THE MISSING LINK IN MIXED POWERTRAIN MANUFACTURING
CONTROLLING VARIABILITY FOR FLEXIBLE ICE-EV-HYBRID PRODUCTION.
operators and tools adjusting to different parts, structures and electrical systems as each vehicle or component is built.
This reflects a market still in transition, where manufacturers must support multiple powertrain types in parallel because demand has not settled around a single technology. As of May 2026, the“ battery electric car market share had crept up by just half a percentage point to 23.1 per cent”, still below the 33 per cent share required under the ZEV mandate, underlining the gap between regulatory targets and current demand.
This uncertainty extends beyond vehicle manufacturers. Tier suppliers must increasingly support multiple platforms, shorter programme cycles and changing specifications without compromising process control.
As automotive manufacturers respond to increasing volatility in demand, regulation and powertrain strategy, flexibility has moved from competitive advantage to operational requirement. Production systems are no longer being optimised solely for efficiency or volume stability, but for their ability to absorb uncertainty. Here, Josh Scanlon, Area Sales Manager at automotive assembly tools manufacturer Desoutter Tools, explains how connected fastening systems can help manufacturers maintain process control as production environments become increasingly complex.
Automotive manufacturing is undergoing its most significant change since the introduction of the original assembly line, as predictable multi-year cycles give way to shorter timelines and greater variation. This is most visible in the rise of mixed-model manufacturing: where ICE, hybrid and electric vehicles are built on shared or rapidly reconfigurable assembly lines.
A system of controlled variability
On today’ s assembly lines, the process is no longer identical from one vehicle to the next. ICE, hybrid and electric models pass down the same line, with
Where variability becomes risk
Nowhere is this shift more pronounced than in fastening operations. Fastening sits at the intersection of structural integrity, electrical safety and production execution. Its importance is heightened in electric and hybrid platforms, where it governs battery enclosures, high-voltage systems and lightweight structures. In mixed-model environments, fastening complexity increases significantly, since different vehicle variants require different torque specifications, tightening sequences and joint strategies.
Recent recalls have shown how even small deviations in fastening integrity can have significant consequences. In May 2026, Ford recalled almost 180,000 Ranger and Bronco vehicles after identifying that a front seat frame bolt could become loose or dislodged, reinforcing how critical accurate fastening and verification remain.
Fastening has become a point of process control where manufacturing variability is either contained or allowed to spread through the rest of the production system. For UK manufacturers operating in high-value, lower-volume environments, maintaining fastening quality while increasing production flexibility is therefore becoming a defining operational challenge.
38 MACHINERY, AUTOMATION, CONTROL & ENGINEERING