Hows that made: 4th gen production line video

I wonder what kind of error messages the dashboard was showing around 7:50. That's a lot of manual labor, and makes me wonder that any car at random could have, as they say, a screw loose just from overlooking any one component.

 

It was posted before but it is still interesting.

 

That doesn't look like a 3rd Gen PRIUS wheel arch profile. Total ring-in? PRIUS c is a bit more like that, but I doubt it.

 

Thanks for posting. So interesting.

I'm struck my the fact that they're all so young and so skinny. What happens when you reach your mid-20's and eat a few sandwiches? Do get get transferred to the Tundra line? Ha.

Also, how can any human being maintain that pace and that level of focus for an entire shift? As previously mentioned, errors are bound to occur. One loose or missing screw and you're driving with a rattle you can't find.

 

Thanks for posting. I love factory tours! I've been meaning to go to Toyota City and take the tour (not where Prius is built), just haven't gotten there yet. Love that black shirts with the red Prius stripe, too!

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

Yep - but it's definitely not a Gen 4 guard/wheelarch profile either - it doesn't swoop underneath.


Gen 4 is more square - (similar to Gen 3)


Vaguely possibly a "c" - but I think it swoops under too much:

 

I imagine Toyota has devoted great deal of industrial engineering effort to preventing this through poka-yoke (mistake proofing). For example, it wouldn’t surprise me if the carrier for the door were designed not to release until the operator has used the torque wrench four times to install the bolts.

This seems to be a standard practice in Toyota factories. If you watch Toyota’s Making the Mirai series on YouTube, you’ll see it done a few times:

• Chassis and Fuel Cell System Assembly (3:13, 3:25)
• Vehicle Trim (1:29)
• Plant Interior and Parts Selection
• Quality Control and Inspection

Several of the technicians appear to have colored markers in belt pouches.

Notice also how the torque wrenches have electronic readouts and beep when the operator presses a button to record the torque values, which can be downloaded to a computer system. Tohnichi (“Your Torque Partner”) has several documents on their website about how this works.

 

Are they still using Gen III wheels on the lower trims (around the 5:40 mark)?

 

Talk about attention to detail! Nice!

 

There were a few women working on the line there. It's pretty neat to see a hand-built car.

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