Case Marruá Roof – Agrale

Customer context

Agrale was seeking a solution for the roof of the Marruá vehicle, designed for severe use, especially in rural environments and irregular terrain, with high requirements for robustness, safety, durability and production efficiency.

State of the art

• The original roof was manufactured in fiberglass, presenting relevant technical and operational limitations:
• High weight (approx. 12 kg)
• Rigid material with low impact resistance, which could fracture and generate sharp edges
• Raw material with handling hazards, requiring strict use of appropriate PPE
• Constant noise generation on unpaved and irregular roads
• Complex assembly, requiring 6 operators
• Fragile fastening, with plastic caps and screws loosening during use
• Difficult insertion of the roof into the vehicle structure

Key challenges

• Significantly reduce weight
• Eliminate noise under severe operating conditions
• Increase material and assembly safety
• Improve ergonomics and line productivity
• Control development and tooling costs, typical of the automotive industry

Technical concept adopted

JOMO proposed a complete change in concept, replacing fiberglass with a solution based on polyester material with textile reinforcement, including recycled raw material, suitable for severe automotive applications.

Solution features

• Weight reduction from 12 kg to approximately 3.75 kg
• Assembly performed by only 2 operators
• Flexible structure, eliminating noise on irregular terrain
• High impact resistance, without structural rupture
• Does not fracture or generate sharp edges, even under severe impacts such as vehicle collisions
• Pre-molded recesses to facilitate screw positioning and fastening
• Thermo-fixable points to conceal fastening elements
• Compliance with applicable automotive standards, including:
• Flammability
• Absence of sharp edges
• Thermal stability

Applied engineering and validation

To ensure permanent silence and a stable finish, JOMO developed a system in which circular adhesive textile patches are applied over the screws, matching the surface color and preventing any movement throughout the vehicle’s service life.

To enable this process directly on the customer’s assembly line, JOMO designed and delivered a dedicated device with an exact diameter to Agrale, allowing precise, fast and repeatable application by the customer’s operators.

Another key differentiator was tooling engineering:
JOMO designed the thermoforming mold to serve both single-cab and double-cab versions, enabling dual use of the tooling, greater production flexibility and a significant reduction in development investment, a critical factor in the automotive industry.

Agrale also authorized the direct involvement of JOMO’s R&D team during the assembly of the first Marruá vehicles, enabling on-site validation and fine process adjustments.

To industrialize the solution, JOMO invested in:

• Dedicated presses
• Specific fixtures and jigs
• Cutting processes with dimensional control
• Aligned layer positioning systems
• Development of a special bonding process, suitable for mechanical and durability requirements

These investments ensured repeatability, productivity and industrial reliability.

JOMO structured the project to ensure production continuity, not just a one-time delivery.

The scope included:
• Detailed technical interpretation of customer requirements
• Design and construction of tooling and devices
• Definition of processes and procedures for each production stage
• Creation of fixtures and control points
• Systematic inspections at every production phase

This approach ensured quality standardization, production stability and supply reliability.

• Significant weight reduction
• Substantial improvements in safety and ergonomics
• Complete elimination of noise under severe operating conditions
• Faster and more efficient assembly
• Single tooling for both single and double cab versions
• Stable and scalable industrial process

A clear example of how JOMO operates from project understanding to industrial-scale production, with a focus on performance, safety and economic viability.