[bobg1951chevy]

For those who have never been to a "high tech" auto assembly plant, such as the new one in Lansing, there is a program you will enjoy ....seeing, first hand, the amazement of the auto assembly process. The percentage of rototics involved in the assembly process is high, a trip into high tech assembly you will not soon forget.

The program is "Ultimate Factories" which is now being aired on the "National Geographic Channel". There are three factories being visited, the one I saw was the 2010 Camaro assembly plant in Ontario.

The technology is amazing, the attention to assembly detail is amazing ..... it is a program well worth the time to watch ( one hour ) and will excite the members, even more, who are planning the Lansing trip.

I was at Spring Hill, trust me, it's not how you would think of a "factory".

Bob

 

[andylibby]

Bob - I won't be one of the Lansing attendees, just one of the jealous ones who can't make it this year. I have had the pleasure of touring three different auto assembly plants and have seen the differences time and automation have made.

I visited the GM light truck plant in Moraine, OH (now closed) on several occasions. I also was able to tour the Opel plant in Russelheim during one trip to Germany and the Audi plant in Ingolstodt on a later trip. The level of automation was something to behold in all these plants, but was at its highest degree in the Audi plant. I trust that the Lansing plant is on par with Germay's finest.

I recorded all three of the Nat Geo "Ultimate Factory" car assembly episodes you mentioned, but haven' t found the time to screen them yet.

 

[09Enclave]

Just watched the Camaro episode, awesome stuff! That's very similar to the technology at the Delta Plant. They have those guided platforms that carry the chassis as well. Nice to see the steel and paint process. That won't be part of the Delta Plant tour, by obvious reasons, they don't tour anyone thru there since it's so sensitive to particles getting in the paint, etc. Also, engines are already built and shipped there, so won't see any engines being built, just being put into the new vehicles. General assembly is were the tour begins at the Delta plant, after paint is applied. Still awesome stuff. All those doubting the water test, they show this on the TV show, on the Camaro episode. All Lambda's go thru this as well. You know it's water tight when it leaves the factory. Anything that happens after that is hard to test for.

Thanks so much, Bob, for putting this on here....I really enjoyed watching that episode....Corvette is on now, and I'll try and catch any other ones that come along.

If they have any other shows similar to this, let us know.

 

[bobg1951chevy]

Just watched the Camaro episode, awesome stuff! That's very similar to the technology at the Delta Plant. They have those guided platforms that carry the chassis as well. Nice to see the steel and paint process. That won't be part of the Delta Plant tour, by obvious reasons, they don't tour anyone thru there since it's so sensitive to particles getting in the paint, etc. Also, engines are already built and shipped there, so won't see any engines being built, just being put into the new vehicles. General assembly is were the tour begins at the Delta plant, after paint is applied. Still awesome stuff. All those doubting the water test, they show this on the TV show, on the Camaro episode. All Lambda's go thru this as well. You know it's water tight when it leaves the factory. Anything that happens after that is hard to test for.

Thanks so much, Bob, for putting this on here....I really enjoyed watching that episode....Corvette is on now, and I'll try and catch any other ones that come along.



If they have any other shows similar to this, let us know.

I thought it was worth mentioning, the caliber of assembly and automation has to make a GM owner feel like he got something of value for his investment.

Bob

 

[andylibby]

I recorded all three "Factory" episodes and have now watched all three.

I have to say the level of automation was easily the greatest at the Canadian Camaro plant, clearly second at the Kentucky Corvette plant and—surprisingly—a very distant third at the Porsche 911 digs in Stuttgart.

 

[Narg]

Here's the Corvette one:

Ultimate Corvette

I couldn't find the others...

EDIT, found the Camaro one:

http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/ultimate-factories/4904/Videos/07359_00#tab-Videos/07359_00

 

[Guest]

Nice Corvette video :thumb:

 

[VB - LTZ]

:thumb: Excellent Video man I love those Corvettes and the Z06 it the top of the line.

8) Steve

 

[andylibby]

For those who have never been to a "high tech" auto assembly plant, such as the new one in Lansing, there is a program you will enjoy ....seeing, first hand, the amazement of the auto assembly process. The percentage of robotics involved in the assembly process is high, a trip into high tech assembly you will not soon forget.

In the Porsche Ultimate Factory episode, they make a point to mention that the only robot used in the final assembly of a 911 is the machine that installs the windshield. There is something positive to be said about a hand-built car, but, in this day and age, there's even more positive to be said about robotic accuracy, efficiencies, and cost savings.

Not to get on a soap box, but with the UAW (the union, not its members) and the government going out of their way to jack up the costs of our cars, finding ways to build them better and cheaper wherever possible is a very good thing.