Jeff Johnson Interview - Autoline After Hours #347 - 9/16/16

[outsydthebox]

No, it won't. The same station that puts in the manual, puts in the AMT. Plus, that's totally dumb, industrial engineering-wise. It just makes absolutely no sense. They'll make them in the order that people reserved them.
Here's how it works (at that plant, anyway)

Frame approaches transmission station. Person (or persons at some stations) uses bar code reader to identify transmission type. Person uses same Bar code reader to read transmission code. Person uses assist-lift to pull transmission from rack to place into car. Person assembles transmission to car (usually just a couple of bolts and they may actually have a helper who assembles transmission lines and cabling. The bar code reader won't give them the fun green light unless it's the right transmission for the right car. This also assembles a record of which pieces go into which car in case there is a recall or update.

The same station installs either type of transmission. GM had 17 cross-body harnesses... same teams installed every one of them. They didn't install only one per day. That just... no... not at all... no.

Wow! I had no idea how many unnecessary steps will be "simplified" or eliminated by this change.
I have a lot of respect for your knowledge of the Shreveport facility, and I am sure your memories of "how it used to be done" are accurate. However, EM (if my memory serves me) was going to model their production on "two transmissions and 7 colors"...similar to European methods. Every other "variation" will be done AFTER assembly line.

Side note:
If anyone is expecting their Elio's "VIN" number to perfectly match their "SIL" you will be disappointed.

 

[Jeff H]

I put my money on Ty. Making all MTs one day and all AMTs the next would result in 50/50 split of trannys, which as other have pointed out, not the normal distribution for Manual/Auto in the market in general. At a 10/90 split, you'd have one day of MTs for every 9 of Autos. I would guess that in out little group of 65,000 that percentage of MTs will be higher than normal, but I wouldn't assume that once they go into market production.

 

[RonnieB]

No, it won't. The same station that puts in the manual, puts in the AMT. Plus, that's totally dumb, industrial engineering-wise. It just makes absolutely no sense. They'll make them in the order that people reserved them.
Here's how it works (at that plant, anyway)

Frame approaches transmission station. Person (or persons at some stations) uses bar code reader to identify transmission type. Person uses same Bar code reader to read transmission code. Person uses assist-lift to pull transmission from rack to place into car. Person assembles transmission to car (usually just a couple of bolts and they may actually have a helper who assembles transmission lines and cabling. The bar code reader won't give them the fun green light unless it's the right transmission for the right car. This also assembles a record of which pieces go into which car in case there is a recall or update.

The same station installs either type of transmission. GM had 17 cross-body harnesses... same teams installed every one of them. They didn't install only one per day. That just... no... not at all... no.

I have to agree with Ty on this one. I have been in many North American Assembly plants and this is how it works.

 

[slinches]

I don't recall. Does the plant have 7 parallel paint lines to accommodate all of the different colors on the same day or will there be a need for batch runs on that basis?

 

[RonnieB]

I don't recall. Does the plant have 7 parallel paint lines to accommodate all of the different colors on the same day or will there be a need for batch runs on that basis?

Good question.....anyone know?

 

[Ekh]

Thanks Wiz!
This answers the question perfectly, AND makes sense! Doing Autos and manuals on different days (seperate production runs) will completely eliminate 1 assembly line station!
I continue to be impressed by EM's "simple solutions."

That may be what Elio is doing -- but it sure as heck isn't what Jeff SAID they were doing. That guy may a heck of an engineer, but he has no business giving interviews.

 

[Ekh]

I don't recall. Does the plant have 7 parallel paint lines to accommodate all of the different colors on the same day or will there be a need for batch runs on that basis?

I believe they do have parallel paint bays; I'm trying to remember how many, and I think it's actually 8, which would allow for custom runs or (gasp) the unmentionable heliotrope color (as in sunshine).

 

[Trusting]

I'm a sales engineer. Trained and educated as an engineer and have been in the sales of custom engineered items for the last 30 years. Where do I fit in?

You're the exception that proves the rule....

 

[wizard of ahs]

No, it won't. The same station that puts in the manual, puts in the AMT. Plus, that's totally dumb, industrial engineering-wise. It just makes absolutely no sense. They'll make them in the order that people reserved them.
Here's how it works (at that plant, anyway)

Frame approaches transmission station. Person (or persons at some stations) uses bar code reader to identify transmission type. Person uses same Bar code reader to read transmission code. Person uses assist-lift to pull transmission from rack to place into car. Person assembles transmission to car (usually just a couple of bolts and they may actually have a helper who assembles transmission lines and cabling. The bar code reader won't give them the fun green light unless it's the right transmission for the right car. This also assembles a record of which pieces go into which car in case there is a recall or update.

The same station installs either type of transmission. GM had 17 cross-body harnesses... same teams installed every one of them. They didn't install only one per day. That just... no... not at all... no.

I have to agree with Ty on this one. I have been in many North American Assembly plants and this is how it works.

Thanks guys.,. it's good to hear from people who have "been there, done that" !

 

[outsydthebox]

I put my money on Ty. Making all MTs one day and all AMTs the next would result in 50/50 split of trannys, which as other have pointed out, not the normal distribution for Manual/Auto in the market in general. At a 10/90 split, you'd have one day of MTs for every 9 of Autos. I would guess that in out little group of 65,000 that percentage of MTs will be higher than normal, but I wouldn't assume that once they go into market production.

I knew I was opening a can of worms. No one said they would make the "production runs" an "even 50/50 split. Wiz already got clarification from EM on the subject.....
What everyone here needs to remember is, Nothing said is "set in stone". EVERYTHING is subject to change.

The Elio itself is nothing more than a "concept" that is soon to be a reality. NOT because EM had ALL of the right answers from "day one" but because EM has, from the beginning, been adaptable to changing circumstances.