Inside Toyota's hybrid factory

(continued from previous page)

Among other factory innovations, Toyota came up with doorless assembly, Kumazawa said. Removing the doors after painting and before final assembly, the so-called doorless system, reduces nicks and scratches. In all, it takes only about 20 hours to go from stamping out the first steel body parts to producing the finished car.

Above each work area, a large sign tracks the factory's daily goal (around 1,900 cars a day for the Tsutsumi factory), the current output, and how closely the shift is hitting the goals. Typically, a group of workers is at 97 to 98 percent of goal. If they hit 95 percent, concern begins to build, Kumazawa said.

Like Dell, Toyota is one of the pioneers in just-in-time manufacturing. Whenever workers in the procurement area fill a bin with parts, they acknowledge the transaction by leaving a sheet with a bar code, called a "kandan," in the bin. When another worker scans the barcode, an electronic order is placed at a third-party vendor. In all, Toyota only keeps about two to four hours' worth of inventory on hand, and about 70 percent of the parts come from outside suppliers.

Different cars and engines are assembled on the same manufacturing line. A Camry, might follow a Scion, which might follow a Caldina. This reduces the risk of inventory piling up, as Kumazawa explained. The exception is that gas cars and hybrids are assembled on different lines.

Another concept you see on display on the floor is "jidoka," which roughly translates to "man and machine working together." In the vehicle assembly area, for instance, a dolly filled with parts and spare tools follows a worker as he walks from one end of his work area to another. (These are different from the motorized robots that scurry across the floor). Following the worker cuts down on wasted movement. The dolly also has sensors that will detect whether bolts have been put on too tightly or loosely.

In another part of the plant, workers can use the "rakuraku," a sling-chair thing suspended from the ceiling that shuttles workers along as the car goes through the assembly line. Both the rakuraku and automated dolly were suggestions from assembly line workers.

Overall, employees submit about 600,000 ideas a year--that's about 14 suggestions per employee--on ways to improve processes. The vast majority, Kumazawa said, ultimately get adopted. Employees receive bounties ranging from 500 yen (about $4.20) to 200,000 yen (about $1,680) for ideas that are implemented.

As she explained this, someone pulled the andon cord in the engine assembly area. Work stopped. Music sounded.

"This one is a Japanese folk song," Kumazawa said.

[Jonathan]

Got my Prius last Friday

I love this car. In all likelihood I will never purchase another American "brand" (Not made.) car ever again.

[richard petty--2008]

Repressed Sales

Any time that I see hybrid sales figures I'm constantly reminded of one thing: Toyota and Honda are selling as many of the Prius and Civic hybrids that they want to sell -- and no more.

Talk about constrained supply! I believe that I'm no different than anyone else: I want to test drive before I purchase.

Can you imagine how many of these vehicles they's sell if they could actually get them to a sales lot? In Texas (I've really only researched Austin, Dallas, San Antonio, and Houston), Priuses are on 6-month waiting lists.

Like I said, Toyota sells as many as they desire to sell.

[youngm7]

well you're special

do you drive it like you own the road, as do all the other prius
drivers?

[m.o.t.u.]

Cogratulations

You backed up your idea with money, now thats the American Way. Your'e doing S.U.V owners a big favour, they will get to use up the fuel you save thus living their own American Dream for longer. I would have thought you should be the object of their
gratitude, not scorn.

[solrosenberg]

Patent

Better get your Prius while you can. Toyota's hybrid synergy drive is infringing on a patent and the patent owner has filed to have Toyota barred from importing hybrid vehicles. See http://info.usitc.gov/ouii/public/337inv.nsf/34ee115c5a9962e28525656a00601452/f51c0bec2eff35ba8525710f00707914?OpenDocument

[TomClement]

I wonder why you're doing this.

Interesting. If you follow the link, you'll find the disposition of the complaint is "No violation found".

[dfmrrd]

Hybrid should be standard tech in all cars and trucks

Its just make so much sense to conserve energy which otherwise goes waste as heat. Checkout things that affect car mileage at http://www.innerdep.com/navigate.jsp?searchstr=Car%20Mileage

But, I fear now that the falling gas price would again make these hybrid less attractive.

Toyota Prius also is very aero dynamically efficient with low drag design.

[zboot]

No - Hybrids ARE NOT the most FUEL EFFICIENT Vehicles

Hybrid vehicles are NOT about fuel efficiency, they are about reducing emissions while keeping consumers happy with the kind of horsepower they are used to

If people were really concerned about reducing fuel consumption, they would drive cars like the (no longer in production) Chevy Sprint (or Suzuki/Geo Swift). It got 44-49mpg (~20 YEARS AGO). It was a purely 48HP ICE. The EPA rating on the 1988 Sprint was 55mpg city/ 60mpg highway.

If Americans really want to reduce consumption, then they should drive cars with 40-60hp engines. The only reason hybrids exist, is because we want the peppy acceleration (yeah, we all want to be racecar drivers) and couldn't bear a car with a 0-60 time of 15-20 seconds.

[Dachi]

You are crazy

The gas mileage the Prius gets has more to do with being a tiny little aerodynamic car than it does with being hybrid.

Buying something like a Hummer and then throwing in an extra $10,000 to add a hybrid drive train is a little bit like buying a private jet to take you to Paris so you don't have to pay extra to hear the in flight movie.

The hybrids seem to fair much better on the EPA estimate tests as compated to standard gas cars, but real world results are not as exagerated.

The reality is the $11,000 (34/40 MPG) Yaris isn't as far behind the $23,000 (60/51) Prius as the EPA estimates would have you believe.

The cars are actually pretty comparable in size and features and the reality is that you will never drive enough miles to actually see the $12,000 sticker price manifest into gas savings.

The reason you buy the Prius is not for gas savings though, it is so you can get a hybrid badge to remind the rest of the world that you are better than we are.

I am sorry I took time away from your tree planting ans stuff for you to read this, but don't worry. You should be able to make up for it tomorrow as you drive past me from the carpool lane.

I think the government should give hybrid people stickers so they can sit at the front of busses and cut to the front of lines too. You people are on a mission and I wouldn't want my reasoning and logic to get in your way.

[Björn Lundahl]

People do not realize that gas, in a free market, does not suddenly run out

Gas does not suddenly, in a free market run out. Prices today reflect ?expectations? of the available supply and demand for goods and services ?today and tomorrow?. If, for instance, the expectation is that oil supply will decrease or will be less than demand in ten years time, it will influence oil prices today. Prices today will go up. People will have the incentive to conserve (demand will decrease) and to develop new alternatives. Actually, we are probably conserving too much, because of OPEC and Governments taxations are keeping prices higher than they otherwise would be. ?That oil soon runs out? is a political slogan that keeps coming up to keep politicians busy. This political slogan sounds true and will, therefore, ?in the political market? sell. Only true markets can handle this sort of complex things. Compared to markets, Governments are too simple minded and primitive, because of the fact; they lack the essential tools that are needed to solve these kind of ?problems?. They primitively, for example, regulate car manufacturers (and in the end consumers) to produce cars which improve gas mileage and impose upon people speed limits, without knowing if these actions are good or bad. Only markets can tell if conservations are good or bad, because market prices gives people the necessary signals of supply and demand, and people can therefore compare these prices to their own values if they are profitable or not to realize. The essential tools that are needed (which Governments are always lacking) are, as mentioned, ?market forces and the market price mechanism?. Without these mechanisms nothing can be done. For example, a scientist will not reach the truth in trying to calculate physical available quantities and compare that to what he expects physical demand will be. It is silly, it is static and mechanistic. Every individual and every business around the whole world, with all the different knowledge, all the time, and in all possible situations, and which are directly influenced of higher prices, will conserve and try out alternatives. Even people and businesses that are not directly influenced of higher oil prices, also, have incentives to find out alternatives. These things happen all the time with all goods, services, capital and raw materials, and it run smoothly without us even noticing it. If Governments were going to replace the markets, we would probably end up with no available goods and services at all! In a sense, this would solve the ?conservation problem? (joke). To make an example of this lack of knowledge and the belief that you can ignore markets, look at the so called ?Club of Rome?, a group that made fools of themselves in the 70s with their book
?Limits to growth? (http://www.answers.com/the+club+of+rome?gwp=11&ver=2.0.0.453&method=3). If they were right, we would probably barely, even, live today!

Björn Lundahl
Göteborg Sweden

[Björn Lundahl]

Naturally, these hybrid cars are an example of those savings.

?Every individual and every business around the whole world, with all the different knowledge, all the time, and in all possible situations, and which are directly influenced of higher prices, will conserve and try out alternatives?.

Björn Lundahl
Göteborg, Sweden

[albizzia]

The "Market" is not magic

The "free market" may sometimes do a better job of regulating than government, but it is not perfect - it sometimes experiences wild speculative bubbles, such as the Dutch tulip mania that caused people to pay fortunes for a tulip bulb. It is subject to irrational fads and rumours.

The market isn't magic - it cannot create something out of nothing, it cannot make a supply when none exists. As much as you may wish otherwise, it cannot "make" any new fossil fuels.

[ReVeLaTeD]

I'm sorry but

The body style of every hybrid I've seen is ugly except for the new Camry. And even it's pushing it.

Body style means a lot to me as a customer. It doesn't have to stand out, but it does have to be somewhat attractive to my eye. I can't drive a box like that Scion or whatever it's called, and I can't drive some little hatchback like the Prius. I need something with more bite, like maybe a Sebring Hybrid...

[penso]

Hybrid cars

Dog a little research,back in the 50's in a Popular Mechanics mag an article on the "Wedge" Bui;t on a metal frame. 5 hp. gas engine,2 aircraft starters on rear drive wheels,one front wheel,wooden body,pie shaped(side view) got 50 to 60 mpg. Big battery bank nder center of car. Very effecient.

[penso]

Hybrid car

Sorry about the "Typo" in previous message. "Doing". When will Toyota start using the "Pogue" or Fisher" carbs that came out in the 50's. 200 mpg. Or the "Bourke" engine?? 2 Moving parts-25 or 50 mpg depending on cam setting. Rebuild in an hour. Plus there's also a magnet motor that never stops???? I personally had a "42" Willys(with overdrive) that got 50 mpg. These US car companies just rip you off.

[albizzia]

200 mpg carbs fail the test.

Most auto makers are trying to improve their cars, and if any of those "fuel savers" worked, they would be eager to use them. Unfortunately, most of the proposed fuel saver devices just don't work as advertised and fail real world tests.

As for perpetual "magnet motors" or other "over-unity" devices, they only work as gimmicks to separate the gullible from their money.

[tedk7]

Prius is the new SUV

The prius is the new SUV. It's the "cool" car that you buy to show
your neighbors how awesome you think you are. I'm glad that it
is monumentally more efficient than the typical SUV and
somewhat smaller (less threat to others), but we're definitely
seeing the same idiot bozo aszhole drivers in them. Only instead
of parading how great their kid is at soccer, they're parading
how holy they think they are because their big ugly car with an
unknown true environmental impact (think: massive battery
disposal) gets "great" milage (although still less than a TDI jetta
in real-world driving). Bogus, bogus, and more bogus.

I can't wait until the moronic california solo-passanger-hybrid
carpool BS is cancelled. If solo access to carpool lanes is about
MPG, then make MPG the qualification. Same for emissions. But
to grant access based on buzzwords? That's stupid.

[daleol]

The Big Picture

The Big Picture sidebar that has been added to most of your stories is truely addictive! It's like a visual, online equivalent to Burke's Connections show. Unlike the embedded links in a story (which I find to be mostly annoying), this allows me to follow my interests and curiosity in a relatively painless (though time consuming) manner. congratulations to whoever came up with this.

[kieranmullen]

Replacement Toxic Rechargable Batteries?

It will be fund paying for these in 5 years never mind having to go through the hassle and recycling. (I dont know how much of it is recyclable)

KieranMullen