Case IH Combine Plant Tour at RPRU

[Bob McCarty]

Here are some points I remember, hope my memory doesn't make too many mistakes:
-When this building was converted for combine production, the entire building was gutted to allow installation of a floor track, overhead hoists, etc. Most of the work force was laid off for a full year at 3/4 pay. Our guide was a welder and did work that year.
-Until 2020, both Case and New Holland combines were built there. The only difference being the paint color and decals.
-There are 31 stations in the assembly line. The combine stays at each station for 26 minutes.
-The assembly line runs around the outside of the plant, first station is the main frame, last station installs the wheels and a few cover panels.
-The area inside the moving assembly line is all making component parts. About 20 laser cutters cut parts from sheets of steel. The individual parts are sorted and taken to stations where 70 to 700 ton presses bend the steel into the appropriate parts.
-These parts then go to robotic welding if needed and then to the paint line.
The parts are dipped in several cleaning tanks, then painted and heat cured. If a part has seals, etc. that can't withstand the heat, they move to a 2 mile long overhead track that runs them slowly around the plant until the paint is cured.
The plant makes 16 combines a day, 14 of the big ones, 2 of the smaller ones. A shift continues until all 16 are out the door whether it's 8 hours or 11 hours. The component area runs 24/7. Each station has a rack of parts to be attached with a flip board of photos.
The tour I was on was partially during the lunch break and unfortunately did not see a lot of the work being done.

[Gary Dotson]

That sounds like a real interesting tour, Bob! I really enjoy that sort of thing.

[Super A]

Here are some points I remember, hope my memory doesn't make too many mistakes:
-When this building was converted for combine production, the entire building was gutted to allow installation of a floor track, overhead hoists, etc. Most of the work force was laid off for a full year at 3/4 pay. Our guide was a welder and did work that year.
-Until 2020, both Case and New Holland combines were built there. The only difference being the paint color and decals.
-There are 31 stations in the assembly line. The combine stays at each station for 26 minutes.
-The assembly line runs around the outside of the plant, first station is the main frame, last station installs the wheels and a few cover panels.
-The area inside the moving assembly line is all making component parts. About 20 laser cutters cut parts from sheets of steel. The individual parts are sorted and taken to stations where 70 to 700 ton presses bend the steel into the appropriate parts.
-These parts then go to robotic welding if needed and then to the paint line.
The parts are dipped in several cleaning tanks, then painted and heat cured. If a part has seals, etc. that can't withstand the heat, they move to a 2 mile long overhead track that runs them slowly around the plant until the paint is cured.
The plant makes 16 combines a day, 14 of the big ones, 2 of the smaller ones. A shift continues until all 16 are out the door whether it's 8 hours or 11 hours. The component area runs 24/7. Each station has a rack of parts to be attached with a flip board of photos.
The tour I was on was partially during the lunch break and unfortunately did not see a lot of the work being done.

Where do they build the NH machines now?

Sure hated to see them close the East Moline plant but from what I have read, the place just wasn't big enough to handle the size of today's machines.

Al

[Bob McCarty]

Where do they build the NH machines now?

I think he said Europe and Brazil. Case/IH are also built in Europe, Brazil, and China. None are exported due to tariffs.

[Eugene]

Belgium. CNH Industrial N.V. is an Italian-American multinational corporation with global headquarters in Basildon, United Kingdom, but controlled and mostly owned by the multinational investment company Exor, which in turn is controlled by the Agnelli family. Wikipedia

CNHI also also owns IH. Local New Holland dealer handles and stocks IH parts.