Assembly Time
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Apr 16, 2021, 10:02 AM
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Joined: Feb 2006
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From: DFW Area TX
This has been reported before:
Starting about 4 days before your car goes down the lines the paint shops starts painting the panels for your car. They are all painted at once and when completed they are all placed together on a specific, dedicated rack — again just those for your car.
Then roughly the day before your car starts going down the line several things start to happen in different places of the plant. The robots start welding your frame, the sub-assembly areas start on specialized complex components of your car, e.g., the instrument panel with exact wiring, switches, trim panels, and all for your car (e.g., made to order).
The amount of time that your car takes once it starts down the assembly line is approximately 14 hours. Actually your car will start down a two lines, one for its chassis/powertrain, with the separate, primary assembly line being for your body (with its interior, glass, seats, et all). The two come together at a place called “marriage.”
Then roughly the day before your car starts going down the line several things start to happen in different places of the plant. The robots start welding your frame, the sub-assembly areas start on specialized complex components of your car, e.g., the instrument panel with exact wiring, switches, trim panels, and all for your car (e.g., made to order).
The amount of time that your car takes once it starts down the assembly line is approximately 14 hours. Actually your car will start down a two lines, one for its chassis/powertrain, with the separate, primary assembly line being for your body (with its interior, glass, seats, et all). The two come together at a place called “marriage.”
Moderator
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 38,955
Likes: 17,830
From: DFW Area TX
This has been reported before:
Starting about 4 days before your car goes down the lines the paint shops starts painting the panels for your car. They are all painted at once and when completed they are all placed together on a specific, dedicated rack — again just those for your car.
Then roughly the day before your car starts going down the line several things start to happen in different places of the plant. The robots start welding your frame, the sub-assembly areas start on specialized complex components of your car, e.g., the instrument panel with exact wiring, switches, trim panels, and all for your car (e.g., made to order).
The amount of time that your car takes once it starts down the assembly line is approximately 14 hours. Actually your car will start down a two lines, one for its chassis/powertrain, with the separate, primary assembly line being for your body (with its interior, glass, seats, et all). The two come together at a place called “marriage.”
Then roughly the day before your car starts going down the line several things start to happen in different places of the plant. The robots start welding your frame, the sub-assembly areas start on specialized complex components of your car, e.g., the instrument panel with exact wiring, switches, trim panels, and all for your car (e.g., made to order).
The amount of time that your car takes once it starts down the assembly line is approximately 14 hours. Actually your car will start down a two lines, one for its chassis/powertrain, with the separate, primary assembly line being for your body (with its interior, glass, seats, et all). The two come together at a place called “marriage.”
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If you haven’t done so yet, it is worth the trip to visit the plant and take the tour. You get to see a lot of the steps that occur in the build of a Corvette.
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The tours were stopped over a year before Covid hit. There has been talk, but so far no definite date as to when they will resume.
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From: DFW Area TX
They're certainly not going to do that. They charge for the plant tours. A free YouTube tour would not be wise. There were some plant shots shown at last year's NCM Bash and there will probably be some this year as well. 4/22-4/24.
Last edited by Zymurgy; Apr 17, 2021 at 11:15 AM. Reason: Added NCM Bash info
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2021
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The plant tours are only like $7. If it’s like the plants I’ve worked at that was basically just to cover the cost of the tour guide. Most factory tours are usually free or $5 or so. They’re selling 10s of thousands of $80k cars per year, I hope they’re not cutting margins so close they need that plant tour income stream .
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Joined: Feb 2006
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From: DFW Area TX
20 people per tour, say 8 tours per day is $5600 per week. That probably goes to the plant, not to GM. They're not going to put a full tour video on YouTube or anyplace else. Little promo type videos are good publicity and help sell the tour. I think the tours will return once the country is fully "reopened".
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2000
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From: Corning NY
This is a very interesting video answering the OP's question. I also learned a lot. [VIDEO] Corvette Assembly Plant Manager Demystifies the C8 Corvette's Order and Build Process - Corvette: Sales, News & Lifestyle (corvetteblogger.com)
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2021
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From: Pleasant Township, OH
This is a very interesting video answering the OP's question. I also learned a lot. [VIDEO] Corvette Assembly Plant Manager Demystifies the C8 Corvette's Order and Build Process - Corvette: Sales, News & Lifestyle (corvetteblogger.com)