Plant
Tour |
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Glaval’s Manufacturing
Facility with More than 300,000 Square Feet of Office and Production
Space.
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| Construction
begins here where 1-1/2" thick steel cages for the side and rear walls
are welded by certified welders. An 11-gauge double-angle beltline of steel
is attached to the sidewalls for seat frame attachments, all for extra durability
above and beyond! For the floors, more strength with 11 gauge 2" steel
tube cross members on the Universal and PrimeTime and 4" on the Concorde
and Apollo. Even the skirts and under-floor luggage compartments are steel-reinforced
for extra durability for the rough routes you experience. |
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| Steel-cage
frames then go to lamination where an exterior skin of galvanneal steel
covers the steel wall cages, now filled with solid-block 1-1/2" dense
foam, and an interior of vinyl-covered lauan covers the inside. |
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| Following
the vacuum lamination process on Glaval's custom-designed press, the side
walls are fastened to the floor using nuts and bolts instead of welding.
The floor is mounted to the chassis utilizing a continuous contact hat channel
following the chassis frame, while still utilizing factory mounting points
(Universal and PrimeTime), and the addition of 3-1/2 x 1" 11-gauge
channels for seat mounting and restraint (where applicable) installation. |
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| The
roof is then bolted to the walls and the rear wall is then added to complete
the steel cage framework. Following chassis prep and floor frame placement
with its overlay of 5/8" pressure treated marine grade plywood the
chassis moves down the line. |
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| Flooring with
cove shaped edges for ease of cleaning is then installed. Perimeter joints
are caulked and foam insulated for a tight seal; and powder-coated window
frames, rear bumper, galvanized steps and wheel wells are installed. Wiring - automotive grade throughout - is run through a channel on the roof / wall
radius, making access simple with the removal of a replaceable panel. All
electrical harnesses are pre-tested, color-coded and labeled. |
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| Next
is placement of the fiberglass front and rear caps. All fiberglass, wood
and plastic components are made by local companies for ultimate control
in quality, fit and delivery. |
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| Stainless
steel doors are placed in ABS-covered steel doorframes. All Glaval Bus windows
are AS2 tempered automotive glass including the large full-view curb window.
Automotive styling is used throughout each bus. The cab interior is ABS
plastic as are the injection molded door and latch on the interior electric
junction box. The box, located inside near the driver, makes easy to access
circuit breakers. Seating and special options are added as the bus moves
down the line. |
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| Round
rear taillights plus the standard rear-center brake light are added. All
Glaval buses feature flush-mounted front and rear marker lights. |
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| The
bus moves to the in-house insulation and undercoating station. |
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| Finally,
each bus reaches final fit and trim where all components are checked and
tested. Each bus goes through Glaval's water-testing, road testing, alignment
testing and/ or alignment to spec, and graphics are applied. |
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| After
a final cleaning, inside and out, the newest Glaval bus is on its way to
the customer for years of reliable service. |
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