Assembly Planbook - July 2008 - (Page GM-9)

over many years with dedicated production tools. “At the same time, [Sloan] annually altered the external appearance of each car and introduced an endless series of ‘hang-on features,’ such as automatic transmissions, air conditioning and radios, which could be installed in existing body designs to sustain consumer interest,” explains Womack. One of GM’s greatest contributions to the auto industry was the annual model change or the so-called theory of planned obsolescence. That required the automaker to pioneer numerous changeover techniques. Executives at GM began to discuss the concept in the mid-1920s, but “change became regularized some time in the 1930s,” Sloan wrote in his autobiography, My Years with General Motors (Doubleday). As a result, Ford’s commanding market share dwindled from 55 percent in 1921 to 30 percent in 1926, a year before it stopped producing the Model T and unveiled the Model A. Ford’s biggest competitor was GM’s Chevrolet division. By adopting state-of-the-art mass production techniques and incorporating annual styling changes into its vehicles, Chevrolet sales rose dramatically during the 1920s. In 1922, Sloan hired a former Ford engineer named William Knudsen. He previously served as production chief at Ford’s famous Highland Park plant, which perfected the moving assembly line. His ﬁrst task at GM was to develop a long-range production plan for Chevrolet. When he took over, Chevrolet sold 153,270 vehicles annually; within 5 years, the division Photo courtesy Sloan Museum In 1953, GM engineers claimed that Buick’s new plant in Flint, MI, featured the “world’s most modern engine assembly line.” Two 600-foot-long lines turned out 1,200 V8 engines every day. More than 2 miles of overhead conveyors fed parts to the assembly lines. Powertrain Assembly or Test Perfected! Based on over 50+ years of supplying successful systems that have produced the highest quality products for the worlds automakers, including General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Daimler, BMW, Volkswagen, Hyundai, and Kia, ATW provides perfected solutions. ATW understands that the perfect solution requires many things including the right technology, delivered when promised, at a high value cost with exceptional project management. Our ability to provide specialists for every process required is only possible based on the unique group of organizations that make up ATW. Let us help you be a success with your next assembly and/or test project and see the difference for yourself. Leak Test NVH & Functional Test Automated Piston Insertion Sealant Application w/ IPV (937) 586-5500 or www.assembly-testww.com asb07084asbtest.indd 1 www.assemblymag.com 6/18/08 10:22:40 AM | July 2008/ASSEMBLY | GM - 9 http://www.assembly-testww.com http://www.assemblymag.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Assembly Planbook - July 2008

Assembly Planbook - July 2008 Contents Editorial Quality in Assembly Station to Station Assembly Lines Assembly in Action Surviving the Roller Coaster The Human Side of Manufacturing Do Your Fasteners Need a Preapplied Thread-Locker? Manufacturing Innovation A Century of Progress Trendsetting Plants Pulse Tools Get Smart Plastics: Design for X Product Reviews Products Advertisers Index Classified Leading Lean

Assembly Planbook - July 2008

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