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.
I notice a couple of guys just looking over the door alignment, about half-way through. I'm sure there's a lot of checkers. I've noticed also on our car, a lot times there's coloured brush strokes across a connection, where hoses are pushed on, electrical connectors, some bolts. Not all of them, maybe just more critical ones.
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.
My wording is confusing: it's a screen grab from the 4th Gen Prius assembly video. I recollect a third Gen assembly video showed similar drum brakes. Maybe in both cases it's Japan spec Prius.
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.
When the hybrid battery is brought in, I notice a green spotlight on the arm, seems to be centred on a label affixed to the car's floor pan. Perhaps scanning/registering some data?
The gen 3 and gen 4 15" rims are very close in appearance, but side-by-side there are some slight differences. Also, the centre hub opening, while it's the same ID, the groove for capturing a centre cap is a little different location, meaning 3rd gen caps won't fit. Also, just learned in the last day: 3rd gen was 15 x 6 J, and 4th gen is 15 x 6 1/2 J.
Not sure if this has been posted before, Toyota Mirai. Much more measured and leisurely pace, interesting too:
There were a few women working on the line there. It's pretty neat to see a hand-built car. Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
