NUMMI is the joint GM/Toyota venture in Fremont Calif. Neat place, tours are free but you should make a reservation.
www.nummi.com
I also toured Toyota Logistics which distributes the toyota vehicles from NUMMI and also installs "dealer options" like spoilers, trailer hitches, TRD parts...
Interesting NUMMI facts:
It is a UAW plant and it turns a profit.
GM was unable to make a profit for 20 years in the same plant with the same union workers, Toyota was profiting by year 2 (1986).
They build Tacoma, Corolla, and Pontiac Vibe. Interestingly the Matrix is made in Canada.
a car rolls off the line every 54 seconds, was 1000 per day, now about 800.
The car line is mixed between corollas and vibes one after another including body welding, suspension assembly, paint etc.
a tacoma rolls off the truck line every 2 minutes, was 400 per day, now about 300.
In the plant they have a 4 hour inventory of parts, that includes parts at the assembly location and on the storage shelves. Parts are delivered constantly and they have about 2 days worth of parts sitting in trailers.
The parts and body panels I saw being made at noon today are now complete vehicles and probably on a truck or train right now.
Bodies are stamped in house from US made steel. all bodies stamped in one day are used in one day.
the rumor that anyone can stop the line (andon and jidoka in toyota speak) is true. When the cord is pulled they have 3 mins to fix the problem before the line stops. The cord is pulled over 1000 times per day! they do not pass defects beyond the spot where it was discovered. I saw at least 10 spots where the cord was pulled. (it plays music and a light illuminates)
Within 24 hours and often within 8 hours every vehicle built that day has left toyota logistics on a truck or train. that's over 1400 vehicles in 24 hours.
They are slowing down. They do not lay people off. employees have 3 options: come to work and do training or community service for full pay, use paid vacation time, stay home and not get paid but your position is reserved for you.
really interesting tour but very quick. not much time is spent in any one area so you don't get much time to watch robots or people work. lots of robots.
www.nummi.com
I also toured Toyota Logistics which distributes the toyota vehicles from NUMMI and also installs "dealer options" like spoilers, trailer hitches, TRD parts...
Interesting NUMMI facts:
It is a UAW plant and it turns a profit.
GM was unable to make a profit for 20 years in the same plant with the same union workers, Toyota was profiting by year 2 (1986).
They build Tacoma, Corolla, and Pontiac Vibe. Interestingly the Matrix is made in Canada.
a car rolls off the line every 54 seconds, was 1000 per day, now about 800.
The car line is mixed between corollas and vibes one after another including body welding, suspension assembly, paint etc.
a tacoma rolls off the truck line every 2 minutes, was 400 per day, now about 300.
In the plant they have a 4 hour inventory of parts, that includes parts at the assembly location and on the storage shelves. Parts are delivered constantly and they have about 2 days worth of parts sitting in trailers.
The parts and body panels I saw being made at noon today are now complete vehicles and probably on a truck or train right now.
Bodies are stamped in house from US made steel. all bodies stamped in one day are used in one day.
the rumor that anyone can stop the line (andon and jidoka in toyota speak) is true. When the cord is pulled they have 3 mins to fix the problem before the line stops. The cord is pulled over 1000 times per day! they do not pass defects beyond the spot where it was discovered. I saw at least 10 spots where the cord was pulled. (it plays music and a light illuminates)
Within 24 hours and often within 8 hours every vehicle built that day has left toyota logistics on a truck or train. that's over 1400 vehicles in 24 hours.
They are slowing down. They do not lay people off. employees have 3 options: come to work and do training or community service for full pay, use paid vacation time, stay home and not get paid but your position is reserved for you.
really interesting tour but very quick. not much time is spent in any one area so you don't get much time to watch robots or people work. lots of robots.
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