Transforming Automobile Assembly: Experience in Automation and Work Organization

Front Matter....Pages I-X
Introduction....Pages 1-16
Front Matter....Pages 17-17
Assembly Automation in Europe - Past Experience and Future Trends....Pages 19-37
Basic Trends in the Physics and Economics of Automated Fabrication and Assembly Operations....Pages 38-45
Key Characteristics of Assembly Automation Systems....Pages 46-60
What Do You Mean by Automation Ratio? Definitions by the Japanese Auto Makers....Pages 61-69
Front Matter....Pages 71-71
Present State and Future Vision of Vehicle Assembly Automation in Mitsubishi Motors Corporation....Pages 73-81
Development of a new Vehicle Assembly Line at Toyota: Worker-oriented, Autonomous,new Assembly System....Pages 82-93
Modular Assembly in Mixed-Model Production at Mazda....Pages 94-108
Production of the NSX at Honda: An Alternative Direction for Assembly Organization....Pages 109-120
The Development of an Intelligent Body Assembly System....Pages 121-132
The Opel Production System....Pages 133-145
Platform and Modular Concepts at Volkswagen — Their Effects on the Assembly Process....Pages 146-156
Automation at Renault: Strategy and Form....Pages 157-166
Building Capabilities in Assembly Automation: Fiat’s Experiences from Robogate to the Melfi Plant....Pages 167-188
The Development of a Reflective Production System Layout at Volvo’s Uddevalla Car Assembly Plant....Pages 189-208
Front Matter....Pages 209-209
Strategies for Assembly Automation in the Automobile Industry....Pages 211-237
From Fixed to Flexible: Automation and Work Organization Trends from the International Assembly Plant Study....Pages 238-254
Rolling Back Cycle Times: The Renaissance of the Classic Assembly Line in Final Assembly....Pages 255-273
Rationalization also Involves Workers — Teamwork in the Mercedes-Benz Lean Concept....Pages 274-288
Patterns of Work Organization in the German Automobile Industry....Pages 289-304
Front Matter....Pages 209-209
The Current Social Form of Automation and a Conceivable Alternative: Experience in France....Pages 305-317
Worker-Generated Production Improvements in a Reflective Production System — or Kaizen in a Reflective Production System....Pages 318-334
Advanced Automation or Alternative Production Design? A Reflection on the new Japanese Assembly Plants and the Alternative Approach of Volvo Uddevalla....Pages 335-343
A Misguided Trajectory? Automatically Guided Vehicles in Auto Assembly....Pages 344-359
Organizational Change and Assembly Automation in the Dutch Automotive Industry....Pages 360-379
Recycling and Disassembly — Legal Burden or Strategic Opportunity?....Pages 380-394
Conclusions and Outlook....Pages 395-407
The Authors of the Book....Pages 408-414