Located in Oragadam near Chennai, India, the Daimler India Commercial Vehicle (DICV) is where the new Fuso FJ1828R truck is designed and produced.
HSTD Hosts Plant Visit for Mitsubishi Fuso Customers
Hap Seng Trucks Distributions Sdn Bhd (HSTD) successfully hosted a plant visit for its Mitsubishi Fuso’s customers and dealers recently. A total of 26 people, including HSTD Chief Executive Roland Schneider, Director of Commercial Vehicle Operations Albert Yee and Fuso Operations Senior Manager Jacky Tan, Product Management Manager Loh Yan Teng and Dealer Sales Management Manager Joey Khoo embarked on the 3-day 2-night trip from 3rd to 5th September 2019. Truck & Bus News was also honoured to be invited.
Located in Oragadam near Chennai, India, the Daimler India Commercial Vehicle (DICV) is where the new Fuso FJ1828R truck is designed and produced, especially for the Malaysian market. The Malaysian group was warmly welcomed by Ralf Mungenast, Vice President, Supply Chain Management, and his team. Following this was a brief introduction about DICV’s history, organisational structure, products, technology and quality standard.
Under the umbrella of Daimler Trucks Asia, DICV is part of Daimler Trucks, the world’s leading commercial vehicle manufacturer. Established in 2012 with an overall investment of more than 700 million Euros, the state-of-the-art manufacturing plant is spread over 400 acres. Besides the 42 acres of covered plant area, it houses the company’s headquarters, research and development centre, training facilities and a modern test track.
As a full-fledged commercial vehicle player in the Indian market, DICV sells and produces a range of 9 to 55 tonnes of BharatBenz trucks, with more than 90,000 vehicles handed over to customers since the brand was officially launched in 2011. The domestic product portfolio was subsequently expanded with BharatBenz buses and Mercedes-Benz coach in 2015, with more than 2,900 buses delivered. BharatBenz is a brand dedicated for the Indian domestic market.
Producing 4 Brands under One Roof
It has an annual production capacity of up to 72,000 trucks, depending on shift model, and 1,500 buses (scalable up to 4,000). DICV is the only Daimler Trucks plant worldwide that produces commercial vehicles, engines and spare-parts for 4 brands – BharatBenz, Mercedes-Benz, Fuso (medium duty) and Freightliner – under one roof with one global quality standard. To-date, DICV has exported 25,000 vehicles to 64 countries, including Malaysia, and 100 million high quality parts were exported to Daimler units worldwide. As for Fuso, DICV said it was currently exporting to 47 countries and Malaysia would be the 48th country to receive the first Complete Knock Down (CKD) FJ model from the company soon.
Nothing is more persuasive than seeing with one’s own eyes as there is a good level of automation and the production process in each stage was impressive. For instance, there are 22 robots performing precision weld activity on 3,800 spots per cabin to ensure a seamless finish. Welding is done 100 per cent in-house and 220 cabs are produced a day.
At the engine and transmission assembly stations, engine assembly covers an area of 4,200 square metres while transmission assembly occupies 6,500 square metres. Two engine models being built here are the OM906 for Heavy Duty Trucks (HDT), based on Mercedes-Benz Axor, Germany, and 4D34i for Medium Duty Trucks (MDT), based on Fuso Canter, Japan. The transmission models being produced include the G131 9-speed, G85 6-speed and M036 6-speed. At present, DICV produces 120 engines and 136 transmissions per shift.
Covering 42,000 square metres of the floor area is the vehicle assembly station. It features two lines; one dedicated to HDT and the other to MDT. The plant currently assembles 16 variants of Daimler trucks, including left- and right-hand trucks and bus chassis. A vehicle is assembled in as quickly as 7.1 minutes on average and one shift could produce 76 units of HDT and 48 units of MDT. The trucks that roll off have a local content of up to 90 per cent.
Stringent Quality Control
At the end of the assembly line, every vehicle goes through an inspection and different types of tests such as realignment, shower test, roller test, brake test, just to name a few, to ensure quality before delivery. DICV’s relentless pursuit of excellence for its products and services is demonstrated in its stringent quality control in every stage of production.
The plant’s Quality Lab has one of the most sophisticated and comprehensive lab in the auto industry in India, supporting research and development and the after-sales of DICV. This Quality Lab consists of a central laboratory, calibration lab and measurement lab. Its state-of-the-art measuring, checking and testing equipment ensures that the quality of parts conform to exacting requirements necessary to manufacture all the brands under Daimler Trucks. The lab also houses the material testing facility where even liquids like diesel and oils are checked for correct composition so that only the right quality material goes into the material manufacturing process.
The ‘quality triple’ in major certification achieved within four years after the start of production was proof enough for DICV’s pursuit for best quality. The certification obtained includes the Quality Management System in 2013, Occupational Health and Safety Management System in 2015 and Occupational Health and Safety Management System in 2016. The plant is also certified according to global standards including IATF 16949, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001.
Experiencing the New Fuso FJ1828R
As for the new FJ1828R, here’s what we were told: Built to deliver profit for various loads, the new medium duty truck has a Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) of 19,000kg with best-in-class safety, unmatched reliability and lower total cost of ownership. Powered by 6S20 6-cylinder, 6.4-litre engine with unitised pump direct injection, it delivers high output of 280hp and 1,100Nm of torque across a wide range of engine speed, combining performance and efficiency. It shifts via a 9-speed manual transmission with crawler gear that provides the flexibility required to negotiate complex terrain.
Other features include an LED intelligent instrument cluster with Eco meter, whereby the intelligent instrument cluster helps to improve fuel economy by displaying vital information such as average fuel consumption for the driver. The Eco meter assists the driver in gear shifting, resulting in better fuel efficiency and reducing engine wear. Smarter driving is possible, thanks to its cruise control with speed limiter that reduces driver fatigue and improves fuel economy through the reduction of throttle change.
The ride or behind the wheel experience of the robust and modern looking FJ1828R was carried out at the plant’s test circuit that features two different tracks. The three-lane outer track has a total length of 1.55 kilometres and is specially designed for testing the power train and driving noise. The two-lane inner track is 1.16 kilometres long and includes a variety of selected poor road terrain. This track offers special testing opportunities, including a water trough, dusty road and adverse road surfaces.
Confidence Boosted
General feedback on the new vehicle after the ride was that it was stable and powerful with smoother gear shifting. Being able to carry higher loads with a longer and robust wheelbase – as it comes with two wheelbase options, 5,100mm and 6,000mm – was also among the praises. The new Fuso FJ1828R would be officially launched in Malaysia sometime in November this year.
This trip was a really a first-hand and fruitful exposure as it boosted the confidence of HSTD’s dealers and customers. For the dealers, the knowledge that they took away from the visit enabled them to know what they’re selling and for the customers, they would have peace of mind knowing that they had made the right choice.
The huge investment that Daimler Trucks put in DICV showed the commitment of the company, not only to the India market, but also on how it benefited many other countries that its products are exported to. As an international family made up of four brands, whether the name is Mercedes-Benz, Fuso, Freightliner or BharatBenz, the group shares one thing in common: it builds trucks you can trust.
亲眼所见更具说服力 – 参观戴姆勒印度商用车工厂
合成卡车分销私人有限公司（HSTD）于2019年9月3日至5日，带领其三菱扶桑客户和代理参观工厂。该团一行26人，同行的还有合成卡车分销首席执行员施耐德（Roland Schneider）、商用车营运总监茹海成、扶桑营运高级经理Jacky Tan、产品管理经理Loh Yan Teng及代理销售管理经理Joey Khoo， 一起展开这个为期3天两夜的旅程。 《卡客车新闻》也很荣幸地在受邀名单内。
位于印度奥拉加达姆（Oragadam），靠近钦耐的戴姆勒印度商用车（DICV），正是针对大马市场量身打造的新品—扶桑型号FJ1828R卡车的设计来源和产出地。马来西亚的团队受到戴姆勒印度商用车供应链管理副总裁芒格（Ralf Mungenast）和其团队的热烈欢迎。
附属在亚洲戴姆勒卡车旗下的戴姆勒印度商用车，乃是世界领先商用车制造商戴姆勒卡车的一部分。此尖端工厂成立于2012年，总投资额超过7亿欧元，占地400多英亩。除了42英亩的 厂房面积，还包括该公司的总部、研发中心、培训设施及现代化的测试赛道。
作为印度市场的全系列商用车辆参与者，戴姆勒印度商用车销售和制造从9吨至55吨的巴拉特奔驰（BharatBenz）卡车。该品牌自2011年正式推介以来，卡车交付量达90，0000辆。 2015年，本地产品组合扩大至巴拉特奔驰巴士和马赛地旅游巴士，巴士交付量达2，900辆。巴拉特奔驰是一个专为印度市场打造的品牌。
在同一个屋檐下生产4大品牌
该工厂拥有生产72，000辆卡车（取决于生产的班次和车型）和1，500辆巴士（可扩展至4，000辆）的产能。戴姆勒印度商用车是全世界唯一在同一个工厂内，以全球标准生产四个品牌—巴拉特奔驰、马赛地、扶桑（中型卡车）及Freightliner商用车辆、引擎及备件的戴姆勒卡车工厂。截至目前为止，该厂已出口25，000辆卡车到64个国家，包括马来西亚，1亿个高品质零部件到全球各个戴姆勒单位。 在扶桑品牌方面，该厂目前出口到47个国家，而马来西亚即将成为他们的第48个全散件组装（CKD）FJ车型的出口国。
没有比亲眼看见更具说服力，该工厂的自动化水平高，每一个阶段的生产程序都令人印象深刻。比如说，共有22台机械人精确地为驾驶室的3，800个点进行接焊，确保无缝完工。接焊工作百分之百在工厂内完成，驾驶室的日产量为220个。
在引擎和传输系统组装区，引擎组合占了4，200平方米，传输系统则占了6，500平方米。这里制造的两款引擎型号，基于德国马赛地Axor的 OM906型号重型卡车引擎和日本扶桑Canter的4D43i中型卡车引擎。在这里生产的传输系统有G131 9 速、G85 6 速及MO36 6 速变速箱。目前，该工厂每班次可生产120个引擎和136个变速箱。
车辆组装区占地42，000 平方米，它有两条生产线，一条重型卡车组装线，另一条中型卡车组装线。该产目前组装16种不同的戴姆勒卡车车型，包括左驾驶和右驾驶卡车和巴士底盘。平均每7.1 分钟就能组装好一辆车，每一班次可生产76辆重型卡车和48 辆中型卡车。这些卡车有50%的零部件来自本地市场。
严格品质控制
每一部车辆在装配线的最后都必须经过检查和不同种类的测试如重新定位、洒水测试、滚动测试、制动测试等。戴姆勒印度商用车在每一阶段的生产程序中所秉持的严格品质控制，反映了其追求卓越产品和服务的精神。
该工厂的品质实验室是印度汽车行业中最精密和完善的实验室之一。它包含了中央实验室、校准实验室及测量实验室。其尖端的测量、检查及测试设备，确保零部件符合戴姆勒卡车旗下品牌的严格要求。此外，该实验室还设有材料测试设施，就连液体如柴油和润滑油的成分都必须经过检查，确保进入生产程序的都是合格的材料。
戴姆勒印度商用车自正式投产以来，短短 4年里就取得 “三倍质量”认证 ，而这证实了该厂追求最佳品质的决心。它荣获的认证包括2013年品质管理系统认证， 2015年的职业健康及安全管理系统认证，以及2016年的安全管理系统认证。该工厂所符合的全球标准包括IATF 16949、 ISO 14001 及ISO 45001。
体验最新的扶桑FJ1828R
据悉，全新的FJ1828R是一辆车全重为19，000公斤的中型卡车，旨在为各种负载提供利益。它拥有同级卡车中最佳的安全性、无与伦比的可靠性及较低的总拥有成本。搭载6S20 6 缸6.4 升引擎，一体式直接喷射泵，可在广泛的发动机转速下提供280马力的高输出功率和1，100牛顿米扭矩，将性能和效率完美地结合起来。它配备包含“爬行”档位的9速变速箱，使它能够灵活地应对复杂地形。
其他特点包括智能化LED仪表盘上有Eco Meter节能状态显示，该智能化仪表盘的重要数据显示如平均油耗，协助司机改善燃油经济。Eco Meter协助司机换档，带来更好的燃油效率和降低引擎磨耗。这样一来，就能实现精明驾驶，而其带限速器的巡航控制，可降低司机疲劳，并透过油门的改变，改善燃油经济。
此外，我们还有机会在该厂的测试赛道体验造型现代化又坚固的全新扶桑FJ1828R卡车，我们可以选择在由两种不同赛道组成的测试道上驾驶或乘坐该卡车。全长1.55公里的外跑道有三个车道，可用来测试传输系统和驾驶噪音。全长1.16公里的 内跑道则有两个车道，包含了各种各样的路面。该车道主要是用来进行特别的车辆测试如过水测试、在尘土飞扬的道路及恶劣的道路上行驶测试等。
信心增强
乘驾该全新车型后的一般看法是该车款动力强大，行驶起来相当平稳，换档顺畅。令大家赞不绝口的还有它更高的载荷，更长更坚固的轮距。它推出两种轮距—– 5，100 毫米和6，000毫米供客户选择。 全新的扶桑FJ1828R将于今年11月间正式登陆马来西亚。
这一次的旅程，确实是个第一手和卓有成效的体验，它成功加强了合成卡车分销代理和客户的信心。对代理来说，他们从这次参观中所取得的知识，使他们更了解他们所销售的产品，而客户则知道自己做了正确的选择而分外安心。
戴姆勒卡车在戴姆勒印度商用车工厂所投入的巨大投资显示了该公司的承诺，不仅对印度市场，也将惠及该公司产品所遍及的其他国家。作为一个由四大品牌组成的国际企业，不管是马赛地、扶桑、Freightliner或巴拉特奔驰品牌，该集团都有一个共通之处，那就是：它制造你可信赖的卡车。
