Nissan has launched the most advanced production line to date and is committed to creating a zero-emission manufacturing process for its next-generation vehicles.
Using the latest robotics technology, the Nissan Smart Factory started operations this week in Tochigi, Japan, about 50 miles north of Tokyo.
The automaker shared a video showing the new factory , which will produce vehicles such as the new Ariya electric crossover to be shipped to the United States in 2022.
As shown in the video, the Nissan Smart Factory not only manufactures vehicles, but also performs extremely detailed quality checks using robots programmed to search for foreign objects as small as 0.3 mm.
Nissan said that it built this futuristic factory to create a more environmentally friendly production process, while also helping it more effectively deal with Japan’s aging society and labor shortages.
The automaker said the facility is also designed to help it respond to “industry trends in the fields of electrification, vehicle intelligence, and interconnection technologies that have made vehicle structures and functions more advanced and complex.”
In the next few years, it plans to extend the smart factory design to more places around the world.
The new roadmap announced by Nissan paves the way for its global production plants to become carbon neutral by 2050. It aims to achieve its goals by improving the energy and material efficiency of the factory.
For example, a newly developed water-based paint can paint and bake metal car bodies and plastic bumpers together. Nissan claims that this energy-saving process reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 25%.
There is also SUMO (simultaneous under-floor installation operations), which is Nissan’s new component installation process, which can simplify the six-part process into one operation, thereby saving more energy.
In addition, Nissan said that all electricity used in its new plant will eventually come from renewable energy and/or generated by on-site fuel cells using alternative fuels.
It is not clear how many labors will be replaced by Nissan’s new high-tech factory (we assume that its certified olfactory will continue to be used). Nowadays, most workers working in car factories full of robots are maintaining or repairing equipment, or investigating problems that arise during quality inspections. These positions are retained in Nissan’s new plant, and the video shows people working in the central control room.
Commenting on Nissan’s new plant, Hideyuki Sakamoto, executive vice president of manufacturing and supply chain management at Nissan, said: The automotive industry is undergoing a period of major changes, and it is urgent to address global climate challenges.
He added: By launching the Nissan Smart Factory program globally, starting from the Tochigi Plant, we will be more flexible, efficient and effective to manufacture next-generation cars for a decarbonized society. We will continue to promote manufacturing innovation to enrich people’s lives and support Nissan’s future growth.
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Post time: Oct-20-2021
