All Vth Form pupils studying Design and Technology went on a tour of the Mini plant in Cowley, Oxford, to see how a new Mini is manufactured every 68 seconds. The Cowley plant was founded in 1913 and has been in constant production ever since, making it one of the oldest car plants in the world.
Starting their tour with body-in-white, pupils were able to link the theory they had learned about computerised flexible-manufacturing systems as they saw pressed steel panels welded together with the help of 1200 robots. In the final assembly, they were able to experience the slick just-in-time final assembly line where this design icon comes together. Experiencing and seeing real-world examples of commercial manufacturing helps the pupils understand the concepts behind them in preparation for their GCSE exam this summer.