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work /
00:00.00, 2015
This project resulted from an unprecedented, 18-month long artistic collaboration with the BMW Group and surveys the fabrication, tooling and assembly of the modern era automobile vehicle. The project focuses solely on BMW’s plant and R&D centers in and around Munich (Germany). However, these images also look beyond the mere referent, representing therefore a point of resistance.
Conceived around the simple premise of ‘slowing down time’, this project undertakes an examination and articulation of the world of flux and flow that we live in, a world defined, haunted and consumed by mobility and transience. Symptomatically titled 00:00.00, this series was produced with long exposures of 5 – 45mins. Photographing with prolonged exposures in a fast moving environment represented a significant challenge, thus requiring a great deal of coordination and logistical support from BMW.
All the images were therefore produced during scheduled/unscheduled production breaks.
00:00.00 represents the final phase of an overarching project that has engaged with environments as varied as hydropwer plants (The Time Machine, 2012) and space facilities (The Poetic Impossibility to Manage the Infinite, 2014) and whose main goal has been to examine and re-evaluate our relationship with technology and industry and its impact on our social and cultural consciousness.
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Aschheim crash test centre (Germany).This is one of two crash test centres belonging to the BMW Group, located in Aschheim, north of Munich, specialized in rollover manoeuvres.
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Wind tunnel test centre, BMW Group Research & Innovation Centre (FIZ) Munich (Germany). This section of the wind tunnel is where the air is redirected from the large turbine to the test area.The wind tunnel test centre recreates the naturally occurring flow pattern of the air when a vehicle is in motion.Tests are carried out on regular series cars, actual-size prototypes and small-size models.
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Paint shop, BMW Group Plant Munich (Germany). A white-painted car body exits one of numerous ovens in which the paint is dried and baked.The ovens operate at approximately 140oC.
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Body shop, BMW Group Plant Munich (Germany). Quality check section where two car bodies await surface, gap and functionality testing.
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Body shop, BMW Group Plant Munich (Germany). Quality check section where two car bodies await surface, gap and functionality testing.
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Wind tunnel test centre, BMW Group Research & Innovation Centre (FIZ) Munich (Germany). Central test area of the large wind tunnel. At the FIZ Aerolab a maximum wind speed of 174 mph can be reached.
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Wind tunnel test centre, BMW Group Research & Innovation Centre (FIZ) Munich (Germany). Section of the wind tunnel where the air is redirected from the turbine in the direction of the test area.
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Wind tunnel test centre, BMW Group Research & Innovation Centre (FIZ) Munich (Germany). Section of the wind tunnel where the air is redirected from the turbine in the direction of the test area.
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Wind tunnel test centre, BMW Group Research & Innovation Centre (FIZ) Munich (Germany). This comprises one of the smaller wind tunnels at the FIZ.
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Assembly line, BMW Group Plant Munich (Germany).This is where car front-end modules enter the production area, and where they are assembled and fitted onto the car body.
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Paint shop, BMW Group Plant Munich (Germany). This is where the air ventilation systems, dryer pipes and electric motors are located.
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Paint shop, BMW Group Plant Munich (Germany). This is where the air ventilation systems, dryer pipes and electric motors are located.
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Paint shop, BMW Group Plant Munich (Germany). View of an empty paint line leading to an oven where the car paint is dried and a new coat is applied.
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Paint shop, BMW Group Plant Munich (Germany). On this line the painted car bodies undergo a precise visual and manual inspection, with highly qualified technicians verifying the paint layers for any imperfections such as paint bubbles or scratches.
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Wind tunnel test centre, BMW Group Research & Innovation Centre (FIZ) Munich (Germany). Side room where regular series cars, actual-size prototypes and small-size models are stored and prepared for upcoming wind tunnel tests.
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Press shop, BMW Group Plant Munich (Germany). Around 250 tonnes of steel are formed into car body sheet metal components daily, totalling 200000 parts per day. Steel coils are delivered into the press shop daily and processed by three press lines. Via underground transportation lines the formed sheet metal components are transferred to the body-in-white shop, where the various metal body parts are welded into a complete chassis. Dies for the forming processes, weighing up to 40 tonnes each, can be seen in the foreground.
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Body shop, BMW Group Plant Munich (Germany). Within this section of the body shop doors are mounted onto the car bodies.
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Body shop, BMW Group Plant Munich (Germany). Within this section of the body shop doors are mounted onto the car bodies.
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Paint shop, BMW Group Plant Munich (Germany).This is one of several lines where both automated paint robots and technicians paint all surfaces of a car body.
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Crash test centre, BMW Group Research & Innovation Centre (FIZ) Munich (Germany).The crash test area situated within the FIZ is the BMW Group’s latest test centre. Child, pedestrian and passenger protection, frontal impact, car to car impact and pole side impact are some examples of the tests which can be carried out at this facility. The recording of the crash tests requires very well lit areas. It takes several days to set up a car crash test scenario, which is often recorded with numerous high-speed cameras from a myriad of angles.
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Crash test centre, BMW Group Research & Innovation Centre (FIZ) Munich (Germany).The crash test area situated within the FIZ is the BMW Group’s latest test centre. Child, pedestrian and passenger protection, frontal impact, car to car impact and pole side impact are some examples of the tests which can be carried out at this facility. The recording of the crash tests requires very well lit areas. It takes several days to set up a car crash test scenario, which is often recorded with numerous high-speed cameras from a myriad of angles.
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Paint shop, BMW Group Plant Munich (Germany). Painted body storage. After the paint process, painted car bodies are stored in this automated storage area. A remote transport system brings car bodies in and out of this storage area according to planned production.
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Assembly line, BMW Group Plant Munich (Germany).This mechanism is called the “tilting suspension belt”, as the carrier can turn the car body up to a 90° angle, as shown on the right.This allows an ergonomic position for the technicians working in this section, where brake lines, the gas tank and other parts of the car’s underbody are assembled.
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Assembly line, BMW Group Plant Munich (Germany).This mechanism is called the “tilting suspension belt”, as the carrier can turn the car body up to a 90° angle, as shown on the right.This allows an ergonomic position for the technicians working in this section, where brake lines, the gas tank and other parts of the car’s underbody are assembled.
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Body shop, BMW Group Plant Munich (Germany). In this finishing line, the surface of the complete car chassis is checked under specialist lighting before the vehicle is hand over to the paint shop.
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Operational stability test centre, BMW Group Research & Innovation Centre (FIZ) Munich (Germany). During operational stability tests the reliability and safety of the materials of an automobile are verified. Fatigue testing of all types of components and complete car bodies offers the opportunity to evaluate variations in construction, technology and materials. Some of these tests are performed under climate controlled conditions, inside a climate-tent.
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Shaker test, operational stability test centre, BMW Group Research & Innovation Centre (FIZ) Munich (Germany). During operational stability tests the reliability and safety of the materials of an automobile are verified. Fatigue testing of all types of components and complete car bodies offers the opportunity to evaluate variations in construction, technology and materials.
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Paint shop, BMW Group Plant Munich (Germany). On this line the painted car bodies undergo a precise visual and manual inspection, with highly qualified technicians verifying the paint layers for any imperfections such as paint bubbles or scratches.
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Paint shop, BMW Group Plant Munich (Germany). On this line the painted car bodies undergo a precise visual and manual inspection, with highly qualified technicians verifying the paint layers for any imperfections such as paint bubbles or scratches.
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Paint shop, BMW Group Plant Munich (Germany). In this hallway computer screens show the status of the paint lines and paint robots. As this corridor provides direct access to the paint lines it is a clean-room area with floodgate access and requiring cleanroom wear.
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Crash test centre, BMW Group Research & Innovation Centre (FIZ) Munich (Germany). Storage area for the crash test dummies. Each crash test dummy has its ID tag attached, showing details such as weight, configuration of test sensors, calibration status and test history.The weight of a crash test dummy can vary between 54 and 106 kg and the total amount of sensors installed can fluctuate between 20 and 120.
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Crash test centre, BMW Group Research & Innovation Centre (FIZ) Munich (Germany). Storage area for the crash test dummies. Each crash test dummy has its ID tag attached, showing details such as weight, configuration of test sensors, calibration status and test history.The weight of a crash test dummy can vary between 54 and 106 kg and the total amount of sensors installed can fluctuate between 20 and 120.
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Press shop, BMW Group Plant Munich (Germany). These tools and dies are used in press installations to hold up individual car parts within the presses.
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Paint shop, BMW Group Plant Munich (Germany). On this line, robots covered in blue cloth apply a spray coating to protect the underbodies from road debris, scratches and rust.
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Paint shop, BMW Group Plant Munich (Germany). On this line, robots covered in blue cloth apply a spray coating to protect the underbodies from road debris, scratches and rust.
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Assembly line, BMW Group Plant Munich (Germany).This is where car front-end modules are completed. Lights, air intakes, kidney grilles and other components are fixed and adjusted on front-end modules.
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Assembly line, BMW Group Plant Munich (Germany).This is where car front-end modules are completed. Lights, air intakes, kidney grilles and other components are fixed and adjusted on front-end modules.
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IT Centre (ITZ), BMW Group Munich (Germany). In this building is where all IT departments are grouped together.The aisles of the four-storey building are approximately 400 metres long and are oriented East-West.West view.
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IT Centre (ITZ), BMW Group Munich (Germany). In this building is where all IT departments are grouped together.The aisles of the four-storey building are approximately 400 metres long and are oriented East-West.
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Assembly line, BMW Group Plant Munich (Germany). On this line front-end and rear tailgate parts are assembled onto the car. During production one car set follows the other.
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Aschheim crash test centre (Germany).This is one of two crash test centres belonging to the BMW Group, located in Aschheim, north of Munich.The guiding line for the crash test sleigh runs through the middle of the image.
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EMC Electromagnetic Compatibility test centre, BMW Group Research & Innovation Centre (FIZ) Munich (Germany).The electric components of a vehicle are tested in the EMC test centre.The accurate functioning of automotive electronic components has to be verified in an EMC chamber as radiation from everyday sources can influence the car’s functionality.
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BMW Group Plant Munich (Germany).Visitor pathway for plant tours.This barrier-free path was created in order to guide 100000 visitors through the plant every year without interfering with the site’s daily logistics and production traffic.This section of the pathway is located within the paint shop.
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Apprenticeship training facility, BMW Group Plant Munich (Germany).Technical training area for mechatronics and a variety of other automotive technical training disciplines.
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Apprenticeship training facility, BMW Group Plant Munich (Germany).Technical training area for mechatronics and a variety of other automotive technical training disciplines.
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Paint shop, BMW Group Plant Munich (Germany). View of an empty paint line running between the base paint and underbody protection areas.
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Paint shop, BMW Group Plant Munich (Germany). Carbon fibre roof assembly station. Some BMW car models have lightweight carbon fibre roofs, which can be assembled on demand.The car body is painted without the roof, which is then glued to the painted body on this station.
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Paint shop, BMW Group Plant Munich (Germany). Carbon fibre roof assembly station. Some BMW car models have lightweight carbon fibre roofs, which can be assembled on demand.The car body is painted without the roof, which is then glued to the painted body on this station.
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EMC Electromagnetic Compatibility test centre, BMW Group Research & Innovation Centre (FIZ) Munich (Germany).The electric components of a vehicle are tested in the EMC test centre.The accurate functioning of automotive electronic components has to be verified in an EMC chamber as radiation from everyday sources can influence the car’s functionality.
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Research battery technology area, BMW Group Plant Munich (Germany). Storage room for cell contact system, cables and sensors.
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Tools and dies facility, BMW Group Plant Munich (Germany).View of a stamping system. Stamping systems with their tools give metal sheets the design and form of BMW and MINI car bodies.
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Paint shop, BMW Group Plant Munich (Germany). On this line the painted car bodies undergo a precise visual and manual inspection, with highly qualified technicians verifying the paint layers for any imperfections such as paint bubbles or scratches.
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Paint shop, BMW Group Plant Munich (Germany). On this line the painted car bodies undergo a precise visual and manual inspection, with highly qualified technicians verifying the paint layers for any imperfections such as paint bubbles or scratches.
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Crash test centre, BMW Group Research & Innovation Centre (FIZ) Munich (Germany). Laboratory for preparation and analysis of the crash test dummies and their sensors. Before the start of a crash test, the dummies’ sensors need to be calibrated and tested for functionality. After the crash tests the data is analysed and the dummies refitted for further tests.
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Crash test centre, BMW Group Research & Innovation Centre (FIZ) Munich (Germany). Laboratory for preparation and analysis of the crash test dummies and their sensors. Before the start of a crash test, the dummies’ sensors need to be calibrated and tested for functionality. After the crash tests the data is analysed and the dummies refitted for further tests.
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Aschheim crash test centre (Germany).This is one of two crash test centres belonging to the BMW Group, located in Aschheim, north of Munich, specialized in rollover manoeuvres/tests.