Substancial orders from well-known car manufacturers led to high investments in mostly technical equipment at the MVI development workshop in Oberschleissheim. Patrick Wieprich, team leader of the workshop, shares insights into the set-up and necessary steps for upgrading.
“Our development workshop has been firmly established in Oberschleissheim near Munich for several years. The proximity to our customers enables us to adapt flexibly to the needs and individual requirements of our clients,” emphasises Wieprich. The workshop’s services range from the protection of multi-voltage vehicle electrical systems and software and hardware integration to the conversion of prototypes or even just subsystems, depending on the order. This is just an excerpt from the wide range of services offered by the development workshop. Thanks to the good and professional co-operation to date, further orders have now been acquired.
Vehicle upgrade project
The starting signal for the workshop upgrade was given by large orders from an OEM, which required the workshop capacities to be expanded. The team leader explains, “The project descriptions include the assembly of measurement technology and mechanical retrofitting. Flashing control units on the vehicle is also a key component.” The development workshop will also be focussing on the high-voltage sector in the future, as customers also want to position this topic at MVI AUTOMOTIVE. The workshop will now be working at full capacity for many years. A large number of vehicles from the car manufacturer have to be inspected within a certain period of time. The expansion was essential for this.
What measures were taken for the upgrade?
“In order to meet the increased performance requirements, we installed seven additional column lifts in record time. Compared to previously used scissor lifts, these offer free access to the sides and wheels, making various work processes easier,” explains Wieprich. All of the OEM’s new vehicles, from small cars to large luxury saloons, can be lifted and all vehicle inspections can be carried out reliably. A 4-post lift with a state-of-the-art wheel alignment system has already been installed, which guarantees the exact accuracy of the measurement data and is even suitable for vehicles weighing four and a half tonnes. For example, armoured vehicles such as those belonging to high-ranking politicians, but also other people who require special protection, can be processed here. “We’ve already had these heavyweight cars in our workshop many times,” smiles Wieprich. MVI AUTOMOTIVE is aiming to further expand capacity in the hall by the end of 2024. “The entire conversion of the workshop required not only technical, but also logistical and organisational excellence,” emphasises the team leader. “In addition, we are gradually expanding the team, consisting of car mechanics and master mechanics as well as other technical specialists. In the coming year, at least ten more people will be hired in order to fully utilise capacity.
Service quality through knowledge transfer
“When taking on new customer projects, sometimes with new employees, it is essential to ensure intensive familiarisation so that our team understands the customer’s processes, their issues and the development work behind them,” Wieprich explains. It is therefore particularly important to familiarise employees with the customer’s new development tools and measuring systems in detail. “Prototypes and new vehicles are always equipped with a lot of innovative implementations, so knowledge needs to be imparted on an ongoing basis,” adds the workshop expert.
Patrick Wieprich looks to the future with confidence: “A further renewal of the MVI development workshop is imminent, specialising in the high-voltage sector. We are ideally positioned for future development and our highly motivated team will accompany us on this path with great commitment”.
Further details on the expanded competences will be provided in a following article.
