CompositesWorld
Issue link: https://cw.epubxp.com/i/742140
NOVEMBER 2016 24 CompositesWorld Plant Tour: BMW Group Dingolfing, Germany CFRP goes mainstream at BMW's highly automated and busiest plant, where the multi-material BIW for the 7 Series comes to life. » BMW AG's (Munich, Germany) largest manufacturing site in Europe — in area (2.8 million m 2 ) and volume (360,000 cars in 2015) — is situated in Dingolfing, Germany. More than 17,000 employees — 12,000 in the plant and another 5,000 in surrounding support facilities — turn out 1,600 cars per day. Dingolfing not only produces 15 models, including all variations of BMW's 5, 6 and 7 Series, but also one model each of the 3 and 4 Series. It also turns out components for BMW's electric vehicles and, as the company's Center of Competence for aluminum, it builds car bodies for Rolls-Royce (Manchester, UK) as well. "We've learned how to handle complexity," emphasizes Plant Dingolfing managing director Josef Kerscher. "We are the only automotive manufacturing facility worldwide to handle not only this many different models, but also engines from three to 12 cylin- ders, as well as plug-in hybrids." e Dingolfing complex began as the Hans Glas GmbH auto factory, which BMW acquired in 1967. Since 1973, BMW has produced almost 10 million vehicles there. Over the past three years, Dingolfing has undergone an upgrade valued at more than a half billion euros for the new 7 Series production alone, including increased automation and aluminum die casting along with a new carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) production hall and a new state-of-the-art facility to produce the first body-in-white (BIW) combining steel, aluminum and CFRP, known as the Carbon Core. e multi-material BIW is a big reason why the 7 Series is breaking new ground in top-of-the-line vehicle performance and luxury (for more on the latter, see Learn More). e BMW 7 Series is 130 kg lighter than its predecessor and its principal competitor, the S-class Mercedes. Although only 3% of the BIW parts are CFRP, totaling 13 kg, they account for 40 kg of weight savings. It contrib- utes to what BMW calls Efficient Dynamics, which reduces fuel consumption and emissions while enhancing the driver experi- ence. "I get 100 km from 4.5 liters of gas," says Kerscher. "is is what you would expect from a very small car, not from a luxury sedan. e key to this is lightweight construction." e BMW 7 Series is now in full production. "e launch was very successful," says 7 Series product manager Christian Metzger, "achieving cost, quality and volume targets." e launch was the culmination of a three-year program that included not only product development, but also a three-year process in the plant to develop all of the required manufacturing processes. e latter was CW's focus as it toured Dingolfing's 1.6 million-m 2 Plant 2.4. By Ginger Gardiner / Senior Editor Dingolfing, Germany