WOW, RKing. Thanks for all of that wonderful, and MUCH needed insight into the production of an automobile motor: IT was MUCH needed and I'm sure, GREATLY appreciated by all of us on this forum!
You shared with us MORE in that one post, and gave us MORE renewed faith than we have gotten from the last 6 months of "Weekly EM Blogs!"
Paul Elio should ask YOU to run his PR Department. . . . . . . , at least say, "thank you," for a job well done!
(Guys; now that's what is known in the "shrink world" as a 'Warm Fuzzy' NOT a 'Cold Prickly.")
Please keep up the fine work, RKing.
-
Welcome to Elio Owners! Join today, registration is easy!
You can register using your Google, Facebook, or Twitter account, just click here.
250,000 Units Per Year ?
- Thread starter EZ
- Start date
Music Man
Elio Addict
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2014
- Messages
- 1,090
- Reaction score
- 2,941
WOW, Craig! That's hitting the old nail, square on the head. . . . . . And with lightening speed too!!! Congratulations to you, my friend!Could not find one with 250,000, but I did find this.
Toyota Prius 2012 model year
Good post.No problem to make lots of an item, just size the production facility approiately. Big issue is selling those, and I don't think that will be an issue. Just look at the diverse roup on this forum. We all find it apealing for many different reasons. The most telling is cost vs ANYTHING else and MPG vs ANYTHING else indipendent of price. There is no competition! And notice the 250000 units are built in 2 shifts on the same equipment. A good engineer plans for contigency, low sales = 1 shift, sales meet projections=2 shifts (as stated) and GREAT sales = add a 3rd shift(or work overtime).
I have experienced an engine development program. I am fairly certain that the castings shown are far from the only castings. Casting development takes several(to MANY) interations of cast it then machine it and measure it. That is done in private because the first few times don't go as expected, thats "development". Wall thicknesses need to be confirmed, passages verified, ect. The engine will have run many hours and interations on a dyno/hot test BEFORE anyone in the general public is informed that "the engine is ready" Quit worrying about it, when it's ready he'll unveil it! They are not going to show us the engine until it is proven. How would folks react if they said "hey we got an engine ready for dyno testing" and it failed at 5 hours???? (thats not unusual) That is exactly what has to be avoided. Nothing works perfectly first try, I am sure ,from past experience, that there have been many castings machined and assembled. When the final rendetion is validated we will hear and NOT before. Lots of concurrent development going on, this is not like building a gocart in the garage where you have to do everything in sequence all by your lonesome.
By the way, we build 1000 automobile engines, from casting to ready to hang a trans on, in one 8 hr shift, no big deal
Don't forget a second plant.
The biggest fear for EM at this time is not being able to fill the fleet orders and keep single sales from getting behind.
I know it's an old post, but this is the first time I have seen it.WOW, Craig! That's hitting the old nail, square on the head. . . . . . And with lightening speed too!!! Congratulations to you, my friend!
Music Man
Elio Addict
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2014
- Messages
- 1,090
- Reaction score
- 2,941
No Man. Old post or not: I LOVED your response to his note. You really slammed it out of the park, my friend!!!
Truett Collins
Elio Addict
While driving the Oregon I encountered many Toyota Prius' most with Code Pink ot Save the Planet bumper stickers. Apparently, they don't go fast or the drivers don't know how to drive. I look forward to the day I can fly past them in my much more efficient 84 MPG Elio.Could not find one with 250,000, but I did find this.
Toyota Prius 2012 model year
RKing
Elio Addict
I have refrained from posting some of that due to concern (very real) that a casual statement taken out of context, could be very harmful to their ability to to stay focused on the task at hand. that is why they do not release info on an ongoing basis. I have no idea of the actual milestones on the launch plan, nor any idea where they are in the actual development phase of the engine. What I do know is that they are not going to release info on the "stages" of development. That could cause lots of time spent refuting rumors caused by those casual coments taken out of context. Just think of the kids game of "telephone". I think they are doing great with the openness being shown.
The engine has to "live" their specified time on the dyno, not just one engine ,but enough to give a 95% statistical certanity that they ALL will last that long. That kind of validation has to be done on each component, then on each system consisting of those components . Then on and on until you have a complete Elio! That is the brilliance of using as many "established" components and syatems as possiable. The development and testing has been done an there is a track record. All Elio has to validate is the integration of those proven systems with the few "custom" systems (ELIO Specific) Still lots of work, but definately reduced. This work cannot be done "in public", the pontencial customers do not understand what surprises tolerance stack, and component variation (within spec), and Lord only knows what else, can cause. The computer moeling helps a lot, but ultimately is a simulation dependant on the validity of the formulas and DATA. During the development interations the computer model is refined with better data giving beter projections.
On workforce, Just a guess , but I would say very few currently employed. Elio has parterned with companies (known track record) to do the development on individual systems. This keeps him from having to pay powertrain design engineers AFTER the powertrain is designed. He has experts in their field, doesn't need them on his payroll. He effectively has a HUGE engineering workforce when he needs them and not when he dosen't.The assembly workforce will be hired incrementally. There is no need to have a workforce on the payroll cable of doing even 100 a day until a few weeks before they are needed to produce the 100/day. THe first hired (I saw in June 2015 I think) will be the team leaders and "techs" that will train the next and subsequent groups, all while refining and improving the assb process. That way , a worker learns THE way it will be built ,and only a few have to experience the inevitable process changes during pre production.
Have confidence, we have already put our money down on a dream. Trust him to be able to bring it to life. We need to be supportive, our comments and expressions are shaping the perception of the business. That effects sales, sales affect funding. If you were thinking of investing and the entire first year production is pre sold, I think that would have a bearing on your decision. I don't want things "candy coated", can't stand that . I will be in the lead to "call them out" if they screw up, but I will accept that things are under control until proven otherwise. That is best for their business and is all we can do to "help".
I suspect many people have found this forum, and are lurking to see if they may want to get involved. The more that do , the stronger his case for funding is. Sorry to be so long, but maybe some useful thoughts, or not
The engine has to "live" their specified time on the dyno, not just one engine ,but enough to give a 95% statistical certanity that they ALL will last that long. That kind of validation has to be done on each component, then on each system consisting of those components . Then on and on until you have a complete Elio! That is the brilliance of using as many "established" components and syatems as possiable. The development and testing has been done an there is a track record. All Elio has to validate is the integration of those proven systems with the few "custom" systems (ELIO Specific) Still lots of work, but definately reduced. This work cannot be done "in public", the pontencial customers do not understand what surprises tolerance stack, and component variation (within spec), and Lord only knows what else, can cause. The computer moeling helps a lot, but ultimately is a simulation dependant on the validity of the formulas and DATA. During the development interations the computer model is refined with better data giving beter projections.
On workforce, Just a guess , but I would say very few currently employed. Elio has parterned with companies (known track record) to do the development on individual systems. This keeps him from having to pay powertrain design engineers AFTER the powertrain is designed. He has experts in their field, doesn't need them on his payroll. He effectively has a HUGE engineering workforce when he needs them and not when he dosen't.The assembly workforce will be hired incrementally. There is no need to have a workforce on the payroll cable of doing even 100 a day until a few weeks before they are needed to produce the 100/day. THe first hired (I saw in June 2015 I think) will be the team leaders and "techs" that will train the next and subsequent groups, all while refining and improving the assb process. That way , a worker learns THE way it will be built ,and only a few have to experience the inevitable process changes during pre production.
Have confidence, we have already put our money down on a dream. Trust him to be able to bring it to life. We need to be supportive, our comments and expressions are shaping the perception of the business. That effects sales, sales affect funding. If you were thinking of investing and the entire first year production is pre sold, I think that would have a bearing on your decision. I don't want things "candy coated", can't stand that . I will be in the lead to "call them out" if they screw up, but I will accept that things are under control until proven otherwise. That is best for their business and is all we can do to "help".
I suspect many people have found this forum, and are lurking to see if they may want to get involved. The more that do , the stronger his case for funding is. Sorry to be so long, but maybe some useful thoughts, or not