MANNHEIM, Germany—Mercedes-Benz Trucks has begun assembling a key component of its new eActros 600 long-haul truck at its factory here. The “front box” is a complex module that contains several control units, high-voltage components and an electric air compressor. It’s located in the space previously occupied by an internal combustion engine.
In contrast to a traditional diesel engine, the front box doesn’t have a specific drive function, but contains a large number of components that are essential for the truck to operate. In total, there are more than 1,000 individual parts.
Packaging this high number of components in a very confined space was a challenge to engineers. They developed a “layered structure” in which the individual components are built up from bottom to top.
“The front box is an assembly-intensive unit for battery-powered vehicles,” says Andreas Moch, plant manager at Mercedes-Benz Mannheim. “After a successful prototype phase, we are now pleased to be able to move into series production.
“Our plant is the competence center for battery technology and high-voltage systems at Daimler Truck,” explains Moch. “With the start of production of the front box, we are already reaching the second milestone this year, after we opened our Battery Technology Center in the summer. We [have transformed the factory] and are making an important contribution to shaping the emission-free mobility of the future.”
Over a one-year period, extensive renovation work was carried out in a building that is more than 100 years old. Among other things, the floor surface, ventilation and lighting system was improved, while the support structure was rebuilt. A state-of-the-art assembly line with a logistics zone was then installed. “It offers a high degree of flexibility for different quantities, product variants and subsequent generations,” says Moch.
The front box assembly line consists of four consecutive production sections. Each contains various assembly stations, with the corresponding material zones and subassembly stations located to the side.
After each workstation, the front box passes through a quality gate, where the correct execution of the assembly process is verified before the next level is built. Once all quality gates have been successfully passed and the assembly quality has been confirmed in an end-of-line inspection, the front box is shipped to Mercedes-Benz’s final assembly line in Wörth.
All operators have been trained in a new high-voltage training center. According to Moch, the facility provides “a practical learning environment in which participants can gain comprehensive knowledge of the latest high-voltage and battery technologies. Innovative teaching methods are used for this purpose, such as virtual reality glasses and augmented reality technology.”
Other Mercedes-Benz factories involved in making electric drive components for the eActros 600 include the Gaggenau plant, which is producing gears, shafts and housings, and the Kassel plant, which is assembling axles and transmissions.
The eActros 600 features a 600-kilowatt hour battery and an in-house developed power train that enables it to achieve a range of 500 kilometers without intermediate charging.
