Engine Test Bench with Rigging and Derigging Stations

Transformed a Bottlenecked Oil Fill Station into a Highly Efficient Synchronized System

To optimize production line efficiency for a major diesel engine manufacturer, ACS transformed a bottlenecked oil fill station into a highly efficient, synchronized system. By introducing preheated, high-pressure fluid during an existing spline installation, ACS slashed fluid delivery times from five minutes to under thirty seconds. This innovative integration allows engines to arrive at the engine hot test bench already filled and at optimal operating temperature, achieving a net-zero time expenditure for fluid filling and dramatically increasing the daily throughput capacity of each diesel engine test bench.

The Challenge

At the end of the production line at a major diesel engine manufacturer’s Michigan plant, engines undergo rigorous evaluation at a critical rigging station before final validation. Historically, technicians were required to manually add oil to the engines and connect a dynamometer adaptor. Once testing concluded, the adaptor had to be carefully removed.

An internal efficiency analysis revealed that the existing oil fill station was creating a severe bottleneck on the assembly line, restricting the facility’s overall throughput. To resolve these operational constraints and optimize cycle times, ACS was contracted to overhaul and streamline the end-of-line engine hot test bench preparation and testing procedures.

The Solution

The first step for the ACS engineering team was to analyze the existing workflow to seamlessly integrate a more efficient system without disrupting the plant’s rigorous production schedule. ACS devised an innovative engineering solution that combines elevated rigging stations, an automated oil heating and pumping system, and a redesigned oil fill station infrastructure to keep the assembly line moving continuously.

The ACS solution injects preheated, high-pressure oil into the engine at a strategically optimized entry point, a departure from previous test protocols. By utilizing preheated oil, the engines enter the engine hot test bench already filled and brought up to optimal operating temperature.

In addition, the ACS team synchronized this new oil-fill process to match the exact duration required to install an engine spline part. By designing and building custom rigging equipment, ACS enabled the oil fill to occur simultaneously with the spline installation, essentially removing oil fill time entirely from the total production schedule.

This marked a continuous effort to maximize plant capacity. “This is our third piece of equipment on that assembly line to improve efficiency,” said ACS’ Instrumentation and Controls Engineer, Andrew Harris. “It’s an effort to continuously streamline their process. They’re always looking to improve throughput. So they do time studies, find where the bottleneck is and reach out to us to fix that.”

The Outcome

The implemented ACS solution dramatically optimized the manufacturer’s throughput capabilities. The new automated process successfully reduced oil fill time from approximately 5 minutes per engine to less than 30 seconds per engine. Because the oil fill now takes place simultaneously with the installation of the spline, the facility achieved a net-zero time expenditure for filling engines with fluid.

Leveraging preheated oil ensures that critical capacity is never wasted waiting for an engine to warm up, maximizing the utilization and daily yield of each engine hot test bench. ACS’ solid track record of delivering specialized engineering projects has cemented its status as a preferred partner for the manufacturer’s line diesel engine test bench upgrades. Because the manufacturer enforces highly specific IT and controls requirements, ACS’ deep technical familiarity ensured total compliance, seamless systems integration, and an optimized final engine test bench workflow.

“We know the customer’s specs very, very well,” Harris added. “They know we’re able to deliver what they want, and we work with them to make sure it all meets their satisfaction.” The final system ensures the client can scale their testing operations efficiently while maintaining strict quality control standards across the engine test bench line.

Key Features

• Advanced oil fill station redesign and pre-construction planning for a high-volume diesel production line
• Simultaneous spline installation and oil fill processes to achieve net-zero cycle time
• Preheated high-pressure oil integration to eliminate warm-up delays at the engine hot test bench
• Full compliance with the manufacturer’s highly stringent IT and controls specifications
• Significant throughput optimization boosting the capacity of the final test bench

ACS Services

• Engineered, fabricated, and deployed an automated, high-pressure oil fill station
• Integrated synchronized rigging systems to streamline end-of-line testing workflows
• Designed custom controls and IT systems conforming to exact client plant specifications