Turkish manufacturer Erkunt Traktör A.Ş. recently entered into a joint venture to build engines for Mahindra. It is the first time that these engines are being assembled outside India, on an assembly line developed by Jendamark India. Erkunt’s PLC automation engineer, Tuğçe Karakuş, explains how ODIN Manufacturing contributed to the project’s success.
Q: Which ODIN Manufacturing solutions were used on the engine assembly line?
A: We used ODIN Workstation, ODIN Maintenance, ODIN Documentation and ODIN Linewatch.
Q: The Mahindra engine is usually assembled in India. Did the use of the ODIN system play a big part in enabling the transfer of this local knowledge and skills to Turkey?
A: Normally, Mahindra engines were assembled in India and then sent to Erkunt Traktör. With the ODIN system, we can now successfully perform this assembly process in Turkey. ODIN Workstation takes our operators through the process step by step: which bolts we need to tighten, with how many torques, and not to forget important details, such as completing the fine measurements and all the necessary tests. The ODIN system ensures the correct completion of the engine assembly. The first engine we completed in Turkey with the ODIN system worked successfully and there were no major problems.
Q: Was the Mahindra engine assembly line the first experience that the Erkunt facility had in building engines?
A: Yes, it was the first experience in engine assembly at the Erkunt facility and we are very proud of it.
Q: How did having animated work instructions, which were translated into Turkish, give your operators confidence and make a difference to the whole assembly process?
A: The fact that the work instructions were strengthened with visuals and presented in Turkish was very useful because it was simple and easy for operators to understand. It has eliminated any confusion during assembly, allowing the operator to do their job more comfortably and ensure complete engine installation without forgetting the steps.
Q: Were there any challenges with the assembly process and how did the ODIN system contribute to solving them?
A: The ODIN system facilitates many operational steps. For example, when tightening more than one bolt, it ensures that each bolt is tightened to the correct torque and the bolt is not skipped. The operator must complete all operations in the correct order; by following the barcode, the system does not allow them to skip a step or station. Obviously, all the difficulties decrease to the minimum level if the ODIN system is followed correctly.
Q: Your customer, Mahindra, could log in to the system and monitor in real-time how the production process was going. How did having access to this data contribute to a transparent and good working relationship between Erkunt and Mahindra?
A: The detailed report provided by the ODIN system is the best solution for us to be able to see all the steps that the engine went through during assembly, and all the data from when the process started to when it finished. It informs us in a simple and transparent way, giving us the details of the assembled engine, and what is happening on the line.
Q: We understand that you were hired specifically to take care of the ODIN system. Tell us a bit about your role and your experience on this project.
A: I’m a PLC automation engineer in the Erkunt team on this project. My role is to ensure that the ODIN system and PLC always work correctly and completely. I am working on the necessary controls, maintenance and troubleshooting on the line. I ensure that a new operation is defined in the ODIN system, that operations are kept up-to-date and always live without ever disconnecting. It’s been a truly enjoyable experience. I am very happy to work with the Jendamark team. When the ODIN Manufacturing system was implemented, the Jendamark team always worked with smiling faces and never hid their knowledge.
Q: Anything else you would like to add?
A: I am very proud that the Erkunt Tractor, Jendamark and Mahindra teams came together for such a big project and worked as a team. As the female engineer on the team, I would like to thank my managers Mehmet Temucin and Ahmet Cenk Çivici for always supporting them and my teammate Utku Söyünmez for managing this process with me. I would like to thank the entire Erkunt team for their efforts and contributions. I would also like to thank Kumarshiv Himandi and Suslove Biswas from the Mahindra team for coming to Turkey to support and help us. From Jendamark, I would like to thank Himanshu Jadhav and the whole team.