Great Factory Vid

[uclabiker06]

National Geographic-Megafactories Ducati

[Fireman1291]

Nice!

[booger]

LOL case sealant applicator robots FTW

[mickyvee]

  It's all a bit different from 2000 when I rode my V11Sport to the Guzzi factory. It was like a big cave, full of old men in brown smocks stood at lathes, actually making components. The Ducati way may well be hi-tech, but the Guzzi way gave me a warm feeling inside. I expect the new Guzzi's are built along similar procedures to new Ducati's. A bit sad really. Having said that, I do appreciate the high level of dependability which comes with the hi-tech approach!

[Curmudgeon]

mickyvee,

Still have snaps I took on the V8 assembly line at Land Rover, Solihull in 1990 which had the robot RTV machine and individual engine robots. It was a bit dimly lighted I'll admit.  Certainly not hygienic as it would be today. Ducati probably has a sterile machine shop with mostly robotic operation but that might be on another site. Those parts had to get to the "parts supermarket" somehow, and I doubt they take the risk of contracting that work out!

Regards!

[mickyvee]

  As far as I can recall, there wasn't a single robot at the Guzzi factory. They were entirely hand built, and the track wasn't even powered. The partially assembled bikes were shoved aong by muscle power, along a track with cylindrical rollers. It was as I imagined it would have been back in the 50's. At the time of my visit, Guzzi were in trouble (nothing new there!) making less than 5000 bikes annually. They were bought, firstly by Aprilia, and then by Piaggio, and after much investment, their future seems secure. The new bikes, if my 1200 Griso was anything to go by, are a vast improvement, much like the latest Ducati's are, if compared to the old bevels and suchlike. It's called progress!