NISSAN Sunderland - plant.

Nissan Birds Eye View
 

Plant functions

NMUK is split into three logical areas: Body Assembly, Paint and Final Assembly. Each is further broken down into areas known as 'shops'.

Press Shop
The first shop in the manufacturing process, the Press Shop is responsible for pressing the outer and inner body panels of the vehicle. NMUK houses a 5,000 tonne press capable of pressing two panels simultaneously - one of only two in use in any Nissan plant.

Body Shop
Linked directly to the Press Shop, the Body Shop is a highly-automated section of the factory with over 500 robots in operation. Pressed-panels are welded together to create complete body shells.

Paint Shop
Body shells are painted in a semi-clean environment using water-based paint. Shells are dipped in chemical tanks to cleanse them, before entering spray-booths. The painted shells are then dried in large, open ovens.

Plastics Shop
Plastic components such as bumpers are injection-moulded on site.

Casting Shop
Aluminium engine components such as cylinder heads are produced in the state-of-the-art Casting plant.

Unit Shop
1.2, 1.4 and 1.8 litre petrol engines are built on-site on the Unit Assembly line. The cylinder heads are machined along the machining line before being shipped to the Assembly line. The Unit Shop contains its own engine testing areas. Diesel engines are no longer produced at NMUK.

Axle Shop
Recently fitted with a new line to produce axles for the Qashqai model.

Trim & Chassis
There are two parallel assembly lines in NMUK; Line 1 currently handles Primera, Qashqai and Note. Line 2 handles the Micra and the Micra C+C. Painted bodies are stored in a large holding area, and are released in a specific scheduled sequence. They are brought into Trim & Chassis on suspended cradles. Each body moves through the assembly line and is fitted with interior (Trim), and exterior (Chassis) components. At one point in the process, the bodies are 'married' to a sub-assembled engine and subframe. Completed vehicles are sent down a Final Line, where all aspects of the car, from brakes to waterproofing, are tested. The car is then driven off-line to a holding area, ready to be distributed to a dealer.