Unit 2. Automobile Production

I. Read the text and speak about the phases of automobile production.

I study at the university, at the automobile-construction department. When I graduate from the university I shall become a technician. All specialists in automobile industry dealing with manufacturing automobiles (cars or trucks) must know that the production of the automobile comprises the following phases:

• designing;
• working out the technology of manufacturing processes;
• laboratory tests;
• road tests;
• mass production.

Why is it necessary to know all these facts? It is important to know them, as before the automobile is put into mass production it should be properly designed and the car must meet up-to-date requirements. What are these requirements?

The automobile must have high efficiency, long service life, driving safety, ease of handling and maintenance, pleasant appearance. Also it must be comfortable and ecological. In order to obtain these qualities the specialists should develop up-to-date methods of designing cars using new types of resistant to corrosion light materials. Also it is important to know computer sciences because computers offer quick and optimal solutions of the problems. Besides they are used for better operation of mechanisms in cars.

Before the car is put into mass production the units of the car are subjected to tests in the Works laboratory and then the car undergoes a rigid quality control in road tests. Why are these tests required? What qualities are required of the automobile? They are needed because the modern automobile must be rapid in acceleration, have smooth acting clutch, silent gearbox, dependable braking and steering systems, dependable ignition system, low fuel consumption and be stable on the road.

II. Match English terms describing the types of trucks with Russian equivalents.

1) truck loader              a) мусоровоз

2) timber carrier            b) карьерный самосвал

3) airfield tractor          c) снегоочиститель

4) crane truck               d) самосвал

5) quarry tipper             e) лесовоз

6) self-propelled scraper    f) автоцистерна

7) snow plough               g) погрузчик

8) tow truck                 h) автомобиль-цементовоз

9) fuel truck                i) аэродромный тягач

10) garbage truck            j) техпомощь

11) cement truck             k) автокран

12) dump truck               l) самоходный скрейпер

II. Scan the text “Minsk Automobile Plant” and say why MAZ trucks enjoy a high reputation in our country and abroad.

The Minsk automobile plant is one of the oldest and biggest automobile plants within the CIS. At present the Minsk Automobile plant produces a family of MAZ-64221, which is the fifth generation automobile. The plant puts on the market tens of models and modifications of trucks and road trains for different purposes with gross mass from 18 till 55 tons. The plant produces two and three axles road trains, timber truck trains, three-axle cross-country all-wheel drive tractors, semi-trailers and motor vehicle chassis used for completing them with various equipment.

The trucks, produced by the plant, are equipped with engines of Russian, West European and American Motor companies. Its motor vehicles meet all the international standards regarding reliability, comfort, environmental protection and safety, including the requirement imposed by the UN Economic Commission for Europe. They also meet the national standards of the importer-countries.

The production of the Minsk Automobile plant is the equipment meeting requirements of Euro-3, Euro-4 and Euro-5 ecological standards. Fifth-wheel tractors (седельный тягач), drop-side trucks (с откидными бортами) roll off the assembly line under “MAZ” trademark. In total over 500 models.

In December the "MAZ-MAN" Belarusian-German Joint Venture for production of heavy automobiles was created. The Joint Stock Company "MAZ-MAN" is manufacturing truck tractors of different modifications, that correspond to all standards and requirements of EEC UN of Euro-3 and Euro-2 norms and are equipped with ecologically clean and safe MAN engines (power 410 — 460 hp). A number of modifications were introduced to correspond to different purposes of operation in various climate and road conditions.

III. Translate the specifications of the truck tractor MAZ-MAN 543268 (4х2) using the following:

Specification of the Truck Tractor MAZ-MAN 543268

Morozova О.N., Ilina I.Y.

Тамбов
2015