LEIPZIG, Germany—Porsche AG’s assembly plant here has been named the “Factory of the Year” (the European equivalent of the Assembly Plant of the Year award) by the Kearney consulting firm and the German trade magazine Produktion. The flexible factory produces the Maycan (a compact battery-powered SUV) along with the Panamera (a four-door gas-engined sedan).
The 22-year-old facility was cited for its digital production initiative and sustainability efforts. Porsche has transformed the plant into an intelligent, connected factory that is smart, lean and green.
The new”‘marriage” process on the assembly line is an example of combining lean, mixed production with a high degree of complexity. The process of joining car chassis and body together is designed for maximum flexibility.
Cars with three different types of drivetrain—combustion, hybrid and electric—are produced on a single assembly line. Camera-based battery monitoring for electric cars has also been integrated, along with an automatic measuring system for inspecting screw threads.
A state-of-the-art paint shop features automatic error detection technology. In just 70 seconds, two robots scan the entire outer surface of a car’s body with a pattern of light strips. Around 100,000 photos enable them to use reflections to identify tiny irregularities. Based on the results, five image-processing computers generate a 3D visualization of the body that quickly shows the location and type of irregularities detected.
Porsche Leipzig is a zero-impact factory that promotes a circular economy, biodiversity and air quality. Since 2017, the factory has used electricity only from renewable energies and production has been CO₂-neutral since 2021. A portion of the electricity required to operate the plant is produced via four photovoltaic systems.
In addition, the factory grounds feature a test track, plus a 326-acre grazing meadow for Heck cattle and Exmoor ponies. It’s also home to approximately 3 million honeybees.
