Virtual Tour
Welcome to the virtual tour through our production halls. Here you have the opportunity to accompany us on a virtual tour through the halls and to witness the individual work steps taken to create every single BORBET wheel. Simply click on one of the icons next to each production step to see the video, pictures of the particular work step or to show the explanations.
Design and Construction
The design department is responsible for the begin of each new Borbet wheel. That’s where the design is laid out before it goes to the construction department, where it’s planned down to the very last detail by means of the latest computer programs to ensure that it will withstand all of the demands in terms of stability and load capacity.
Melting
Special aluminium bars are melted down in the melting furnace. The melting process takes place at a temperature of approx. 700 °C.
Casting
The complete Borbet group casts, up to 100 different wheel designs in sizes from 10” to 23” every month. During the fully automatic casting process, the 700 °C hot metal is poured into the moulds, the so-called dies. After the casting process, the alloy wheel is removed from the mould by a robot arm and cooled down to room temperature by dipping into a cold water bath.
X-Raying
To make sure that none of the wheels has a casting defect, they hereafter pass through an X-ray system, which automatically x-rays every single wheel. Afterwards the cast blanks are subjected to a heat treatment in order to increase the strength of the material.
Finishing
First the cast blank is processed, turned and drilled. Afterwards, a final check is made before painting, during which small reworking measures are taken, e.g. the removal of residual ridges.
Painting
The conveyance of the wheels from the interim storage to the painting line is fully automatic. In Medebach alone, up to 30 different finishes are produced in the painting department. These include such colour shades as silver, anthracite or black as well as gloss or matt paint and also the production of polished or matt surfaces.
Shipping
Before a wheel leaves the factory, it’s examined in detail by a specially trained employee. Only wheels that have passed these tests with flying colours are sent on to the logistic department where they are made ready for shipment around the world.