News
C engines will be renewed and expanded to cope with higher throughput. The vast capacity increase scheduled for Rostock requires a complete redesign of assembly lines and material flows. Based on step assembly, line flow and the intense use of pre-assembled modules, three flexible assembly lines will be implemented, each of which capable to produce VM 32 C, M 43 C, VM 43 C marine or GCM 34 gas engines. Engine paint and test bed capacity will also be increased with four additional test beds for both engine development and production. In Guangdong, the capacity increase will be realized based on strategies already proven in Kiel and Rostock. A new manufacturing hall with an additional assembly line and one new test bed will double capacities for M 25 C production in the P. R. China.
Liaison with employees and suppliers
Jeffboat Building JAK-Fitted Barge
Amid the crowd of river barges at Jeffboat, an ACL subsidiary, a new 50,000-barrel asphalt barge for Andrie Inc. stands out. This sophisticated craft is 360 x 60 ft. with a 24-ft. molded depth. The barge's cargo system includes a Fulton Thermal FT-1400-C with a 12 million BTU per hour capacity that incorporates 32,500 ft. of 2.5-in. pipe and an insulated deck to keep the cargo at the proper temperature for delivery even while underway. The two Warren 2500 gpm cargo pumps are powered by a pair of Cummins QSM11-M engines each rated for 355 hp (continuous duty). An additional Cummins QSM11-DM powers a 250 kW electric generator. A 27-ft. deep notch fitted with JAK articulation socket plates characterizes the stern of the barge. To push the barge the company's 120-ft. 3600 hp tug Karen Andrie has been fitted with the cylinder units for the JAK-400 coupling system in anticipation of the new barge.
Investment in new facilities, machineries and processes is only part of the story, as without an equal investment in people: training new employees and bringing tenured employees, some who have been with the company more than 40 years, up to speed on new processes, the full payback of the investment could not be realized. A new training center will be built which is also meant to become the core of a new maritime cluster for the whole Kiel metropolitan area. The training center will combine apprenticeship for young people, training in Simulated Working Environment (SWE) for experienced employees and service training for dealers and customers.
New Tools
The company will install some of the most-modern machines on its renewed sites. The 3D Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM) to be used for quality control in engine block production is the largest-ever built by German industrial measuring specialist Zeiss. The portal machining centers ordered with market leader Waldrich Coburg mark the biggest-ever single order for the company. To manage a vast project like this on time, on quality and on schedule, as natural, bears many challenges for the project manager. "However," Hennings declared, "to implement cutting-edge manufacturing technology and build up the marine engine facility of the future probably is the most-fascinating jobs the company has to offer."
www.mak-global.com
November 2008
www.marinelink.com
13