What are the four major processes in automobile manufacturing?
2 Answers
The four major processes in automobile manufacturing are stamping, welding, painting, and final assembly. Stamping: It is a forming processing method that applies external force to plates, strips, pipes, and profiles through presses and molds, causing them to undergo plastic deformation or separation, thereby obtaining workpieces (stamped parts) with the required shape and size. Stamping and forging both belong to plastic processing (or pressure processing), collectively referred to as forging and stamping. The raw materials for stamping are mainly hot-rolled and cold-rolled steel plates and strips. Welding: Known as the mechanical tailor, it is responsible for joining the stamped workpieces together and is widely used in manufacturing. In the automobile manufacturing process, the four steps are: stamping-welding-painting-final assembly, among which the automation and flexibility of welding determine the development prospects and future of welding technology. Painting: It is an important part of the surface manufacturing process for engineering machinery products. The quality of anti-rust and anti-corrosion painting is one of the key aspects of the overall product quality. The appearance quality of a product not only reflects its protective and decorative properties but also constitutes an important factor in the product's value. Final Assembly: It involves assembling the components into the final product.
As someone who frequently deals with automakers, let me explain the four core manufacturing processes of cars in the most down-to-earth terms. The first is called stamping, where large steel sheets are pressed into parts like doors and hoods using machines with thousands of tons of force—it’s like molding clay into various shapes. Next is welding, where the stamped parts are assembled like building blocks into a white body frame, with robots wielding welding guns making crackling sounds. If this step isn’t done firmly, the whole car will squeak when driven. Then comes the painting workshop, where the body undergoes over a dozen processes, from electrophoretic anti-rust coating to baking the paint for curing—otherwise, the metal will rust and perforate in just a few years. Finally, the assembly line is the liveliest, with dashboards, seats, tires, and more being installed one by one, involving hundreds of steps just for screwing bolts. These four processes are tightly interlinked. I’ve seen workers in new automaker factories bustling around in dust-proof suits—missing even one step would result in a car that can’t hit the road.
