Leyland/Lucas runners-up
Page 18
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
LEYLAND Trucks and Lucas Electrical were joint runners-up in this year's Willis Faber Manufacturing Effectiveness award (CM, November 17) which was jointly won by STC Telecommunications and Westland helicopters.
Leyland's team, headed by Bill Lowe, described how the C44, Roadrunner, cab was engineered to have a significantly lower manufacturing cost than its predecessor. Lucas's entry concerned the homofocal headlamp reflector.
There are only seven major panels in the C44 cab; a one piece floor, sides, front, roof and double skin rear pressings. It uses approximately one third of the number of parts in previous Leyland designs.
Moreover, C44's development time was exceptionally short; 27 months against the usual 48. Leyland's engineers used computer aided design techniques more with this cab than they ever have hitherto.
The competition, first held in 1982, is organised by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and sponsored by Willis Faber, the insurance brokers. It aims to highlight outstanding achievements in manufacturing effectiveness by Britain's engineering industry.