Optimized Manufacturing for Automotive Engine Components
Explore engine manufacturing system design, including production targets, make-vs-buy strategies, assembly flows, and operational buffer optimizations.
Engine Manufacturing System Design
Final Exam Presentation: Gross Planning, Process Engineering & Operations Management
Gross Planning & Production Targets
Throughput Goal: 915 engines per day
Shift Model: 2-shift operation (16 hours/day)
Production Strategy: Parallel lines feeding final assembly
Make vs. Buy Strategy
In-House Manufacturing
• Oil Sump • Piston Head • Quality Critical Components
Outsourced Components
• Engine Block • Crankshaft & Camshaft • Fasteners & Manifolds
Manufacturing: Oil Sump Line
Rate: 68 units/hour | 1080 units/day
1. Shearing & Deep Drawing (Hydraulic Press)
2. Trimming & Final Shaping
3. Punching Holes & Laser Welding
4. Leak & Flatness Testing
Manufacturing: Piston Head Line
Rate: 172 units/hour | 2745 units/day
• Turning (Roughing) • Milling (Shape definition) • Drilling (Pin holes) • Honing (Surface finish) • Final Diameter Finishing
Sequential Assembly Flow
1. Pistons → Cylinder Heads 2. Piston Block → Engine Block 3. Crankshaft + Bearings 4. Camshaft System
5. Front & Back Panels 6. Oil Sump Installation 7. Timing Belt System 8. Final Steps: Water Pump, Plugs, Manifolds
Production Layout Strategy
Oil Sump Line
Flow-line layout with buffers. Decouples sequential steps for continuous output.
Piston Head Line
Island Manufacturing (Cell). High-precision machining center arrangement.
Logistics
Forklifts supply raw material. Both lines feed into engine assembly buffer.
Operational Metrics: Lead Times
Total Workforce: • Oil Sump Line: 13 Workers • Piston Head Line: 37 Workers • Assembly: Balanced stations
Buffer Strategy & Optimization
Buffers prevent starvation and absorb downtime, ensuring 97.3% synchronization rate.
Oil Sump Buffer
165 units
Piston Head Buffer
22–28 units
Assembly Input Buffer
30–35 engine sets
Economic Overview
Raw Materials: 3mm Mild Steel (Sump) & Aluminium Slugs (Pistons)
Cost Drivers: • Material Procurement • Machining Operational Cost • Labor & Overhead • Buffer & Inventory Holding
System Design Summary
Capacity: Robust design meets 915 engines/day target.
Flexibility: Buffer strategy absorbs downtime efficiently.
Manufacturing: Optimized split between Flow lines and Machining Cells.
- manufacturing-engineering
- automotive-industry
- production-planning
- operations-management
- assembly-line
- process-engineering
- industrial-design