1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156 
Perkins Plan for Fourfold Increase
Page 66
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
New Factory at Peterborough a Model of Planned Efficiency: Labour Requirements Reduced by 25 per cent. per Engine THE new works of F. Perkins, Ltd., of Peterborough, which was officially opened on Wednesday, will create a potential production capacity of nearly four times that of
the original building. In 1946, the output of Perkins engines was 3.500 units, but by 1952 the figure had grown to 37,500. That number will be handsomely exceeded during 1953.
In 1947, a new factory covering 120,000 sq. ft., plus auxiliary buildings, was built, but by 1950 the inadequacy of the enlarged premises became apparent and plans were made to extend the factory to double its area. .
The project involved increasing the production capacity for the P-series engines while introducing two new units—the L.4 and the R.6—early in 1953. By quadrupling output capacity in a factory twice ' the size of the original block, the output per unit area has been doubled.
This result has been achieved by higher-capacity production methods, concentrating stock at the points of use and the introduction of a comprehensive mechanical-handling scheme to make the maximum use of the available floor space.
It was imperative that there should be no break in the continuity of production, so a new production layout for the existing engines was prepared in the new extension. As factory space e37 was then made available in the original block, the L.4 and R.6 production equipment was progressively introduced, with the result that the change-over was made without loss of a single day's engine production.
In the whole project, 380 machines were removed and located on new sites, and 450 new machines were installed. About 4,000 ft. of roller track was laid down, complete with turnover fixtures, gates and lifting sections, and 190 cranes, special machine foundations, air-supply points and fittings for electric hand tools were incorporated.
To give the maximum facilities for the reception of goods and to reduce material movement by delivering components direct to the process lines, the general layout of the futon' has been based on a symmetrical pattern hinged about a central roadway.
On each side of this roadway are stores for the reception of goods, with inspection stations. for " bought-out' materials. There are no stores between machining and sub-assembly lines, anti assemblies are delivered at the point• where they are built into the engines. Production capacity of each'buildflag block is roughly equal, the plarfned Output. being about 150 engines per shift per block. Block '1 is laid out for the new L.4 and R.6 units and the S.6 engine, and Block 2 for the P-series range, which includes three-, fourand six-cylindered units.
As an example of the manner in which economy in floor space has been achieved, the broaching process is wide:y adopted on such components as connecting rods and main-bearing caps. Three broaching machines, for instance, as used on P-aeries connecting .rods, take up a total floor space of 300 sq. ft. By the old method of performing the work, 15 milling and multi-spindle drilling machines, occupying 1,000 sq. ft., would have been required to perform the same operation at a comparable rate.
1,000 Components per Regrind Pneumatically operated tools are largely in evidence, although in certain circumstances hydraulic equipment is used. Production milling has also been the subject of considerable developments, and high feed rates, with a cutter life on cylinder blocks of 1,000 components per regrind, are being obtained.
An immediate result of the new production methods and manufacturing layout for the P-series engines has b.een a 25 per cent. reduction in labour requirements per engine. When the plant is fully employed, a figure of 50 per cent, is envisaged.
In the production of the L.4 engine, for example, fully automatic transfer Machines have been introduced. The two largest together complete all the drilling and boring operations on an L.4 cylinder head. In these machines no fewer than 164 cutting tools are in action at one time, one complete head being produced every L9 minutes.
Mercury-vapour Lighting
Lighting throughout the factory is by means of high-pressure mercury-vapour lamps in conjunction with tungstenfilament lamps which give correction to the mercury lamps to simulate daylight as far as possible.
Machines and equipment are powerfed by means of overhead bus bars which provide for complete flexibility of movement and rapid correction of supply.
Every Perkins engine produced is subjected to a functional test covering performance and fuel consumption. The type of test brake mainly in use is a Perkins-designed bed with motorgenerator to offer load resistance. Current thus produced is fed back into the mains and used in the factory.
A representative of The Commercial Motor who visited the factory was particularly impressed by the scrupulous cleanliness of all sections, the admirable layout of the tools and equipment, and the happy bearing of the work people.