BMW engine plant

Impressions of the management in Steyr

Review of operational management: The Steyr heart in the BMW

 

Our alumni learned everything about diesel engines in the course of a tour of the BMW Group plant in Steyr - starting with their development and operation, through their production and assembly.


An exciting insight into the world's largest BMW engine plant

On June 28, on the exact day of the 40th anniversary celebrations, our alumni were welcomed by the modern production halls of the BMW Group plant in Steyr guided. They not only learned a lot about engines, but also that the automotive industry is increasingly focusing on sustainable production methods.

In every second BMW beats a heart from Steyr. This is not surprising when you consider that at peak times up to 6,000 engines are produced per day. On average, a finished engine rolls off the production line every 14 seconds. The secret of how this is possible was revealed during two exclusive factory tours for our alumni.

 

Automation as a recipe for success
 

This can be explained on the one hand by the high degree of automation in production: Up to 98% of the work steps involved in this context are now performed by machines. On the one hand, there are practical reasons for this, as precision work in the micrometer range is required in the production of motors or individual components thereof. This accuracy cannot be achieved even by highly trained employees. In addition, the high proportion of machines in production also allows the company to adapt flexibly to short-term changes in market demand. Last but not least, the health of the employees also benefits from the mechanical support, as numerous strenuous activities and constant bending are a thing of the past.

In the course of the first guide part, everything revolved around the production of the crankshaft and connecting rod, essential components of BMW engines. Here, not only were the individual machining steps shown and the different requirements for the robustness of parts in diesel and gasoline engines explained, but sustainable production methods were also emphasized. It is said that during the production of an engine weighing 160 kg, only 1 kg of non-recyclable waste is produced. The rest is returned to the production cycle.

 

Saving resources and "just-in-time
 

To get a better idea: In the course of the machining of a crankshaft, which is delivered in its raw state with approx. 22 kg, 4 kg of metal waste already accumulate. This amounts to a total of 16,600 tons per year - the amount needed for the construction of the Eiffel Tower - which are almost completely recycled. However, resources are also used sparingly in other areas. Since 2006, for example, the BMW Group plant in Steyr has had a closed water cycle in which the water can be kept for up to eight years before it has to be replaced. This can save up to 30 million litres of water per year. In addition, the fact that engines are also tested for proper functioning by means of cold ignition before delivery means that 165,000 litres of fuel are saved each year. Even part of the electricity and heat requirements are covered by the company's own production. BMW has already received various sustainability awards for this.

BMW is also striving to optimise logistics: every day, 300 trucks enter and leave the plant premises to deliver raw materials or semi-finished products and collect finished engines or individual components. The storage capacity for engines at the plant is 10,500 parking spaces. This does not even quite correspond to the production volume of two days.

 

Flexible production of unique motors
 

Our alumni also learned that engines differ more than just the number of their cylinders: Currently, the Steyr site produces about 700 engine variants, consisting of between 300 and 500 individual parts, depending on how they are counted. Some of these components have unique characteristics that are not visible to the naked eye, but which make each engine unique. Although six out of ten passenger cars in Austria are still powered by diesel, the demand for gasoline engines is growing, and BMW is also feeling the effects of this trend: While in 2017, 60% diesel and 40% gasoline engines were still being produced, the ratio almost balanced out in the months thereafter.

At the end of the guided tour, our alumni were shown that the BMW Group plant in Steyr attaches great importance to the ergonomic design of workplaces and the provision of visual aids. In addition, they make sure that the employees working in two and three shifts regularly take short breaks and change their activities every two hours to avoid monotony. One thing that should improve significantly in the next few years is the proportion of women in the plant: currently it is still 20%.

 

Photo Credits: ©BMW Group Werk Steyr/Pressclub