Chinese manufacturer Weichai Lovol has opened a plant capable of producing a new 100hp+ tractor every four minutes and in excess of 100,000 units a year.
Costing an estimated US$420 million and covering a total surface area of around 52ha at company HQ at Weifang (Shandong), the result is claimed as the world’s most modern tractor plant.
The production facility contains a clustered system of 500 industrial robots, and 93% of machining, 72% of welding and 95% of the painting process is automated. Robots enable 360° variable-position cleaning for housings, and there are even bolt-tightening and glass glue-applying robotic arms, and the plant operates over 100 AGVs.
“This intelligent tractor manufacturing base represents not only the pinnacle of smart manufacturing in China’s agricultural machinery sector but also a crucial step in Lovol’s journey to becoming a world-class brand,” commented Wang Guimin (chairman of Weichai Lovol).
Many of the tractors pieced together inside the new 170,000m² assembly building will exceed 100hp, but it will make a full range of CVT or powershift models from 50 to 500hp for domestic and export markets. A 340hp P3404 was the first tractor to leave the new assembly line at the opening ceremony. The first model in the P8000 series, the 9.5-litre Stage V Weichai block is mated to an in-house developed CVT. Top speed of the 13.7t tractor is 40km/hr.
The new plant is constructed in two phases. The first phase (now operational) focuses on manufacturing, R&D, and testing, and includes complete manufacturing units such as housing processing, chassis assembly and painting, complete machine assembly, and testing.
Phase two (under construction) will include a high-end R&D testing ground, China’s leading KD factory, and a logistics distribution centre capable of handling daily international logistics distribution for 400 complete machines and components.
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