On the 1st October, my A2 DT class travelled to Brockworth to visit the G-TEM manufacturing plant. We started the visit by being told about how the company manufactured car parts for large car manufacturers such as Honda and Toyota. After talking about their recent investment in new technology and premises we then discussed the more economic side of the DT course; discussing about how they have adapted their strategy to the economic circumstances by taking on more customers such as BMW and JLR.

After this initial talk we were then led onto the shop floor where we witnessed the manufacture of an array of different car parts. Whilst dodging forklift trucks and wearing some fetching yellow caps we watched the presses and robotic welders shape and join pieces of steel at an impressive speed.

We were shown from the shop floor into a small room where the quality control was taking place; this involved the use of complex measuring equipment [CMM] to ensure that every measurement was within its tolerance.  To complete the tour we were taken to the holding bay where thousands of pressed sheets of steel were stacked on shelves, ready to be dispatched to the next stage of the manufacturing process: Assembly.