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How to build a W204

grober

grober

MB Master
Joined
Jun 22, 2003
Messages
31,717
Location
Perth, Scotland
Car
W204 ESTATE
Shamelessly nicked from a post link on the dark side - some video footage of the W204 assembly line at SINDELFINGEN. I rather liked one comment where someone complained they didn't show the robot that installed the rattle behind the dash. :p The pano roof install is impressive as is the machine that puts the sealing strip round the doors. As I said once before I'm a sucker for these technical videos. looks so easy to put them together ---makes you wonder why it costs so much to take em apart to repair them ? :rolleyes:[YOUTUBE]RklGP9pUyJA&feature=related[/YOUTUBE]
 
Brings back memories of working at Vauxhalls plant in Luton in the 70's, although production techniques have moved on a pace since then.
 
Fantastic find!!! There was a program not so long ago which was talking about the merc factories in germany. Awesome program to watch.
 
grober said:
makes you wonder why it costs so much to take em apart to repair them ? :rolleyes:
Click to expand...
Just run the video in reverse to the point where the failed component is accessible to see how much you have to dismantle :D

Seriously, thanks for posting a great video. I've watched that line on two factory tours and still saw operations I hadn't seen before (plus there were many I'd seen that weren't in the video).

From memory the TACT time for that line is around 30 - 40 seconds, and one of the boasts when I was on the tour last year was that of the 800,000 plus cars produced at Sindelfingen in the previous year, no two were completely identical :eek:

BTW, in the body in white shop, it runs a mixed line with W204's & W212 produced on the same line. Impressive stuff :thumb:
 
Would be cool to be the very 1st person to drive the car, get it moving.

Strange to think that all those years ago all of our cars were on the same lines.
 
This is the W212 E Class line:

[YOUTUBE]LEgGqSybLTo&feature=related[/YOUTUBE]
 
Fascinating but as usual you are left with more questions than answers. I was particularly interested in the mating up of the power train and body. Did you see them merely placed together or were they actually bolted together-i.e rear subframe attached , gearbox mounting bolted up, front engine cross member bolted up/front suspension shocks attached- didn't see that bit-- and what did the big "sugar cube tongs" thingy do to the front suspension--alignment or what????
 
I bet when they started mine for its very first time, it broke down interrupting the production line. Start how its meant to go on....
 
jaymanek said:
I would love to visit the factory...
Click to expand...

I used to go to the Toyota factory regularly. It was interesting to see.
I could never work out why the assembly line would stop for no apparent reason.
 
Dieselman said:
I used to go to the Toyota factory regularly. It was interesting to see.
I could never work out why the assembly line would stop for no apparent reason.
Click to expand...

parts suppliers delivering not quite JIT? - seen it done on the Civic line by my former employer - very expensive mistake I gather.

Another reason could be that I'm told workers are allowed to stop the line if they spot a major fault with a car.

It's been too long since I've seen a production line - need to get out more.
 
I love watching these things (the heinz ketchup one is a fave)...and its even better when its seeing the "inner workings" of something you are actually familiar with

:bannana:
 
wemorgan said:
parts suppliers delivering not quite JIT? - seen it done on the Civic line by my former employer - very expensive mistake I gather.

Another reason could be that I'm told workers are allowed to stop the line if they spot a major fault with a car.
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I suspect the second of those options as it would restart after 5 minutes maximum.
 
st13phil said:
one of the boasts when I was on the tour last year was that of the 800,000 plus cars produced at Sindelfingen in the previous year, no two were completely identical :eek:
Click to expand...

I remember reading somewhere , after production of the W123 series had ceased , with ( from memory ) something like 2.5 million built , the largest number of identical cars to be built during that run was something like EIGHT :eek: I'd have thought that the likes of taxi companies or fleet rental companies might have put in multiple orders for identical , base spec cars ; or that more than one well heeled customer would have ordered top of range cars with every single option box ticked .......
 
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I think I would be wary of any claims that there were very few of any car the same.
 
Thanks. Great to watch. It's all I do get to see of mine for now because it's late arriving.
 
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