Tesla’s Unboxed Manufacturing Course of — How It Works & Why

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The automotive world is all atwitter this week with information that the US Patent Workplace has awarded two new patents to Tesla for its so-called “unboxed manufacturing course of.” The thrill is that the method will enable Tesla to construct vehicles extra shortly with fewer human employees at decrease value in smaller factories. Many are calling it the best advance in vehicle manufacturing since Henry Ford created the meeting line.

Let’s start by explaining what “unboxed” really means, as a result of for a lot of (together with myself), the time period just isn’t self-defining. Within the conventional auto manufacturing course of, first a set of metallic stampings are assembled to make the physique of a car. That meeting is actually a field into which all of the methods that may flip it right into a functioning automotive should now be put in.

Slipping a dashboard in via a door opening might be achieved — in reality there are robots designed particularly to carry out that job. However wouldn’t it’s simpler to suit the dashboard, with all of the controls, air vents, touchscreens, and wiring connected, to a entrance sub-assembly earlier than it will get mated to the remainder of the automotive? In that case, the entrance sub-assembly is accomplished earlier than the “field” is completed. That’s the thought behind “unboxed” manufacturing in a nut shell.

Sawyer Merritt, a tireless cheerleader for Tesla, described the method this fashion:

The issue with meeting traces is, if issues go awry at one location — there aren’t any seats to put in when wanted, for instance — your complete line stops. Each meeting line has controls at varied factors that enable employees to cease it, however woe betide anybody who makes use of certainly one of them to carry the method to a halt!

Consider it like a military crossing a river on a bridge that’s solely extensive sufficient to permit individuals to stroll throughout it in single file. If one solder breaks a leg on the way in which throughout, your complete procession grinds to a halt. Within the “unboxed’ mannequin, there are a number of bridges throughout the river and the varied streams of troopers assemble themselves right into a functioning preventing power on the opposite facet.

Not A Tesla App says, “This new methodology is a producing revolution that builds a automotive extra like a LEGO set than a conventional car. The Unboxed Technique is a radical, high-level idea that’s getting nearer to actuality. It goals to cut back manufacturing unit footprints and manufacturing prices in half, whereas dashing up manufacturing to blistering speeds. [The] two new Tesla patents define how they intend to show this methodology from an idea right into a concrete, engineered actuality.”

The video under did the very best job of explaining the idea, regardless of a short promotion early on. When you get past that, the graphics and embedded movies do a superb job of explaining what “unboxed” is all about.

Ache Factors & The Unboxed Course of

One of many ache factors within the course of of producing an vehicle is corrosion resistance and portray. Sometimes, as soon as the “field,” or physique construction, is accomplished, it’s dipped in a shower of corrosion-fighting chemical substances. Sometimes, the doorways, hood, and trunk lid are in place when that happens.

Afterwards, the “field” goes to the paint store, the place your complete physique will get painted in and out. As soon as the paint is absolutely dried, the doorways, hood, and trunk are sometimes eliminated to permit the robots and employees concerned in putting in the inside to entry the within of the “field.” These elements are put aside and should transfer together with the physique till all the inside becoming is completed, at which level they’re reinstalled.

Within the “unboxed” mannequin, the doorways, hoods, and trunk lids obtain their corrosion resistance remedy and are painted individually and fitted to the physique solely in any case the inside items are in place. Then the battery pack, drivetrain, brakes, wheels, and tires are fitted.

Cheaper & Sooner

The hoopla in regards to the “unboxed” patent facilities on its capability to permit Tesla to construct cheaper vehicles quicker. A lot is made about how this presages the factories of the longer term. And but, Tesla gross sales haven’t matched expectations for the final 12 months or so, partly because of the political antics of Elon Musk.

A number of years in the past, we heard rumblings a few large new Tesla manufacturing unit deliberate for the state of Nuevo Leon in Mexico. It was broadly assumed that manufacturing unit was the place the corporate would construct its subsequent new mannequin, the $25,000 “Mannequin 2” or “Mannequin C” that everybody claimed Tesla was engaged on.

Then we discovered Musk had personally put the kibosh on the inexpensive mannequin to focus on automated driving methods. Information a few new manufacturing unit in Mexico dropped off everyone’s radar display screen. After which, the individual Elon supported for president with as much as $300 million of his personal cash disrupted many years of steady commerce relations with Mexico and Canada by firebombing industries with punishing new tariffs.

For those who watch the video rigorously and parse what others are saying in regards to the “unboxed” manufacturing mannequin, you’ll discover {that a} key component of the method is utilizing high-pressure castings for the entrance and rear of latest autos. That could be a novel concept that was first deployed at scale in constructing the ill-fated Cybertruck, however is now being adopted by different producers.

Musk and his minions have certainly created a extra environment friendly method for constructing cars — one which exposes the constraints of Henry Ford’s linear meeting line. However there’s one factor Ol’ Henry knew that Musk has forgotten. Henry made certain his employees might afford to purchase his autos.

For those who watch the video, you will notice tons of of robots however comparatively few employees. Whereas Tesla says its individuals are compensated extra generously than employees at different automakers as a result of they’ll earn inventory choices, the query is whether or not they can afford to buy the vehicles they’re serving to to make?

Self-driving vehicles are an intriguing dream, however some say one such car can do the job of ten privately owned autos. How is {that a} recipe for elevated gross sales and why does making vehicles extra effectively assist the corporate if it sells fewer autos? We grant the “unboxed” idea is good, however does it benefit all of the hype that’s surrounding it? That’s one thing our readers could have an opinion about.