KANSAS CITY, KS—Instead of mass-production, General Motors is experimenting with batch production at its Fairfax assembly plant here that builds the Chevy Bolt EV. The automaker is making 30 vehicles at a time. It’s part of a new initiative called
Winning with Simplicity, a strategy for reducing complexity so that operators can work more efficiently while ensuring quality and lowering costs.
Instead of a constantly changing the mix of vehicles, the Fairfax plant is using a process called “batch build.” The new approach simplifies work for assemblers and suppliers, saves space and time, and creates a more predictable production process.
As part of the initiative, three dozen similar Bolt LT or RS models, all in the same color, move down the assembly line at one time. The system is designed to reduce variation.
“This is all about winning with simplicity,” says Dieu Nguyen, batch manager at GM’s Fairfax Body and Paint Shop. “It helps us with scheduling requirements and suppliers, and it ensures that our employees are working on the right things.”
Consistency and repetition is already paying off. One metric used at GM assembly plants is electrical first-time quality (EFTQ), which tracks the number of vehicles that pass a key electrical system functionality check. “Achieving EFTQ target pass rate means vehicles are being built right the first time,” explains Nguyen. “Three months after launch, [our] team is continuing to consistently meet their monthly EFTQ targets.”
Batch building has other benefits. For instance, suppliers can plan deliveries to the plant on a fixed seven-day schedule, ensuring that materials arrive with greater consistency. Delivering parts in batches of 30 reduces the need for specialized racks and storage equipment, which saves valuable floor space.
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There are also benefits in the paint shop. Grouping vehicles together by exterior color reduces the number of times equipment must be purged and cleaned, saving both time and money.
`“We’re proud to be the first GM plant in North America to adopt batch build,” says Michael Youngs, Fairfax plant director. “It’s paying off with quality and efficiency. The lessons we are learning will carry over to the next products we build here, and we believe it will also carry on to other GM plants in the future.”
The Fairfax assembly plant has a unique history. The facility was originally built in the early 1940s to mass-produce B-25 Mitchell bombers during World War II. GM purchased the building in the mid-1940s to meet pent-up demand for Buick, Oldsmobile and Pontiac sedans.
During the Korean War in the early 1950s, the factory also made F-84F jet fighters. It marked one of the only times in history that military planes and cars, such as Buick Specials, Oldsmobile Super 88s and Pontiac Chieftains, were made under the same roof.
However, the original plant closed in 1987 after GM built a new facility nearby. In addition to the Bolt, the Fairfax factory is preparing to assemble the gas-powered Chevrolet Equinox SUV. In addition, GM plans to reshore Buick production from China.
