Video: Watch Tesla’s Robots Build the Model 3

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Tesla shared two videos today of the Model 3 production line that show robots working on various tasks involved in building the vehicle.

The company said that several manufacturing lines for the Model 3, such as drive unit, seat assembly, paint shop and stamping, have demonstrated a manufacturing ability in excess of 1,000 units per week during burst builds of short duration.

Other lines, such as battery pack assembly, body shop welding and final vehicle assembly, have demonstrated burst builds of about 500 units per week and are ramping up quickly. Likewise, cell production at Gigafactory 1 continues to ramp, and current cell production makes it one of the largest battery cell manufacturing facilities in the world.

Check out the videos below.[/vc_column_text][vc_video link=”https://vimeo.com/240722075″ video_title=”1″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_video link=”https://vimeo.com/240762436″ video_title=”1″][/vc_column][/vc_row]

 

[ℬête Noire]

There are 1440 minutes in a day, and robots don't sleep.
1440 x 7 = 10,080 minutes.

This isn't exactly true. Robot sleep is called "maintenance", automated lines normally need downtime each day for tuning, preventative maintenance, and fixing minor issues that come up.

On a bad day, if the above missed something, they have narcolepsy AKA a line-stopping failure.

 

[Eno Deb]

Don't forget he has a huge factory with lots of unused space in it, and that was done for expansion. Elon knew when he built that factory in Fremont Cal that he would have to build thousands of cars to meet demand when he got to the Model 3, he's there now and he will expand.

If there was "lots of unused space" in the Fremont factory, they wouldn't have set up the second assembly line for the Model 3 in the "tent". When I took the factory tour a while ago, the guide mentioned that they are planning to merge lines for the Model S and X that are currently separate to make room for a "new model" (presumably the Model Y). And at least the large building that we could see on the tour looked very crowded.

BTW, before Tesla bought the plant Toyota produced about 6000 cars/per week there. That's what it was designed for. Even if you assume somewhat better space-efficiency in Tesla's production processes (which is far from clear), the factory may already be running close to capacity.

 

[ℬête Noire]

If there was "lots of unused space" in the Fremont factory, they wouldn't have set up the second assembly line for the Model 3 in the "tent". When I took the factory tour a while ago, the guide mentioned that they are planning to merge lines for the Model S and X that are currently separate to make room for a "new model" (presumably the Model Y). And at least the large building that we could see on the tour looked very crowded.

BTW, before Tesla bought the plant Toyota produced about 6000 cars/per week there. That's what it was designed for. Even if you assume somewhat better space-efficiency in Tesla's production processes (which is far from clear), the factory may already be running close to capacity.

Site plan says there's room for more tents.

But yes, they have outgrown the NUMMI buildings. One thing is that, in my understanding, they do a lot more vertical than NUMMI so they're building more of the cars there (and just off-site, down and across the road they are building the seat assemblies). So they were bound to be hitting the ceiling.

P.S. NUMMI actually peaked production at 430,000/year, so a little over 8200/week average.

 

[rdunniii]

When they get around to making Semis that will require an entirely different assembly line as well as stamping and pressing equipment for at least the chassis.