon be fully automated,” announced Klinker. In any case, the systems are always in the flow. “We have converted and optimized a lot, especially for the start of the Grandland.”
Further prospects: high operation
The halls leave between 280 and 310 tons of finished parts – every day. The removal is automated. On the edge of the hall there is a self -driving tractor, induction loops in the ground and intelligent sensors lead the driverless transport system safely to the destination. Every few minutes it says: departure towards K70, the shipping area. You go to Eisenach by train or truck – and to another 22 works. And that will stay that way. In his function, Robert Leitner can look into the future for several weeks: “The order books – they remain full.”
February 2025
Photos: Opel/Andreas Liebschner