How Tesla Builds Its Factories So Quickly.

Ever wonder how Tesla builds its factories so quickly? Not long ago people were saying even if Tesla built a good prototype there was no way they could scale fast enough to mass produce the cars. Elon Musk has proved them all wrong. Tesla is a great company to research for those involved with supply chain, manufacturing, continuous improvement and anything with innovation. Elon Musk often tweets about problems as well as overcoming the problems. There is so much to learn from the quick rise of Tesla.

Tesla has a reputation for building factories quickly and efficiently. There are a few key factors that contribute to this ability:

Prefabrication: Tesla uses prefabricated components and modular construction techniques to speed up the building process. By constructing certain elements offsite and assembling them on location, the company is able to reduce construction time and minimize disruptions to the surrounding area.
Automation: Tesla employs automated construction equipment and techniques to streamline the building process. This includes the use of robots to handle tasks such as welding, painting, and material handling.
Lean manufacturing: Tesla employs lean manufacturing principles, which focus on maximizing value and minimizing waste. This includes the use of just-in-time production techniques, which involve producing components as they are needed rather than in advance.
Experienced team: Tesla has a team of experienced construction professionals who have worked on a variety of projects, including the construction of its Gigafactories. This experience allows the company to identify and overcome potential challenges quickly and efficiently.

Overall, Tesla’s combination of prefabrication, automation, lean manufacturing principles, and experienced construction professionals enables the company to build factories quickly and efficiently.

Tesla Factories, Supply Chain and Research

Quotes by Elon Musk and Others

“I do think there is a lot of potential if you have a compelling product and people are willing to pay a premium for that. I think that is what Apple has shown. You can buy a much cheaper cell phone or laptop, but Apple’s product is so much better than the alternative, and people are willing to pay that premium.” ~Elon Musk
“Without logistics the world stops.” ~Dave Waters
“The supply chain stuff is really tricky.” ~Elon Musk
“The key with autonomous is the whole ecosystem. One of the keys to having a truly fully autonomous is vehicles talking to each other.” ~Mary Barra, GM CEO.
“Everybody around here has slides in their lobbies. I’m actually wondering about putting in a roller coaster — like a functional roller coaster at the factory in Fremont. You’d get in, and it would take you around [the] factory but also up and down. Who else has a roller coaster? … It would probably be really expensive, but I like the idea of it.” ~ Elon Musk
“Something is wrong if workers do not look around each day, find things that are tedious or boring, and then rewrite the procedures. Even last month’s manual should be out of date.” ~Taiichi Ohno