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Is that a fact or an analysis? Why is it hard to add a step to the line but easier to train all the car assemblers to install/assemble the electric starter Tha

Is that a fact or an analysis? Why is it hard to add a step to the line but easier to train all the car assemblers to install/assemble the electric starter That’s the whole assembly line innovation that is going strong till today

bluGill 8y ago
Various books report that, but I don't know how true it is (given the politics in Ford it is probably impossible to say). Ford optimized his assembly line. To add a step you need to physically move all stations on the assembly line - these were bolted (or even welded) in position. Plus you would have to move all the sublines feeding the line after that step over one as well. Before you can start that you need to expand the building because everything was designed to fit exactly what the model T needed. Sure you could add a step, but only at great expense (and you would have to deal with the politics, CEO Henry Ford was against changes to his car) Today all manufactures know their assembly lines need to last longer than the cars. They design slack in from the beginning so that an additional station can be added someplace. They also make sure that you reconfigure the operations easily. That isn't to say an assembly line will produce anything, just that the line will be built with enough room that minor changes can be made from year to year. Every few years they will tear down assembly line and rebuild it over a month to make a whole new type of vehicle. Note that Honda does one line for everything, while Ford has assembly lines for only the F150. There are trade offs to flexibility as well. Honda cannot make large trucks because they wouldn't fit in their stations. Honda also is limited in how many models they make because eventually they run out of space for their jigs at each station. By contrast Ford doesn't have to pay for space to store jigs that aren't being used at the moment and all the complexity to get the right one in place as needed. These are complex trade offs and both companies have made their bets. Both companies have been successful.

bluGill 8y ago

Various books report that, but I don't know how true it is (given the politics in Ford it is probably impossible to say). Ford optimized his assembly line. To add a step you need to physically move all stations on the assembly line - these were bolted (or even welded) in position. Plus you would have to move all the sublines feeding the line after that step over one as well. Before you can start that you need to expand the building because everything was designed to fit exactly what the model T needed. Sure you could add a step, but only at great expense (and you would have to deal with the politics, CEO Henry Ford was against changes to his car) Today all manufactures know their assembly lines need to last longer than the cars. They design slack in from the beginning so that an additional station can be added someplace. They also make sure that you reconfigure the operations easily. That isn't to say an assembly line will produce anything, just that the line will be built with enough room that minor changes can be made from year to year. Every few years they will tear down assembly line and rebuild it over a month to make a whole new type of vehicle. Note that Honda does one line for everything, while Ford has assembly lines for only the F150. There are trade offs to flexibility as well. Honda cannot make large trucks because they wouldn't fit in their stations. Honda also is limited in how many models they make because eventually they run out of space for their jigs at each station. By contrast Ford doesn't have to pay for space to store jigs that aren't being used at the moment and all the complexity to get the right one in place as needed. These are complex trade offs and both companies have made their bets. Both companies have been successful.