On the Move

Wabtec’s plant in Contagem, Brazil takes a more “mobile” approach to manufacturing locomotives. The site manufactures locomotives using a mixed model moving assembly line, making it one of the pioneers in the heavy-haul rail industry to adopt this lean manufacturing method.

Unlike traditional stationary production lines, the moving line is designed for employees to assemble different locomotive configurations on the same line as the units slowly move down the track. The final assembly line moves between 1.15 to 2.20 meters per hour during assembly depending on the takt time. The production system also provides real-time visibility to the various manufacturing stages, which fosters a problem-solving culture among the employees to quickly resolve issues as they arise. This attribute makes the line ideal for digital monitoring.

While it is impressive to read about the moving line, it is more impressive to watch it in action.