Learn about the World Class Center, which brings together strategic areas of FCA manufacturing

July 22, 2019 - The city of Betim (MG), Brazil, is home to the largest Fiat Chrysler Automobiles factory in the world: the Fiat Automotive Plant. Within the Galpão Quatro, Final Assembly, next to column 18F, there is a 2 thousand m² area, FCA Latam’s WCC (World Class Center) where a pioneering integration area was recently inaugurated. It’s a pioneering space around the world, which brings together three large Areas: Industrial Innovation Center (IIC), Work Place Integration (WPI) and Process Center.

IIC is the area that carries out proof of concept (PoCs), which are platforms dedicated to testing innovations in an environment that reproduces to scale real scenarios. The objective is to point out the most relevant future trends in the Industry 4.0 for future implementation in production. It is the gateway to innovation, a space where solutions are researched, insights are generated and improvements are developed and tested. New knowledge is generated by the sharing of learning experiences within the multidisciplinary teams.

WPI is the integration between the plant and the development sectors and processes of new models that will reach the production lines. "WPI is where we apply the lessons learned at IIC for new developments to take place", says Marcelo Lima, coordinator of FCA Vehicle Manufacturing Engineering for Latin America. "With every launch, we want to ensure that new technologies from the Industry 4.0 are installed on the production lines, ensuring more quality and competitiveness every time", says Francesco Ciancia, FCA's Industrial Vehicles Director for Latin America.

The Process Center is the key area for training people, which is carried out on a mini assembly line to share knowledge and tools, while integrating methodology, technology and people, as you've seen here.

"The WCC is the center of excellence that directs manufacturing innovation in Latin America, as an FCA pioneering initiative around the world. Our strategy is to swiftly connect the most diverse and creative points while involving the largest number of people who are focused on digital transformation", emphasizes Ciancia.

The WCC is an open innovation space that connects people and technologies. "When we need to implement Industry 4.0 technologies, people and processes become our main front, at the center of what is needed", explains Marcelo. "So the strategy for creating the WCC is precisely to engage as many people as possible so that digital transformation from their workstation to their mindset can take place."

For this same reason, the WCC also brings together startups, research centers, universities and the FCA chain of suppliers. "Because WCC is an integrated and collaborative environment, information flows faster, and we gain agility in implementing new projects. We manage to promote the evolution of processes more efficiently", explains Marcelo.

"The Fiat Plant is being completely renovated and the launch of new products is what has induced the brand to promote this change. At the beginning of our trajectory, in 1976, most of the operations were done manually. However, today it’s an intelligent factory with modern and efficient systems like Big Data, Internet of Things, Virtual Reality and Artificial Intelligence. This is a 43-year-old factory completely integrated into the digital age", says Ciancia.

Words: Daniel Schneider

Pictures: Marketing