Rockwell Automation Selected By Ford For Stamping Press Upgrade.(Brief Article)

Rockwell Automation, Inc. said Ford Motor Co. selected Rockwell's Global Manufacturing Solutions unit to completely upgrade two stamping press lines and various automation systems at Ford's Walton Hills, Ohio plant. The upgrade, scheduled for September 2003 completion, will improve productivity through faster product rollouts, reduced plant downtime and streamlined production schedules in the 2.2 million square-foot plant, Rockwell said. Terms of the contract were not disclosed.

As the project lead, Global Manufacturing Solutions said it will oversee the entire retooling process, including: "Stamping press control system integration; Refurbishment of existing robot control systems; Integration of robots into the line; Overall system coordination and integration, including existing equipment and new OEM equipment; Asset management of key project aspects; Procurement of all electrical devices sensors, actuators and other related instrumentation, including products within the Rockwell Automation Logix architecture; and Electrical installation, including engineering, contractor selection and contractor management."

The Walton Hills stamping plant, built in 1954, consists of 25 lines that use between one and six stamping presses each to produce body parts for a variety of Ford vehicles. The last significant plant upgrade was conducted 20 years ago and, in the interim, equipment upgrades have provided more modern, efficient operation, Rockwell said.

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