New design without huge cost
Delphi to produce door modules for DaimlerChrysler
The car parts supplier Delphi has set up a final
assembly production line for door modules on the Wörth industrial park.
The first production order is for a complex door module for DaimlerChrysler’s
commercial vehicle, the Actros.
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| A special injection moulded interior door trim enables many components to be integrated in the door’s “dry” zone. (photo: Delphi) |
The integrated door module consists of various subsystems,
for instance the interior trim, the side glass, the window lift system, the
electronics, the door lock and the switches. In order to reduce costs, many
components are combined in integrated units.
A special injection moulded interior door trim enables many components to
be integrated in the door’s “dry” zone. This is said to simplify
component design and reduce the associated costs. The interior door trim includes
the interior handle, the loudspeaker, the door control module, the map pocket
and a variety of switches. Thanks to the modular construction of the interior
trim, a new design can easily be developed later or for other models without
requiring substantial technical adaptation. The switch unit is in easy reach
and ergonomically integrated inside the interior trim. It consists of user-operated
systems to heat or adjust the rear-view mirror, together with a lift system
for the both side-windows.
Most components already included
The structure of the door includes the window lifts together with the glass
and further structural components. When this structure is mounted onto the
basic door, a very strong and solid module is created which fulfils all crash
requirements. In total, Delphi has integrated more than 85% of all the door
components. A further advantage for car owners is the arrangement of the individual
components, which are within easy reach and can therefore be rapidly repaired
or exchanged.
After successfully completing development work on the door module in the Wuppertal
Customer Technology Centre, and going live with the new final assembly production
line in Wörth, Delphi has decided to run its European commercial vehicle
business from its site in Germany. The administration offices and development
facilities of the German subsidiary Delphi Deutschland GmbH in Wuppertal will
also take on the function of the European development centre for commercial
vehicle technology.
www.delphi.com