How are cars made The four major processes of car manufacturing revealed

The manufacturing process of automobiles involves four major processes, commonly known as the "four major processes" of car manufacturing: stamping, welding, painting, and final assembly.

1. Stamping Process

Stamping is the first step in the entire process. Each part typically goes through several processes to be completed. Stamping is achieved with stamping machines and molds, shaping the metal sheets into the required parts for the car body.

1. Welding Process

In the welding process, the stamped body parts are locally heated or simultaneously heated and pressurized to join together, forming the car body assembly. The most widely used welding method in automotive body manufacturing is spot welding. Spot welding is suitable for welding thin steel sheets. During operation, two electrodes apply pressure to two steel plates, causing them to press together. At the same time, an electrical current flows through the contact point, heating and melting it to create a strong bond. The entire car body typically requires several thousand weld points. Each weld point must meet high strength requirements, capable of withstanding up to 5 kN of tensile force. Even if the steel sheet is torn, the weld point should not break apart. Riveting is also commonly used in body manufacturing.

1. Painting Process

The painting process plays two critical roles in automobile manufacturing: providing corrosion resistance and enhancing the vehicle's appearance. The painting process is complex and requires high technical standards. It generally involves several stages, including pre-treatment before painting, primer coating, spraying, and drying. The entire process requires a significant amount of chemical treatments and precise control of process parameters, with high demands for both paint materials and equipment.

1. Final Assembly Process

Final assembly involves putting together all the components that make up the entire vehicle, such as the body, engine, transmission, dashboard, headlights, and doors. The general final assembly workshop is divided into four main modules: front assembly, dashboard assembly, headlight assembly, and chassis assembly. After each module is assembled and all parts are installed, the vehicle undergoes inspection and adjustments, such as wheel alignment and headlight aiming, before the car is ready for the assembly line.

Automobile Final Assembly Line

The final assembly line in automobile manufacturing consists of a mechanical production line system, including the complete vehicle assembly line (process chain driven by multiple motors), body conveyor lines, storage lines, elevators, etc. The assembly line is typically an integrated system composed of conveyor equipment (both overhead and ground) and specialized equipment (such as lifting, turning, pressing, heating or cooling, inspection, and bolting equipment).

Having looked at these four major processes, I believe you now have a better understanding of the automobile production process. In fact, the quality of a vehicle is determined by these four processes. Any mistake in any of these processes will ultimately affect the overall quality of the car. And when it comes to quality, it's not just about the equipment, but more importantly, it's about the people involved. Therefore, the differences in quality across different car models often come down to the management systems and quality control within the company. By looking at the management of an automotive company, you can generally gauge the quality of the cars they produce.