This plant is situated in Zilina city, Slovakia. Its construction began in October 2004 and was over in December 2005. In June 2006 the plant started working in the test mode. The first car was made in December, 7th, 2006 and it was Kia cee'd. Hope it'll be interesting for you to have a look at such a modern factory.
Your future KIA car comes to the plant as such reel with sheet steel.
In the pressing shop 20 tonned steel reels turn into car body details. This process is divided into some stages. The first stage includes preparation of a "blank" for further detail formation. For this they cut a contour off the sheet, technological holes and projections of a future detail.
That's how they move along the shop.
Further on this product is put on metal racks and an electric pallet truck takes it to a press-machine.
Production of one detail takes about 20 seconds.
Moulds are changed each 30 minutes.
Detail after stamping
Then moulded details go to high-level storage racks where they wait for their turn to be welded.
The pressing shop has personnel but the storehouse is fully automated.
After the storehouse car body details go to the welding shop that is fully robotized.
About 400 robots work at the shop.
All the process happens without human participation, people only control it.
The work is well-coordinated
The robot systematically takes body elements from the mounting and sends it further, for welding.
Suddenly one door fell out of the process, the employee wrote a date and something else on it. Then it returned back. Was it defective?
Robots continue to weld bodies.
People are present only in the Quality audit area. Quality is paid much attention to, 10% of employees work in this very field at all production stages.
Through such glass galleries future cars move between the shops.
Assembly track starts here. 2/3 of all operations are fulfilled by people here.
At the assembly about 500 employees work in one shift.
Nobody looks gloomy or undatisfied
What is surprising that all models come to the conveyor. To tell one model from another, and to protect pain-and-lacquer coating, colored protective panels are put on them, definite color means one of the models.
Almost ready vehicle
To finish it up they have to assemble an engine and an undercarriage.
It comes from somewhere on the special cart.
All movements are synchronized...
And ... voila! They call it "marriage".
The last minor actions
Quality control
Then almost a ready car is completed with mirrors, glass windows, seats and other necessary things.
Windshield is being assembled
On various stages height of the car is regulated by a special lift device.
The process is finished by filling up and then the car goes to its first trial lap.
The lap is some kilometres long. The car meets different road coatings, turns, ascents and slopes. If a test-pilot decides that the car has some defects it won't be admitted for sale. If no defects are detected the car goes to the parking where it waits for further transportaton.
