Jeep Compass, Tata Nexon will add zing to Ranjangaon plant

Tata Nexon gets ready for launch

While Fiat has not been doing well on the sales front, the going has been very tough for two of the Tata Motors products that are made at this very plant. It is rumoured that Tata Motors is likely to stop production of the Zest and the Bolt and focus more on its new range of vehicles which come with the IMPACT design language and leading technologies. These include the Tata Tiago, Tata Tigor and the soon to be launched Tata Nexon. The Tata Nexon is the one that is likely to be manufactured at the Ranjangaon plant.

Tata Motors showcased the Geneva edition of the Tata Nexon at the Geneva International Motor Show. This sporty compact SUV features Tata Motors’ IMPACT design philosophy and comes with unique design features that include a contrast tone roof colour, beltline finisher and ‘X’ factor. Moreover, it has LED tail-lamps and stylish projector headlamps with daytime running lights (DRL). The car is powered by a new generation diesel engine with multi-mode drive selection.

Tata Nexon specifications

FIAL investment in Ranjangaon

Both the Tata Nexon and the Jeep Compass would change the dynamics of manufacturing at this plant. The Jeep Compass is being manufactured worldwide at four locations: Mexico, China, Brazil and India’s Ranjangaon plant. That would mean that the Jeep Compass would be exported from India to some developed right hand drive markets in the world including England, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, among others. An investment of US $280 million (approx. Rs 1800 crore) has gone into the facility for its upgradation. “It is absolutely one of the finest automobile plants that is there in India and also globally. I say this with a lot of confidence because we have had a lot of visitors from abroad who have seen some of the best facilities globally and they rate this as one of the best. Having said that we have done a lot of investment in this facility for this product and we set up a new body shop, we have upgraded our assembly line, we have upgraded our paint shop and we are ready now to make world class products. That’s not to say that our current products are not world class. The investments have been made by the joint venture partners,” said Boparai. The 2 litre diesel engine powering the Jeep Compass will also be made at this plant, he said.

Jeep Compass gets top notch production standards

The Jeep Compass will be the first ever Jeep SUV to be made in India. The production techniques used to make the Jeep Compass at the Ranjangaon facility are of global standards, never seen before in India to a great extent. The body shop here is highly automated with 90 robots. There is around 65 pc automation with no manual intervention, with precise hood and bumper replacement being done with plasma cutting, an industry first. Plasma cutting is a process that cuts through electrically conductive materials by means of an accelerated jet of hot plasma. As for laser welding of parts, a sophisticated laser welding process is used while inner and outdoor frames are stitched by remote lasers. Precision engineering holds the Jeep Compass’ strong body together. Laser welding for doors is an industry first with two stitches per second which is a fast and accurate process that improves aesthetics, reduces weight and enhances durability.

High precision cameras monitor quality real time. There is precise application of 85 metres of  2K sealant. The in line diagnostics is a first for a “Made in India” vehicle, FCA India claims. Precision cameras verify underbody geometry.  Stringent tests only allow the perfect underbody to move to the next process. Around 35 cameras across the line check consistency. The result is first shot quality success rate of 97pc, which is again highest in the industry, while competition vehicles are at 80-85pc level.

Hot stamping reinforces frame and delivers a complex shape. Robots usher steel blanks into the furnace where the furnace operating temperature is around 400 deg centigrade. Heated blanks enter the stamping machine. The Jeep Compass has 27 hot stamped parts, which is again an industry highest. Amongst others, A-Pillar, B-Pillar, Door beams and front rail are hot stamped. 

Stringent quality audit process is undertaken in the metrology department for the Jeep Compass where 19 highly trained professionals work on the Jeep Compass master body. The body frame and parts are placed on the Meisterbock. The Meistebock is an aluminium frame shouldering the Master Body. Every tiny gap and flush line is measured. All parts are verified for flushness and flush precision of 1 millimeter, Measuring machines gauge parts against original CAD design while three-Axis Touch Probe system measures upto 1/1000^th of a millimetre.

The doors of the Jeep Compass are assembled separately. The material used for inner trim saves 800 grammes on each door. The door frame is mated to inner assembly, glass and fixtures, interior trim, firewall and cabling. The process is simplified through module assembly. Door modular system is made up of long glass fibre reinforced poly propylene. The single step production process with injection moulded interfaces results in typical weight reduction of about 1.2kg per door.

The seats are assembled at the supplier shop. The S frame in seat enhances support while the seat foam is designed for longevity and comfort. Multi-step machine ensures perfect tyre alignment and balancing.  This multi-step usage is being done for the first time in India. The complete tyre assembly is then sent to the line for fitment. 

The Ranjangaon plant now boasts of a highly flexible engine decking system, capable to deck multi variants and is also flexible for multi models. There is automatic synchronisation of cart with vehicle body for 2 wheel drive or 4 wheel drive. Once the Jeep Compass takes a complete form and goes past the final assembly, it goes for a roller check, shower check and testing. The Ranjangaon facility will soon be buzzing with a lot of action, something that had been missing for a long, long time.