TFL SEP
Everywhere you go in Munich, MAN buses
transport commuters around the vast city.
12
FREIGHT AND LOGISTICS
MANUFACTURING
MAN’s futuristic concept truck awes visitors
in the Truck Forum’s lobby as it dominates
the floor.
ZF transmissions and steering components are standard throughout the range. Road-going
trucks have disc brakes all round and either full air suspension, or a combination of air
suspension and leaf springs, affording a ride not dissimilar to that of a luxury passenger car.
Heavy duty traction vehicles come standard with high-load planetary hub axles and drum
brakes. The most robust models come with full leaf suspension and up to 8x8 all wheel drive.
Throughout the production line, pre-assembly stations run parallel to the main assembly line,
ensuring maximum productivity, such as coupling the gearbox with the engine and hydraulic
systems before marrying it to the chassis.
Cabin fabrication takes place in the Munich plant, with onsite welding robots in the body-
and-white facility, moving on to a state-of-the-art paint shop. Completion of cabins takes
place in the cab-trim section, in which dashboard and the windscreen are mounted with
fully-automated robots. Every operator comfort is considered in the cabin, from air-suspension
seats, to onboard radio and air conditioner, along with an ergonomically designed instrument
panel.
Throughout the entire fabrication process, ‘Quality Gates’ regularly monitor assembly, thus
identifying potential problems early in the assembly process.
The final check takes approximately half an hour – with an additional 15 minutes for the
dashboard section – before the truck rolls off the assembly line and onto the Truck Forum
floor, ready for collection.
With more than 90% of a typical semitrailer truck recyclable, MAN Truck & Bus ensures
that it stays on track with the move to environmental awareness. In 2012 the MAN TGX
EfficientLine was the cost champion and winner of the ETC Award and in the same year, the
MAN Metropolis received the eCarTec Award for particularly low-emission trucks.
This writer came away from the plant impressed with the quiet efficiency and overall
cleanliness of the facility.
The MAN
Group museum
in Augsburg
displays many
original exhibits,
including the
world's first Diesel
engine, along
with models,
numerous pictures
and information
panels.
Based on these,
the museum
documents a
journey through
time that spans
more than two
centuries of
technical history
and ends with
today´s innovative
products and
services.
