Usually, when automakers need to tighten several bolts in an engine assembly, they use multiple fastening spindles mounted in a "hard-tooled" automatic system. Engineers at Ford found a better way.
On applications such as the cam cover for Ford’s V-8 engine, this can require as many as 27 spindles at a cost of approximately $15,000 per spindle. The spindles are arranged to match the fastener pattern of the component being assembled. Because each run-down station is dedicated to a specific engine, additional stations are required on the assembly line to accommodate different engines. The total cost of a hard-tooled, multispindle fastening station ranges from $525,000 to $700,000, depending on the engine application and number of fasteners involved.