COMPONENTS

Our Components Division mainly supplies components directly to AFRIT, with a very small percentage of the components being supplied by external manufacturers.

Our decision to have a dedicated Components Division as part of the AFRIT group rather than outsourcing was based on the following considerations:

1. Lower costs
2. Tighter controls
3. Faster production
4. Quicker revision
5. Shorter time spans between research & development and the finished product.

The world class technology currently at work on the Components factory floor includes robot welders, laves & milling machines, press breaks and Computer Numeric Controlled (CNC’s) laser cutters.
The constant drive for improving technology has resulted in the installation of the latest High Definition laser cutter – which is not only more cost-effective, but also enable us to cut larger sheets of steel.

Pickling and Phosphating

We are the first trailer manufacturer within South Africa to implement a pickling and phosphating process into our production.This procedure ensures that the entire manufacturing process is not only cleaner but that the paint finishing on trailers is of a higher standard.

Once components have been received from the Component Division they are put through a pickling system where any rust and/or scale is removed. The components are then cleaned and are put into a degreasing bath. Once removed, and before they are dry, they are immersed in a phosphating bath, where a corrosion-resistant formula prepares the surfaces against future rust, and forms the basis of a smooth paint finish.

Production

The new assembly line was completed in 2007 and is headed up by Hans van de Wetering and Andre van de Wetering. Afrit boosts 4 dedicated assembly lines - each following a set production process, from receiving the components through to the final touch-up.

AFRIT’s uncompromised commitment to quality has been built into the production process with each of the four lines being individually managed to ensure improved efficiency and quality. Precise planning, scheduling, effective processes and trained staff all contribute to the success of this assembly line model.

The work culture of self-regulation, random and routine checks and attention to detail, empowers our employees to take responsibility in the delivery of a quality finished product.

Each line is dedicated to the production of an individual product group; however the lines are constructed in such a way that they can be adapted seamlessly to produce the trailer type most in demand within the market.

Buffer Store

A buffer of approximately three days worth of stock is held in the buffer store. Our purpose is not to build up an inventory of components but rather to ensure required components for fitment are in place for production to flow according to pre-planned schedules.

Spray booths
We have dedicated state of the art spray booths on assembly lines 1-3 accomodating any of our standard products and line 4 housing two spray booths.

We are the first company to use this unique, state of the art paint system in South Africa. Not only do these booths improve the overall paint quality but are more cost effective, more environmentally friendly and have a faster drying time increasing productivity. They are insulated and recycle the warm air rather than extracting it, ensuring that once the components come out of the spray booths, they are dry and ready for final fitment.

Welding

Sub-Weld Assemblies

All sub weld assemblies are manufactured in a separate plant ensuring a more efficient and effective production process. We thereby streamline our four main production lines so that we can produce higher volumes of trailers without compromising on quality. With Co2 welding implemented throughout the plant and quality teams constantly inspecting all sub-weld assemblies for inadequate welds and critical measurements, a strong and neat finish on all AFRIT products is achieved.

Main Beams

As the main beam is regarded as the backbone of the trailer, AFRIT has developed a unique, efficient and reliable technique to ensure the beams are of the highest quality. Loose components are inserted into an automatic beam welder which constantly welds a full penetrating and continuous weld. In less than an hour a 12m long chassis beam is completely welded. Two beam welders, running on double shifts, are able to produce enough beams to build up to 25 trailers a day.

Robot Welding

Our factory also operates three robots to produce high volume sub-weld assemblies. Different work stations ensure that the robots run at maximum capacity without having to wait for the operator to load new parts. These three robots, one Fanuc and two ABB’s, are programmed with RobotStudio in a 3D environment with the result being that production can continue normally whilst new programs are created. A specialised AFRIT team designs and manufactures all robot weld-jigs.