Page 23 - Remembering ISTEL

Remembering ISTEL

We look forward to establishing closer links between the systems in the factory
and the systems in our distributorships and dealerships Such links will
facilitate the direct interchange of information in both directions between our
customers and their customers and those supplying ihe vehicles and parts that

distributorship and dealership customers need.

Assembly line broadcasting at Cowley

Covering the Princess, Maxi and
both Marina lines, the Line
Broadcasting system has been

operating night and day on two
dedicated minicomputers for

several years and is now accepted
as an integral part of the assembly
operation to the extent that a

serious malfunction would pose a
major threat to production. A
similar system was developed and

implemented in the SDI Plant at
Solihull and another is being
developed on rather more

sophisticated computer
equipment for the LC8 at Longbridge.

Document sets for each order received by manufacturing are attached to the

body at the start of the assembly line. Each document set includes a punch card
containing details of the vehicle specification, which is immediately fed through

a terminal into the line broadcasting system. One of the computers expands the
codes into text which can be understood on the track and prints the relevant
parts of each specification at the appropriate points around the Plant, including

trim build, engine sub assembly, wheels and tyres and sales allocation. This
provides advanced warning of build so that correct parts can be marshalled
ready for fitting, and off-line areas such as Trim and Engine Dress can schedule

their production to interlock with the lines. In this way all the necessary
specific parts and assemblies to meet the needs of a particular order can be
made to come together.

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