The plant is clean, well ventilated, and seems generally like a happy workplace. I'm sure the line workers and tour guides were prepped to be on their best, and most congenial nature for this weekend’s open house, but still… Most of the workers returned eye contact, and nodded. I always feel for line workers on tours — I wouldn’t want readers gawking at me while I do my work thing, like type on this computer.
During my tour, the most popular spot for picture taking was the station where the drivetrain is married to the chassis. Each drivetrain glides in on a robotic pallet, from another line, from another part of the plant, gets into place under the chassis, then elegantly rises into place.
An interesting aspect of the production, to me at least, was how the doors are taken off, right after the vehicle is painted. The doors come into the plant on their own half-mile conveyer system, from the far-away paint shop. The doors then get built up and eventually catch up to the rest of the car. Apparently this is an easier way to finish the doors, and results in considerably less body damage to both doors and bodies.
About every 10th vehicle on the line was a Buick Regal. The rest were all Camaros, both coupes and convertibles. On our tour day, the combined Camaro/Regal production line rate was 50 vehicles an hour.
During my tour, the most popular spot for picture taking was the station where the drivetrain is married to the chassis. Each drivetrain glides in on a robotic pallet, from another line, from another part of the plant, gets into place under the chassis, then elegantly rises into place.
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| Photo: Mike Goetz/Auto123.com |
An interesting aspect of the production, to me at least, was how the doors are taken off, right after the vehicle is painted. The doors come into the plant on their own half-mile conveyer system, from the far-away paint shop. The doors then get built up and eventually catch up to the rest of the car. Apparently this is an easier way to finish the doors, and results in considerably less body damage to both doors and bodies.
About every 10th vehicle on the line was a Buick Regal. The rest were all Camaros, both coupes and convertibles. On our tour day, the combined Camaro/Regal production line rate was 50 vehicles an hour.