Over 50 years of tradition
A partner and supplier for Dacia GROUP RENAULT since the 70s, ELBA is nowadays the national supplier for the entire automotive industry in Romania.
In 1952, ELBA successfully launched the production of the first headlights and lamps for tractors and trucks. Subsequently, between 1956 and 1970, ELBA started producing the first vehicle headlights and lamps designed for Dacia.
Starting with 1976, all ELBA products designed for the automotive industry started carrying the E19 European mark. ELBA has been the lighting producer for the whole range of models subsequently developed in partnership with Automobile Dacia, as well as for other types of vehicles. In 2003 and 2004, an ample investment programme was carried out with the purpose of aligning the production technology of the lighting devices (headlights and lamps) to the requirements of the vehicle producer DACIA Group Renault.
In November 2004, the Automotive Factory has completed the certification of the quality management system in accordance with ISO/TS 16949 (a standard specific for the production processes from the automotive industry), in addition to the management system certification done in accordance with the ISO 9001 standard, which shows our commitment to continual improvement.
Automotive production that meets the industry’s high standards for quality
ELBA’s vast experience in the automotive industry led to a considerable specialised know-how. Currently, due to important investments in technology, ELBA is fully aligned to the automotive industry’s demands. The new automotive production site is almost 19.000 ms wide and is specialised in the production of vehicle headlights and rear lamps. The design and organisation of the new production site meet the requirements of ISO TS 16949.
Research and development
Our in house Research and Development department covers all the design and concept development activities. These meet the standards of the APQP procedures, based on the concept of project management. The employees are continously trained, and have modern methods of design at their disposal. Project development is done in accordance with the ISO/TS 16949 standard and the in-advance planning procedure of the quality of our products.
Software and IT tools:
- Hardware: graphic stations, PC for 3D & 2D design
- Software: CATIA V5, ProEngineer, AUTOCAD, MAYA – Rendering
- Lighting simulations with SPEOS and Lucidshape, rheological simulations with
- MoldFlow Insight, thermal simulations – in cooperation with service suppliers (P + Z
- Engineering Germany, IAV Germany)
- Secure data transmission via: FTP Odette protocol (supplier – Numlog France); KVS
Competencies – end to end development:
- Project management
- Optical design / simulation
- 3D design
- Prototype development and thermal analysis
- Rheological analysis
- Partnerships with third party companies for technological innovations
Production and technologies
The production and technologies we employ focus on replacing the outdated, conventional lighting with modern and efficient products. The implementation of the production processes follows the current industrial trends.
The main production technologies:
- Molding injection
- Varnishing
- Aluminisation
- Assembly
Leading technology for automotive lighting:
- 3K injection
- System for headlight lens varnishing
- Automatic line for headlights welding / assembly
Technological novelties:
- Centralised granules supply for the injection machines
- Operational automatisation of the injection machines
- Headlights varnishing with spraying & flow-coating
- Assembly through welding technologies based on vibrations and ultrasounds
- Modern solutions for interoperational storage, packaging and shipment of the final products
Equipment:
- Centralised granules supply systems for the injection machines
- Injection machines (monocoloured, bicoloured, tricoloured, BMC, with a closing force between 50tf and 1000tf)
- Varnishing systems with spraying
- Varnishing systems with flow-coating
- Aluminisation systems
- Automatic lines for headlight pasting