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

[Buckeyejake]

I wish I had more people like you at my place of work. The Sales guys I work with do not have a clue regarding engineering and tell the customers anything.

I have to thank a former boss from over third years ago. He hired me to do sales for a custom plastic manufacturer. But, before I made one sales call I spent six months working in the tool shop and production floor to understand what was possible and not possible. It was fantastic training and has served me well in my lifetime.

 

[Karnaj]

I have to thank a former boss from over third years ago. He hired me to do sales for a custom plastic manufacturer. But, before I made one sales call I spent six months working in the tool shop and production floor to understand what was possible and not possible. It was fantastic training and has served me well in my lifetime.

All engineers should do this, even if just to get the practical understanding. As an electrician by trade sometimes i wonder what the hell these engineers are thinking. To be fair they are mostly the architectural type.

 

[bowers baldwin]

 

[Rickb]

That goes both ways. Engineers attempting to market or sell their product should have an understanding of what it takes to sell.

EM needs to get engineers engineering and marketers marketing. Paul and Jeff are engineers not sales mentalities. Jeff came across as an uncomfortable spokesperson and not particularly confident. It was not a positive interview in the critical funding/production cycle when EM needs the most confidence and credibility.

If EM doesn't have specific answers in an interview and the corporate support team has to answer follow up questions by saying Jeff may be alluding to.........the interview message creates more questions than answers about direction and actual progress.............and I'm confused enough as it is.

 

[Johnny Acree]

Anybody have to change a battery on a Chrysler, Sebring? Battery is under left fender in front of the tire. Book says 45 min. Took me 2 hr.! Now if I had been in a shop with a lift, maybe, but in a parking lot, with no way to remove the tire and corroded terminals,, NO!
To make matters even worse, I had the battery loose, but could not get it to wiggle out between the tire and fender.
I needed another tool so while I went to the box for the tool, The customer decides to "help" by turning the battery on its side! then somehow he popped the cap off. When I return, he informs me he doesn't know why, but it's leaking water. AGGGH! Now I have an acid spill to clean up before I can get the battery out!

I would really like to have heard the engineer explain why the battery had to be in such a place!

 

[Mel]

I would really like to have heard the engineer explain why the battery had to be in such a place!

To encourage you to "take it to the dealer!"

 

[bowers baldwin]

Anybody have to change a battery on a Chrysler, Sebring? Battery is under left fender in front of the tire. Book says 45 min. Took me 2 hr.! Now if I had been in a shop with a lift, maybe, but in a parking lot, with no way to remove the tire and corroded terminals,, NO!
To make matters even worse, I had the battery loose, but could not get it to wiggle out between the tire and fender.
I needed another tool so while I went to the box for the tool, The customer decides to "help" by turning the battery on its side! then somehow he popped the cap off. When I return, he informs me he doesn't know why, but it's leaking water. AGGGH! Now I have an acid spill to clean up before I can get the battery out!

I would really like to have heard the engineer explain why the battery had to be in such a place!

I feel your pain, I've had my share of 2 hour marker light replacement episodes... (Subaru & Nissan) why? you know how long it takes on a beetle? (1 screw) shorter then it took to post this message!

 

[outsydthebox]

....I think what Jeff may be alluding to is that we will produce Automatics one day and standards the following day.
Regards,
The Elio Team

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."

 

[W. WIllie]

Hopefully they are still trying to KISS.

 

[Ty]

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."

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.