CNBC: Chinese parts such as door frames being reworked by Tesla

[Cheburashka]

Tesla ships flawed parts to a local machine shop for fixes, and they're piled up outside

Didn't realize Tesla used so many Chinese components.

"Parts awaiting rework and design tweaks included door frames, doublers, torque boxes, nodes and shock mounts....Vendors supplying these parts to Tesla included a manufacturing equipment producer, Hongbang Die Casting; Ningbo Tuopu Group, an auto parts maker"

 

[SoCalGuy]

Tesla ships flawed parts to a local machine shop for fixes, and they're piled up outside

Didn't realize Tesla used so many Chinese components.

"Parts awaiting rework and design tweaks included door frames, doublers, torque boxes, nodes and shock mounts....Vendors supplying these parts to Tesla included a manufacturing equipment producer, Hongbang Die Casting; Ningbo Tuopu Group, an auto parts maker"

Yikes - I don't want those parts in my M3!

 

[bro1999]

Tesla ships flawed parts to a local machine shop for fixes, and they're piled up outside

Didn't realize Tesla used so many Chinese components.

"Parts awaiting rework and design tweaks included door frames, doublers, torque boxes, nodes and shock mounts....Vendors supplying these parts to Tesla included a manufacturing equipment producer, Hongbang Die Casting; Ningbo Tuopu Group, an auto parts maker"

A picture is worth a thousand words.

 

[cwerdna]

For context, as I posted at Prius Family production finally coming to the US? years ago:

USATODAY.com - Carmaker follows 'Toyota Way' says

"We have some concerns about sustaining high quality," allows Atsushi "Art" Niimi, CEO of Toyota Motor Manufacturing North America, in large measure because North American parts suppliers average 500 defects per million parts vs. 15 per million in Japan

And Robot-filled Tahara sets standard for Toyota, world - ClubLexus - Lexus Forum Discussion (which was originally posted on detnews.com but got aged off)

Toyota, already a stickler for quality, will not accept components if defects exceed 50 per million parts shipped. In contrast, for Lexus vehicles, Tahara managers insist on fewer than 10 defects per million parts.

 

[ebmcs03]

Can’t trust suppliers. That’s what happens when you cut cost and not inspect your products when receiving them.

 

[SSedan]

I have also seen where a vetted supplier, years in goes to pot when something changes, someone decided they can up margins or tooling wears out and nobody wants to reinvest in new.
I wouldn't focus so much on Tesla not vetting properly as I would on them choosing to work with a country that as a rule makes things cheap as possible and steals as much intellectual property as possible.

Yes I know American manufacturing relies on China for smaller components but let's admit that is a problem.

 

[T34ME]

I wouldn't focus so much on Tesla not vetting properly as I would on them choosing to work with a country that as a rule makes things cheap as possible and steals as much intellectual property as possible.

Yes I know American manufacturing relies on China for smaller components but let's admit that is a problem.

I am old enough to remember when "made in Japan" was considered "a country as a rule makes things as cheap as possible and steals as much intellectual property as possible." My, how things have changed.

China is now a world power and we will need to learn how to work together cooperatively for mutual benefit. So, no, I don't admit that is a problem. Your post smacks of racism.

 

[Cheburashka]

Yeah yeah, these days everything is racist!

Face it, China isn't known for quality manufacturing. Chinese cars are hilariously poor quality and this is not something I'd expect of Tesla.

If you prefer Chinese components so be it, but when you're paying $60K for a car, you deserve better.

 

[JeffK]

The article sure doesn't give a lot of details... first it claims they are queued up for rework and then it also says Tesla uses JL Precision to add an unspecified coating to some parts.

It tries to make an assertion to the reader that what's shown in the picture is there for rework when it's entirely possible that the particular parts in the image are not there for rework at all.

It has a picture labeled "flawed door frames" but there's no evidence that those door frames are flawed at all...

 

[S4WRXTTCS]

Before people get too carried away I think it's important to point out that this is pretty routine especially with a new product, and especially with suppliers in China. The whole "you get what you pay for" thing.

But, even with China you don't know who's fault it was.

Where I work sometimes it's the vendors fault, but on a new product it's often our fault. Or we simply failed to communicate a change to the vendor.

Or we simply tweaked the design to something better. Where we have a bunch of parts that have to be reworked.

My favorite suppliers tend to be the Germans, but that's mostly because they'll point out the potential problem more often than other vendors before it even happens. They also tend to more readily accept admission of fault than people in other countries. A perfect example is Bosch, and the Tesla recall involving their part. They're the ones paying for the recall.

When it comes to suppliers I have the impression that Tesla is it's own worse enemy. They are because of unrealistic time lines, and production numbers that are way off what they end up being.

So when it comes to a Tesla vendor you might want to give them a little bit of the benefit of the doubt.

As to China you can get good parts from them, and lot of companies are perfectly capable of getting high quality parts from China. Like where I work we setup test/validation equipment at the factory in China to verify compliance before they get shipped to us.

 

[T34ME]

Yeah yeah, these days everything is racist!

Face it, China isn't known for quality manufacturing. Chinese cars are hilariously poor quality and this is not something I'd expect of Tesla.

If you prefer Chinese components so be it, but when you're paying $60K for a car, you deserve better.

I agree, these days everything is often racist. So yeah, go ahead and purchase that American car which is 100% made with US products and assembled in the USA. Wait......................

China is known for some world class products. For example, take an industry I was involved in for a while, luxury yachts. Almost all luxury mass produced yachts are made in China or Southeast Asia today. They make a beautiful product for American interests at prices that can't be beat. US consumers have fully embraced the products and prefer the quality which is better than made in USA at prices that are much lower for a comparable model. As far as auto manufacturing goes, China will become the new Japan in time.

 

[octoad]

I am old enough to remember when "made in Japan" was considered "a country as a rule makes things as cheap as possible and steals as much intellectual property as possible." My, how things have changed.

China is now a world power and we will need to learn how to work together cooperatively for mutual benefit. So, no, I don't admit that is a problem. Your post smacks of racism.

Your first comment was accurate, but your second (the political comment) is irrelevant to the point. China is playing by the same playbook as Japan and S. Korea. Start cheap, built a manufacturing capacity, and move up to more premium products. China is just doing it at a larger, more centrally managed, scale.

 

[T34ME]

I wouldn't focus so much on Tesla not vetting properly as I would on them choosing to work with a country that as a rule makes things cheap as possible and steals as much intellectual property as possible.

Your first comment was accurate, but your second (the political comment) is irrelevant to the point. China is playing by the same playbook as Japan and S. Korea. Start cheap, built a manufacturing capacity, and move up to more premium products. China is just doing it at a larger, more centrally managed, scale.

Uh, no, I was responding to the first post which was irrelevant to the point. Your altering of the facts will not go unchallenged. I will not remain silent in the face of political extremism.

 

[octoad]

Uh, no, I was responding to the first post which was irrelevant to the point. Your altering of the facts will not go unchallenged. I will not remain silent in the face of political extremism.

Nope. If a country is producing junk parts in massive volume as a national strategy, it’s not racist to acknowledge it. China could (and does in some cases) product quality parts. But the pitfalls of sourcing from there are very well know.

 

[T34ME]

Nope. If a country is producing junk parts in massive volume as a national strategy, it’s not racist to acknowledge it.

You have nothing to back up your opinion. Each of us have the option of buying or not buying products from any country. Your choice, live with it. Interesting to see how you will get by without an automobile, especially ICE, or even a bicycle.

 

[timk225]

Race doesn't matter. Chinese crap is Chinese crap, plain and simple. I didn't lay down $50,000 for Chinese parts in MY Tesla!

 

[Stoneymonster]

Race doesn't matter. Chinese crap is Chinese crap, plain and simple. I didn't lay down $50,000 for Chinese parts in MY Tesla!

(Sent from my iPhone)

 

[jelloslug]

Race doesn't matter. Chinese crap is Chinese crap, plain and simple. I didn't lay down $50,000 for Chinese parts in MY Tesla!

Boy are you in for a surprise...

 

[AZRI11]

My work has same issues. Some of the imported products have defects. A nothing burger.

 

[vinnie97]

Uh, no, I was responding to the first post which was irrelevant to the point. Your altering of the facts will not go unchallenged. I will not remain silent in the face of political extremism.

Unless you're the one spouting the extremism. (I know, I know, we both have opposing ideas of what accounts for extremism).