"LEAF" as a backronym for "Leading, Environmentally friendly, Affordable, Family car" This is the first time I have heard of a 'backronym' and honestly I feel the term is just embarrassing... I liked it better when I thought they were just trying to emphasise their 'green credentials'.
One aspect of the factory I thought would be especially interesting would be the paint shop, after previously having been to the JCB factory and missing out on seeing their's... Sadly I still haven't seen what mysteries the paint shop has to offer...
Our guide did describe the process in depth, especially detailing how much cleaning is required to ensure the paint finish is perfect as it leaves the factory. One interesting thing we heard about was how Ostrich feathers are used to to siphon the dust from the bare metal car body.
The sheer amount of parts and processes involved was surprising, and a lot of this was done onsite.
It is amazing to see how the thin rectangles of sheet metal can become a robust family car.
Robotics were used for about 80% of the production line. There were hundreds of machines all programmed and operated to do specific jobs; which were surprisingly, and sometimes unnervingly, quick. I now have a real appreciation for all the work that goes into not just designing the car but all of the processes and machines that help build them, knowing that these all have to be designed too!
Checks were carried out on vehicles randomly but very often, it was difficult to see where problems could arise - and at a cost of £3,000 per minute for a major issue, its understandable why there was so much emphasis on this.
Juke Nizmo - This model was released the day before we arrived so we got a good look at it fresh from the production line!
On a seemingly unrelated note, we visited an unusual museum on the way out...
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