below fanuc® robots in the plant’s body shop.
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Chattanooga production continues on the high-tech, distinctly volkswagen plant. Over the last several issues of Das Auto Magazine, we’ve seen the advancement of Volkswagen’s much anticipated Chattanooga production plant. From the plant’s announcement in July 2008 through today, progress has taken the shape of completely enclosed buildings that house the assembly, paint and body shops. In fact, all the buildings were weather-tight as of the first of the year. The advanced laser-welding robots are installed in the body shop. The first wave of production team members has arrived to begin production of the pre-series (preproduction) vehicles by June 2010. As the plant enters its final months of preparation, it will be the culmination of all that Volkswagen vehicles represent—quality, German engineering, precise design and technological advancement. Volkswagen builds its plants using the most advanced technology and best processes from its operations around the world. New production facilities, like the one in Chattanooga, also feature improvements, furthering the brand’s innovation when it comes to building vehicles. For example, the layout of the body shop at the Chattanooga plant will be more compact as a result of optimized processes that Volkswagen has simulated in virtual reality. 40
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