Stages of production
The production complex of the plant includes a body welding shop, a body painting shop, a shop for small-unit assembly of buses, a shop for large-unit assembly of buses and a testing line.
Welding shop
The welding process starts with the billet production, where the main parts of the bus frame are assembled using special conductors. Then the prepared frame goes to the main welding conductor, where after joining the main parts it goes to the assembly line consisting of 18 welding stations.
Further operations are performed such as installation of the body roof, welding of large brackets for body reinforcement, as well as small additional accessories, internal body cladding, thermal stretching of body cladding, welding of fenders, welding of boxes for technical fluids and battery compartment, final cleaning and inspection of the body before transfer to the paint shop.
All welding joints are cleaned and treated with a special anti-corrosion primer.
Paint shop
The welded bus frame goes to the paint shop. Here, the sealing of the welding joints is treated with painting mastic, and drying is carried out after the application of the mastic. Then the frame of the bus enters the painting chamber, where the secondary primer is applied, and then the primer is dried.
After these processes, the body of the future bus is ready for painting. At the customer’s request, the bus body is painted in the desired color and branded. Further operations are performed to polish the painted surface and remove minor defects.
Assembly shop
There are two lines in the assembly shop – chassis assembly line and interior assembly line. This area includes assembling and connecting the engine and transmission, installing the front and rear suspension, exhaust system, gluing windows, preparing and installing the floor and floor covering, installing the dashboard and interior parts, installing seats, installing the air conditioning system, installing the ramp, and other assembly operations.
This is also where the process fluids (brake fluid, coolant, hydraulic fluid, air conditioning, fuel) are refilled and the engine is started for the first time.
After completing all the steps in the previous workshops and the final inspection, the bus is sent to the test area to check all systems.
Tests are carried out on the convergence angle, speedometer, carbon dioxide emission control, front and rear axle load, etc. The tightness of the body is tested in a special chamber where several types of rain are simulated.
