Ricardo’s powertrain end-of-line testing capability: Behind the scenes with Florian Rosoi & Andrew Box

Within Ricardo’s engine assembly facility, where our expert engineers, technicians and industrialisation specialists take on niche volume assemblies of high performance powertrain technologies, the dedicated end-of-line testing capability is an important gateway before delivery which enables us to deliver quality-assured products to our clients. The process is supported by highly skilled technicians whose expertise enables quick reactions, agile actions and understanding of issues to maintain a consistent output and deliver a reliable product to our clients.

Florian Rosoi, Process Engineer, and Andrew Box, Powertrain Engineering Lead, based at our Shoreham-by-Sea facility, share their expertise and their experience working on Ricardo’s engine assembly and end-of-line testing operations.  

Q: Tell us a bit about your careers to date. When did you join Ricardo? 

Florian:  I joined Ricardo about 10 years ago, starting on the assembly line. I then progressed to Team Leader of the end-of-line section, where I was responsible for making sure that the Test and Inspection team were set up for success. This led to my current role in Process Engineering where my focus is now on making sure that the test cells are operating effectively so that we can test engines reliably and safely.

Andrew: I studied to become a Master Technician with Ford Motor Company, then spent five years developing my expertise in various roles. I joined McLaren in 2014 as a Diagnostic Engineer on their vehicle production line, before moving into McLaren’s Quality team as a Powertrain Engineer to support McLaren’s vehicle assembly.

After a small interval at Rolls-Royce, I joined Ricardo in 2018 as a Powertrain Engineer. I’m now Lead Engineer for the McLaren engine build programme with a focus on diagnostics and process improvement for the test process.

Q: How do your roles contribute to the operation of our end-of-line testing facilities?

Andrew: I’m responsible for identifying improvement opportunities in the testing process. It’s the last quality check before the engine goes to the customer, so it’s a really important step in the build process. I’m responsible for identifying trends in engine performance to ensure that any discrepancies can be investigated and resolved with support from our expert technicians.

Florian: And I work in collaboration with Andrew and his team to support issue resolution and process improvement for the end-of-line service – implementing changes to improve the service that we can provide to our customer. Along with our experienced team, we deliver quality-assured engine build programmes from our IATF-accredited facility in Shoreham-by-Sea.

Q: Why is it important to have dedicated end-of-line testing capability on the assembly line?

Andrew: As part of our commitment to quality, every engine that comes off the Ricardo assembly line is hot tested. This is to verify assembly integrity and performance, ensuring the customer gets the best possible product and giving them confidence in what we are delivering. As this is such an important part of our process, the test cell is a high demand gateway and a potential bottleneck. Expert knowledge of our customer’s product, proactive problem solving, an agile approach, and a team of highly experienced technicians are essential to ensuring that we deliver product on time and in full to the standards expected by our clients.

Florian: The benefit of having this capability in-house instead of outsourcing to a third party is that we are able shorten lead times for our clients.

We rely on the expertise of our highly skilled technicians, who can react quickly, and take informed actions ensuring that we provide a quality product to our customers.  It also means we can proactively implement process improvements and respond flexibly to changes in demand.

Q: With importance of this stage in the process in mind, how do you reduce risk to the programme and delivery?

Florian: We carry out regular preventative maintenance (TPM), ensuring the equipment and test cells are maintained properly, which results in less downtime and helps to support consistent delivery.

Andrew: Monitoring the output of the tests and keeping a very close eye on what the hot tests are indicating for every engine is key. This involves spotting trends early, regularly reviewing data, and ensuring everything is done on time and accurately. It also includes planning calibration dates and times with the test ops team and making sure the output is accurate. We aim for a right-first-time approach, and all these factors contribute to this philosophy. 

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Q: How do you and your team ensure that we meet the high standards of delivery expected by our customers?

Florian: Maintaining high standards means continuous improvement and keeping on top of standard operating procedures (SOPs). This can involve carrying out preventative maintenance and turning around breakdowns as quickly as possible to achieve the right output. It means making sure that our operators are set up for success with the right training and support to ensure that standards are met.

Andrew: Agreed. It’s not just about hitting the numbers – we have to ensure that we are meeting the quality output expected by the client and ultimately, their customers. Each decision we make – whether to release and approve or rework an engine – must be justifiable and traceable.

With multiple variants coming off the line at the Shoreham facility, it’s really important that the team are up to speed with all the information they need to confidently make these decisions. Collaboration is key to driving the right outcomes.

Q: What do you enjoy most working at Ricardo?

Andrew: The product. What we make and supply goes into some of the world’s best cars. The people around you also make a big difference. Working with this team makes every day a good day at work.

Florian: No two days are the same with a variety of work that keeps it challenging. The people are a big part of it, as they support you whenever you need, and everyone finds time to help.

If you would like to learn more about Ricardo’s powertrain end-of-line capability, contact one of our experts to arrange an appointment.

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