[baldeagle]

There is a concept in manufacturing called the andon cord (a button / pull that activates a claxon and stops the line). Once the line stops, everyone swarms the problem and works on a fix. Toyota in the 80s pioneered its use and then beat the big 3 at manufacturing quality.

[Closi]

They aren't pulling the andon cord because the panel gap's are within tolerance but could be improved.

Parent post is talking about general fit and finish (i.e. tolerances being wide), try being a production line operative and pulling the andon because you think panel gaps could be decreased.

You are supposed to be pulling it if you notice the wiring loom is broken or something like that, not just fit and finish.

Besides, people are talking in this thread like lean / six sigma are new concepts that won't be already be fully embedded in the existing Tesla plants - this stuff is basic manufacturing which will already be fully embedded, but is just misunderstood by most people.

[voakbasda]

It seems that one basic misunderstanding is the idea that you could just jump into the deep end and start producing six sigma quality at scale. You can’t. Each sigma represents an order of magnitude of additional work at refining the production process, and that does not happen overnight.

[Closi]

Totally agree - you don't put an andon cord on your production line or 'do six sigma' and suddenly get perfect car quality - it's a slow and incremental process.

[elkos]

If I remember correctly the andon cord was first introduced in the USA by Toyota on the same factory many Teslas are build.