There are hardly any human workers at Nissan’s “intelligent” plant. Reason is that the robots does all the work, from welding and mounting to paint jobs.
The workers at the factory can focus on more skilled work such as analyzing data collected by the robots, and on maintaining the equipment.
The factory, on the outskirts of Tokyo, is set to be up and running sometime before April, according to Nissan.
Its assembly line is designed so that all three types of models — electric; e-Power, which has both a motor and an engine, and those powered by regular combustion engine — can be built on the same line.
Each vehicle is equipped with the right powertrain as it moves along the line.
The innovations being tested in Tochigi will be gradually rolled out at its other global plants, including French alliance partner Renault’s factories. The innovation eliminates the need for rare earth materials, cutting costs.