WARREN, Mich. - General Motors expanded its significant battery research and development capabilities today by opening the largest and most technologically advanced battery lab in the United States on its Technical Center campus here.

The new Global Battery Systems Lab will lead GM’s global advanced battery engineering resources and expedite the introduction of electrically driven vehicles, including the Chevrolet Volt, as well as plug-in hybrid and hybrid-electric vehicles and fuel cell vehicles.

“The new global GM battery lab will benefit consumers across America by helping us advance the development of battery technology in the United States and put cleaner, more efficient vehicles on the road more quickly and affordably,” said Fritz Henderson, GM president and CEO. “Our new lab improves GM’s competitiveness by speeding the development of our hybrid, plug-in and extended-range electric vehicles, including the Chevrolet Volt.”

The Global Battery Systems Lab spans 33,000 sq. ft. – four times larger than GM’s previous Tech Center battery lab – and will be used by GM’s growing team of more than 1,000 engineers working on advanced batteries and electrically driven vehicles.

Planning began in December 2007 and construction started in August 2008. Operations began in January – nine months ahead of schedule. The lab became fully functional in May, equipped with 160 test channels and 42 thermal chambers duplicating extreme real-world driving patterns, hot and cold temperatures and calendar life. The lab’s maximum power capacity is 6 megawatts, or enough electricity to provide power to approximately 1,400 homes.

“This facility is state-of-the-art and represents one of the largest and most capable battery test labs in the world,” said Jim Queen, GM group vice president, Global Engineering. “More than half of the lab is dedicated to testing the electrochemical battery cells and their enclosures, known as modules, a capability not available in GM’s previous battery lab. The lab’s remaining floor space is committed to evaluating completed battery packs.”

The Global Battery Systems Lab was built within GM’s Alternative Energy Center facility, and includes many environmentally friendly features such as a center hallway with high-efficiency LED lighting and a floor made from recycled tires. Approximately 90 percent of the electricity used for battery testing can be returned to the local energy grid for use by homeowners and businesses.

Additional new benefits offered by the Global Battery Systems Lab include a thermal shaker table for battery structural integrity testing, a battery teardown area for failure analysis and competitor benchmarking, an integrated test automation system and improved Design of Experiments methodology – an information-gathering exercise that allows GM to perform more thorough battery tests more quickly.

The Global Battery Systems Lab complements GM’s other battery labs in Mainz-Kastel, Germany, Honeoye Falls, N.Y., and the Warren Technical Center’s Research Chemical Engineering facility. The opening of the Global Battery Systems Lab is the latest move in GM’s comprehensive battery strategy, which includes ramping up “in-house” responsibility for advanced battery technology and a broad portfolio of supplier partners.

At the 2009 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, GM:

• Announced plans to establish the world’s first lithium-ion battery pack manufacturing plant operated by a major automaker in the U.S.
• Selected LG Chem to supply lithium-ion battery cells, electronic components and control hardware for the Chevrolet Volt
• Signed a joint engineering development contract with Compact Power and LG Chem to further expedite the development of the Volt’s lithium-ion battery technology
• Joined with the University of Michigan to create a new automotive advanced battery lab in Ann Arbor, Mich., and a specialized curriculum within U of M’s College of Engineering to develop automotive battery engineers.

Energy alternatives and advanced technologies that reduce dependence on petroleum, improve fuel economy and reduce emissions are keys to developing sustainable transportation. GM is pursuing several options to best meet the varied needs of customers around the world – from advanced gasoline, diesel and biofuel technology to electrically assisted vehicles such as hybrids, plug-in hybrids and – ultimately – electrically driven extended-range electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. GM believes that electrically driven vehicles, based on battery and hydrogen fuel cell technology, offer the best long-term solution for providing sustainable personal transportation.

Facts: Global Battery Systems Battery Lab

Location

Alternative Energy Center, GM Technical Center, Warren, Mich.

Timing

• Battery system test area operational January, 2009
• Cell and module test area May, 2009

Size

Total floor space: 33,000 sq. ft.

• 14,400 sq. ft. – pack testing and development
• 17,400 sq. ft. – cell and module development
• 2,000 sq. ft. – technical support

Benefits

• Increased pack testing
  • 32 cyclers (serve as treadmills for batteries)
  • 64 test channels (available for individual battery tests)
  • 25 thermal chambers (duplicates extreme temperature conditions)
• New cell and module testing
  • 32 cyclers
  • 96 test channels
  • 16 small thermal chambers
• Environmental control capability – to allow for test correlation and repeatability
  • New humidity-controlled walk-in chambers
  • New air flow benches to provide specific temperatures and levels of humidity to test air-cooled battery packs
  • New coolant chillers to cool or heat liquid-cooled battery packs

Enhanced capability

• Integrated test automation system enables around-the-clock standardized testing, customized test schedules and monitoring tests from desk or at home
• New thermal shaker table for structural integrity testing
• Improved Design of Experiments methodology – an information-gathering exercise that allows GM to perform more thorough battery tests in a shorter period of time
• Battery teardown area for failure analysis and competitor benchmarking

 

DETROIT, Mich. – General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM) today announced details of its accelerated manufacturing plan to improve capacity utilization and flexibility for the New GM. GM also reaffirmed it will build a small car at one of its U.S. assembly plants on standby capacity status.

The manufacturing plan reduces GM’s total number of assembly, powertrain and stamping facilities in the U.S. from 47 in 2008 to 34 by the end of 2010 and 33 by 2012. These totals reflect GM’s recently announced plans to build a future small car in the U.S. Under this plan, the New GM will achieve full capacity utilization of its assembly operations in 2011, two years ahead of what was scheduled in its Feb. 17 viability plan submission. This will result in lower fixed costs per vehicle sold, and lower and more efficient capital investment.

The New GM, under agreement with the U.S. Treasury, will consist of GM’s strongest operations and brands from around the world, resulting in substantially less debt and lower operating costs than GM historically has carried.

“Our manufacturing operations, which already are among the most productive in the industry, will emerge even leaner, stronger and more flexible, as part of the New GM, ” said Gary Cowger Group Vice President of GM Global Manufacturing and Labor Relations. “Flexible manufacturing enables us to quickly respond to consumer preferences and changing market conditions.”

GM’s Service and Parts Operations (SPO) announced today that it will cease operations at three Parts Distribution Centers in Boston; Columbus, Ohio; and Jacksonville, Fla. – by Dec. 31, 2009.

“As GM strengthens its aftersales business, we’re aggressively pursuing strategies that allow us to continue fast parts delivery to our dealers and distributors, and improve our warehouse capacity utilization,” said Kevin W. Williams, GMNA Vice President and General Manager, Service and Parts Operations.

Additionally, GM will build a future small car in the United States utilizing a UAW-GM assembly plant on standby capacity status, with major metal stampings supported from a UAW-GM U.S. stamping plant also on standby capacity. This new small car will play a vital role in GM’s plans to improve the fuel efficiency of its vehicle fleet. Small cars represent one of the fastest growing segments in both the U.S. and around the world. The re-tooled assembly plant will be capable of building 160,000 cars annually. Selection of the site will be determined in the future.

The list of impacted U.S. GM plants follows:

June 1, 2009 U.S. GM Manufacturing Optimization Plan Actions

Ford Motor Company announced on Wednesday that it will spend $550-million to retool and transform Michigan Assembly Plant from a large SUV factory to a flexible small car plant that will eventually produce an all-electric version of Ford’s next-gen global Focus small car.

The Michigan Assembly Plant, formally known as the Michigan Truck Plant, is about to get a make-over. Formally the production site for the Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator, the plant will become the new home of Ford’s next-generation global Focus model next year.  The company will invest $550-million into transforming the plant into a “lean, green, and flexible” facility.

Ford will also use the newly revamped plant to manufacture it’s very first all-electric car based on the new Focus.  The zero-emission battery-electric will feature a high-capacity Lithium-Ion battery and will be chargeable in any 110/220 volt outlet. The all-electric Focus will debut in 2011.

Out of the $550-million, Ford will spend $430-million in manufacturing investment at the site and $120-million on launch and engineering costs. The state of Michigan and Wayne County are granting Ford nearly $160-million in tax credits to help the project go through. The investment expects to “support” (not create or save) 3,200 jobs.  As part of the re-tooling Ford will “consolidate” operations from Wayne Assembly Plant.

The Ford Press Release

WAYNE, Mich., May 6, 2009 – Ford Motor Company said today it is investing $550 million to transform its Michigan Assembly Plant into a lean, green and flexible manufacturing complex that will build Ford’s next-generation Focus global small car along with a new battery-electric version of the Focus for the North American market.

The plant, formerly the production site for Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigators SUVs, is one of three North American light truck plants Ford is retooling to build fuel-efficient global small cars in the coming years. The new Focus will begin rolling off the line next year and the battery-electric version of the Focus – Ford’s first all-electric passenger car – debuts in 2011.

As part of the retooling, Ford will consolidate its operations from Wayne Assembly Plant. When production launches in 2010, approximately 3,200 employees will be building the new Focus at Michigan Assembly Plant. At the plant, Ford and United Auto Workers are developing modern new operating practices to ensure high quality and even greater efficiency.

“The transformation of Michigan Assembly Plant embodies the larger transformation under way at Ford,” said Ford President and CEO Alan Mulally. “This is about investing in modern, efficient and flexible American manufacturing. It is about fuel economy and the electrification of vehicles. It is about leveraging our expertise and vehicle platforms around the world and partnering with the UAW to deliver best-in-class global small cars. It is about skilled and motivated teams working together in new ways to create the future of automobile manufacturing in the United States.”

The reinvention of Michigan Assembly, once one of the world’s most profitable auto plants during the SUV boom of the late 1990s, is rooted in the fundamental strategic shift by Ford to leverage its global assets to bring six world-class small cars to the American market by the end of 2012. To produce the vehicles, Ford is converting three truck and SUV plants to car plants – Michigan Assembly, Cuautitlan Assembly in Mexico, which begins building the new Fiesta subcompact early next year; and Louisville (Ky.) Assembly, which will be converted to produce small vehicles from Ford’s global Focus platform beginning in 2011.

The new Focus is being developed in Europe – where Ford is a leader in small cars – off a new global C-car platform. Over time, the new platform will be the basis for more than 2 million units annually around the world, including Focus and other derivatives, allowing Ford to leverage economies of scale to improve investment efficiency.

The zero-emission Focus battery-electric vehicle, which is being developed in partnership with Magna International, features a high-voltage electric motor powered by a high capacity Lithium Ion battery pack and charged by plugging in to a 110-volt or 220-volt outlet. The vehicle is one part of a larger strategy Ford announced in January to develop electric vehicles for North America quickly and affordably by leveraging its global platform capability.

In addition to the Focus battery electric vehicle, Ford is collaborating with Smith Electric to sell a Transit Connect battery electric commercial vehicle for North America in 2010. Ford’s product plans also include a next-generation hybrid vehicle in 2012 and a plug-in hybrid vehicle in 2012.

“We’re changing from a company focused mainly on trucks and SUVs to a company with a balanced product lineup that includes even more high-quality, fuel-efficient small cars, hybrids and all-electric vehicles,” said Mark Fields, Ford’s president of The Americas. “As customers move to more fuel-efficient vehicles, we’ll be there with more of the products they really want.”

Investing in American manufacturing
The $550 million investment in Michigan Assembly includes more than $430 million in manufacturing investment at the site, as well as $120 million for launch and engineering costs. In addition, Ford will be making significant investment in supplier tooling to support the plant.

The state of Michigan, Wayne County and the city of Wayne contributed more than $160 million in tax credits and grants to support Ford’s expansion opportunities. Key elements include:

* Tax incentives based on job retention at the site;
* A Brownfield tax incentive for economic rehabilitation of the site;
* Tax incentives to support integration of advanced batteries into new product development programs and
* Local property tax incentives for new investments at the site

Michigan Assembly Plant will be designated as the state’s first automotive technology anchor site. This designation will support Ford’s efforts by providing additional tax incentives to locate advanced technology suppliers in Michigan, related to future automotive technology applications.

“Ford is investing in both the future of the American auto industry and the state of Michigan by bringing together world-class products, advanced technology applications and strong partnerships with the UAW to build the next generation of vehicles that will help end our nation’s dependence on foreign oil,” said Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm. “In these challenging economic times, we applaud and appreciate Ford’s commitment to Michigan and to our talented workforce.”

Michigan Assembly Transformation
At the heart of the plant’s manufacturing transformation is a flexible body shop operation, which uses reprogrammable tooling in the body shop, standardized equipment in the paint shop and a common-build sequence in final assembly, enabling production of multiple models in the same plant.

Aiding in the implementation of flexible manufacturing is Ford’s industry-leading virtual manufacturing technology. In the virtual world, engineers and plant operators evaluate tooling and product interfaces before costly installations are made on the plant floor. This method of collaboration improves launch quality and enables speed of execution.

In a flexible body shop, at least 80 percent of the robotic equipment can be programmed to weld various sized vehicles. This “non-product specific” equipment gives the body shop its flexibility and provides more efficient use of the facility.

The plant also will employ an efficient, synchronous material flow, where the material will move in kits to each operator, providing employees with the tools they need in the sequence they will need them. The plant features an integrated stamping facility, which allows the stamping and welding of all large sheet-metal parts on-site, ensuring maximum quality and minimum overhead.

Modern Work Rules
Along with the physical transformation at Michigan Assembly Plant, the UAW and Ford are working on a framework of new and class-leading operating practices that will enable the plant to operate at a high level of productivity while producing best-in-class quality products in a safe work environment.

As part of this framework, Ford and the UAW are committed to establishing a strong, progressive culture at Michigan Assembly Plant that is based on teamwork, joint problem solving and continuous improvement.

“The UAW is a key partner in enabling us to build these world-class vehicles competitively in the United States,” said Joe Hinrichs, group vice president, Global Manufacturing and Labor Affairs. “This agreement will allow the work force to build on their quality commitment while improving productivity at the plant.”

General Motors is officially confirming that the 1.4L four-cylinder engine that will power the Chevy Cruze and extend the range of the anticipated Volt will be built in Flint, Michigan.  The company expects to invest $250-million into the facility which will begin manufacturing in December of 2010.

Installation of manufacturing equipment will start this spring at Flint South and will be comprised of 150 unique and flexible assembly stations. The plant will be able to produce multiple variants of four-cylinder engines without retooling.

By using Flint South, GM will be able to save the costs usually associated with building and equipping a new facility.

The official GM Press Release

General Motors has confirmed today that it will still invest approximately $250 million to bring the 1.4-liter 4-cylinder Family 0 engine production to Flint, Mich. The engine capacity for the Chevy Volt and Cruze will be allocated to existing and available floor space in the company’s Flint South engine plant located on Bristol Road.

Preparations to the Flint South plant for installation of new machinery and equipment will begin this Spring. Production of the 1.4-liter engines is targeted to begin in December 2010.

Production of Family 0 engines at Flint South will be GM’s most flexible and competitive engine manufacturing lines in the world, with approximately 150 highly flexible stations that will allow production of multiple 4-cylinder engine families without retooling.

This means that GM will not invest in new floor space at this time due to current capital expenditure constraints and available floor space in existing facilities.

Ford Motor Company’s (F) Romeo engine plant has hit a milestone recently, building out its 10-millionth engine. The historic powerplant, a 4.6L V8, is slated to be installed in a new 2010 Mustang GT.

The Romeo engine plant is Ford’s source for Ford F-150 and Mustang engines.  It builds 140 engines each hour on two lines. The high-volume line builds two and three valve versions of  Ford’s 4.6L V8 while the niche line hand assembles supercharged four-valve 5.4L V8 engines for the Shelby GT500. The high-volume line stretches over a mind boggling 4,000 feet.

The plant started producing engines in 1990, after Ford converted it from a tractor manufacturing facility into an engine plant.  An interesting note is that the first engine off the line was also a 4.6L V8.

As engine number 10,000,000 comes off the line, the Romeo engine plant is also celebrating increased quality. From 2007 to 2008 the 4.6L engine warranty data showed a 9% improvement rate- based on the first three months of use.

Romeo engine plant interesting facts

• In 2008 alone, the combined horsepower of all the engines produced in Romeo was a staggering 90-million horsepower. That’s 2,750 times the combined horsepower of the starting grid of this year’s Daytona 500
• The plant produces V8 engines for the F-150, Mustang, Shelby GT500, Explorer, E-Series van, Crown Victoria, and Grand Marquis
• The line is stocked with over 600 different parts, sourced from 150 different suppliers
• Engines are shipped to plants in Michigan, Kentucky, Missouri, and Canada

The official Ford press release

ROMEO, Mich., Feb. 19, 2009 – After years of delivering power to two of Ford Motor Company’s iconic products, the Ford F-150 and Mustang, Romeo Engine Plant has reached a historic milestone – the production of its 10 millionth engine.

The 10 millionth engine, a 4.6 liter 3-valve V-8, will be shipped to AutoAlliance International in Flat Rock, Mich., to be installed in a new 2010 Mustang GT.

The V-8 engines manufactured at the plant build on two of Ford’s strengths – capability for the Ford F-150, the best-selling truck in America, and performance for Mustang, America’s favorite muscle car. In 2008 alone, the engines produced at the plant generated a combined 90 million horsepower, about 2,750 times the combined horsepower of this year’s starting field for the Daytona 500.

“Romeo Engine’s products are powering two of Ford’s iconic vehicles and we focus on quality every minute of every day,” said Plant Manager Shaun Whitehead. “We deal with a great deal of complexity on our lines, and we’ve had very strong quality performance over a very long period of time.”

The Romeo plant, converted from a tractor manufacturing facility, produced its first engine in 1990 – a 4.6-liter, two-valve V-8. Today the plant, with a thousand employees, manufactures V-8 engines along with many of their major components including cast iron blocks, crankshafts, cylinder heads, connecting rods, camshafts and aluminum blocks.

The plant operates two lines – a high-volume Line, or HVL, and a niche line, where employees meticulously hand build 5.4 liter, 4-valve supercharged engines for the Shelby GT500. The HVL builds 4.6 liter two-valve and three-valve V-8 engines and 4.6 liter 2-valve Flex Fuel V-8 engines, delivering 140 engines an hour.

“We have more than 600 purchase parts from more than 150 suppliers so we deal with a large amount of intricate processes and parts on our line,” Whitehead said. “We have 11 different models on the line that we handle for seven different assembly plant customers – as well as the Ford Customer Service Division.”

The engines are shipped to plants in Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Missouri and Canada where they are placed in the F-150, Mustang, Econoline, Explorer, Crown Victoria or Grand Marquis models.

The HVL line stretches more than 4,000 feet, with quality monitored every step of the way to deliver continuous improvement. From 2007 to 2008, combined engine warranty data on the 4.6 liter engines showed a 9 percent improvement rate year over year, based on the first three months of use.

“Quality really is our number one priority,” said Quality Manager Phil Kloss. “Our Quality Operating System focuses on continuous improvement and an adherence to quality basics.”

In-line testing is consistently refined and error-proofed to detect and drive prevention of variations. Periodic job observations ensure operators follow instruction sheets 100 percent of the time, and detailed management reviews of all aspects of the system are designed to monitor any changes and ensure seamless launches.

“We have hundreds of eyes throughout our machining and assembly processes,” Kloss said. “Employees on the line constantly bring attention to changes in feel, appearance or test performance – even when unrelated to the task at hand.”

That teamwork obviously is paying off – both in quantity and quality.

“This is a huge accomplishment for our plant,” said Randy Newsom, UAW Local 400 Chairman at Romeo Engine. “We started this plant with a team concept that was really new for Ford when they converted from the tractor plant. Over the years, we’ve stayed consistent in our team approach, with both hourly and salaried employees working together. We strive to be the best engine builders in the world, and we’d like to build another 10 million.”

Photos of the very first pre-production 2010 Chevy Camaros rolling off the production line in Oshawa have surfaced!

The photos were posted this afternoon on Camaro5.com

Salable production of the Camaro was recently moved from late February into early March.  The base V6 was also recently certified to produce over 300-horsepower.

 

General Motors has announced it will end production of its Chevrolet TrailBlazer and GMC Envoy on December 23rd and as a result will shutter the Moraine, Ohio facility the slow selling models are manufactured at.  The move cuts two years off the date the Detroit based automaker had previously set in June.

US sales of the TrailBlazer model fell over 30% in September. The GMC Envoy saw a 19% drop for the same period.  Over 1,100 hourly and 100 saleried workers will be idled because of the closure. Negotiations are underway to determine the fate of the employees, who may be offered buyout packages and/or retirement incentives. Workers were told the new closing date today.

GM had previously decided to idle production at the Moraine facility during December, however now it appears they will now build out models right up to the December 23rd closing date.