Production
CLAAS Tractor Le Mans.
A state-of-the-art tractor factory
At the factory in Le Mans (France), five different series of tractors covering a power range between 72 and 460 hp are assembled. To do justice to this considerable diversity and the full spectrum of customers’ requests, tractors are made to order. The number of possible configurations is so large that no more than two identical tractors are usually manufactured in any given quarter. The factory, which produces 50 tractors per day, comprises a main assembly line divided into different stations and stages.
Power train assembly
Paintwork
Cab assembly
“Marriage” of the cab and power train
Main assembly line
Test benches
Final product inspection
CLAAS Tractor SAS.
Automated small parts storage, which replaced the previous space-consuming warehousing system.
CLAAS Forth Initiative: Ready for the future.
Since CLAAS took over Renault Agriculture, the productivity of the factory, the quality of the tractors and the working environment have all been continually improved.
In 2017, the company launched a €40 million initiative under the heading of “CLAAS Forth”. Its stated aim, “First Time Right”, is to assemble tractors with minimal fault rates prior to the final product inspection. This reduces both the costs and effort required before the product is approved for delivery. As part of this initiative, massive investments in state-of-the-art technology were again made at the factory.
Driverless transport vehicles (AGVs) have replaced a transfer belt and are able to carry tractors weighing up to 20 tonnes with flexibly timed sequences.
Networked tools forming part of the Internet of Things (IoT)…
… support operators in a wide range of tasks, from receiving jobs to ticking off checklists.
Automation and craftsmanship.
These days, automation and digital assistance systems support our employees in the production department in handling complex or physically demanding tasks. But CLAAS tractors continue to be made by hand, and each tractor on the assembly line is built precisely to the individual customer’s requirements.
Workers build each chassis using sophisticated, highly precise manufacturing methods from start to finish to ensure that the final product is reliable and of high quality.
Each of our tractors is built with the hard work of people who bring not only extensive experience but also the requisite precision and patience for this exacting work. Moreover, they never lose sight of our shared goal.
This effort pays off: It produces tractors that continue to meet the most stringent quality standards and embody perfection through performance and efficiency.
The working environment supports focused yet relaxed work without fatigue at all stations. LED lights and bright floors produce a daylight atmosphere around the clock. Platforms provide safe access to elevated parts and components. Cranes and hydraulic hoists handle heavy loads – all this at an extremely low noise level. Together, all of these factors increase employees’ motivation and protect their health.
Factory of the Future.
Our tractor factory in Le Mans won a national French award as a shining example of what the industry of the future will look like. This highlights the fact that our assembly line embodies state-of-the-art technology and that we have introduced all production methods necessary to manufacture and deliver high-quality products made in France.
As part of its modernisation strategies in production, CLAAS Tractor uses a digital platform (3DEXPERIENCE) to ensure that increasing technological complexity is leveraged effectively, the assembly line is optimised and production is digitally planned and controlled with full traceability. By combining design and manufacturing process disciplines, CLAAS Tractor is able to plan with the utmost precision and foresight and to validate designs digitally in 3D before they go into production.
Thanks to Dassault Systems’ 3DEXPERIENCE, the team is able to generate simulations of new designs and handle design variations easily. As a result, they are able to verify the feasibility of manufacturing at an early stage of development to then optimise the manufacturing process.
