Method for extending an automobile manufacturing plant and related plants

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for extending an automobile manufacturing plant in order to increase the vehicle production rate and in order to obtain a new plant from a plant some years older, wherein welding ( 2 ) and assembly ( 4 ) workshops located on an enclosed ground ( 10 ) are extended at the ground level towards the periphery of said enclosed ground from their respective former locations which are also preserved.

1 . Motor vehicle manufacturing plant comprising:
 an enclosed site;   a body welding shop located on the enclosed site;   a paint shop located on the enclosed site;   an assembly shop located on the enclosed site;   built areas for support functions respectively associated with said workshops and located on the enclosed site;   wherein:   said built areas are grouped together in the central part of the enclosed site;   the workshops extend from said built areas toward the periphery of the enclosed site;   the body welding shop is located facing the paint shop, disregarding said built areas;   the assembly shop is located both facing the body welding shop and facing the paint shop, disregarding said built areas.   
   
   
       2 . Motor vehicle manufacturing plant comprising:
 an enclosed site;   a body welding shop located on the enclosed site;   a paint shop located on the enclosed site;   an assembly shop located on the enclosed site;   built areas for support functions respectively associated with the workshops and located on the enclosed site;   wherein:   said built areas are grouped together in the central part of the enclosed site;   the workshops extend from said built areas toward the periphery of the enclosed site;   the workshops are arranged in a T configuration, so that firstly, the body welding and paint shops are each located between the horizontal line of the T and the vertical line of the T, and secondly, the assembly shop is located on the opposite side of the horizontal line of the T from the vertical line of the T.   
   
   
       3 . Motor vehicle manufacturing plant comprising:
 an enclosed site;   a body welding shop and an associated built area for support functions located on the enclosed site;   a paint shop and an associated built area for support functions located on the enclosed site;   an assembly shop and an associated built area for support functions located on the enclosed site;   wherein:   said built areas are grouped together in the central part of the enclosed site;   the workshops extend from their respective built areas toward the periphery of the enclosed site;   a first wall of the body welding shop is parallel to or coincident with a first wall of the paint shop;   a second wall of the body welding shop, orthogonal to the first wall of the body welding shop, is parallel to or coincident with a wall of the assembly shop;   a second wall of the paint shop, orthogonal to the first wall of the paint shop, is parallel to or coincident with said wall of the assembly shop.   
   
   
       4 . Motor vehicle manufacturing plant according to  claim 1 , wherein a vehicle touch-up lot and a new vehicle lot are located on one side of the enclosed site in relation to the complex composed of the built areas and the workshops, and in that a supply chain site is located on another side of the enclosed site than the vehicle touch-up lot and the new vehicle lot, in relation to the complex composed of the built areas and the workshops. 
   
   
       5 . Motor vehicle manufacturing plant according to  claim 4 , wherein a rolls-test area located on the enclosed site and intended for testing the vehicles coming out of the assembly shop is a) contiguous with the assembly shop and b) located on the same side as the vehicle touch-up lot and the new vehicle lot. 
   
   
       6 . Motor vehicle manufacturing plant according to  claim 4 , wherein a test track is located on the enclosed site between a) the vehicle touch-up lot and the new vehicle lot and b) the complex composed of the built areas and the workshops. 
   
   
       7 . Motor vehicle manufacturing plant according to  claim 4 , wherein a railway track goes into the enclosed site along the edge of the enclosed site on the opposite side of the vehicle touch-up lot and the new vehicle lot from the complex composed of the built areas and the workshops. 
   
   
       8 - 9 . (canceled) 
   
   
       10 . Motor vehicle manufacturing plant according to  claim 1 , wherein the plant has been expanded from a prior plant built some years earlier and whose vehicle production rate was lower, and the body welding, paint, and assembly shops have been expanded on the ground level from their previous respective locations, which have been retained. 
   
   
       11 - 15 . (canceled) 
   
   
       16 . Motor vehicle manufacturing plant according to  claim 10 , wherein the ground area of the enclosed site has not changed. 
   
   
       17 - 28 . (canceled) 
   
   
       29 . Motor vehicle manufacturing plant according to  claim 1 , wherein the enclosed site has a square shape. 
   
   
       30 . Motor vehicle manufacturing plant according to  claim 1 , wherein the body welding, paint and assembly shops are of masonry construction. 
   
   
       31 . Method for expanding a motor vehicle manufacturing plant for increasing the vehicle production rate, so as to obtain a new plant from a plant some years older, comprising:
 expanding body welding and assembly shops located on an enclosed site on the ground level toward the periphery of said enclosed site from their previous respective locations, which are retained.   
   
   
       32 . Method for expanding a motor vehicle manufacturing plant according to  claim 31 , wherein the paint shop located on an enclosed site is expanded on the ground level toward the periphery of said enclosed site from its previous location, which is retained. 
   
   
       33 . Method for expanding a motor vehicle manufacturing plant according to  claim 31 , wherein the configuration of the workshops in the central part of the enclosed site is not changed. 
   
   
       34 . Method for expanding a motor vehicle manufacturing plant according to  claim 31 , wherein built areas housing support functions respectively associated with said workshops and located on the enclosed site remain grouped together in the central part of the enclosed site, the body welding shop remains located facing the paint shop, disregarding said built areas, and the assembly shop remains located both facing the body welding shop and facing the paint shop, disregarding said built areas. 
   
   
       35 . Method for expanding a motor vehicle manufacturing plant according to  claim 31 , wherein built areas housing support functions respectively associated with the workshops and located on the enclosed site remain grouped together in the central part of the enclosed site, and the workshops remain arranged in a T configuration, so that, firstly, the body welding and paint shops each remain located between the horizontal line of the T and the vertical line of the T, and secondly, the assembly shop remains located on the opposite side of the horizontal line of the T from the vertical line of the T. 
   
   
       36 . Method for expanding a motor vehicle manufacturing plant according to  claim 31 , wherein built areas housing support functions respectively associated with the workshops and located on the enclosed site remain grouped together in the central part of the enclosed site, a first wall of the body welding shop remains parallel to or coincident with a first wall of the paint shop, a second wall of the body welding shop, orthogonal to the first wall of the body welding shop, remains parallel to or coincident with a wall of the assembly shop, and a second wall of the paint shop, orthogonal to the first wall of the paint shop, remains parallel to or coincident with said wall of the assembly shop. 
   
   
       37 - 41 . (canceled) 
   
   
       42 . Method for expanding a motor vehicle manufacturing plant according to  claim 31 , wherein the ground area of the enclosed site has not changed. 
   
   
       43 . (canceled) 
   
   
       44 . Method for expanding a motor vehicle manufacturing plant according to  claim 31 , wherein said workshops are of masonry construction.