gfitzge2
Well-Known Member
- First Name
- Gregg
- Joined
- Nov 7, 2018
- Threads
- 6
- Messages
- 1,038
- Reaction score
- 5,403
- Location
- Louisville, Kentucky
- Vehicle(s)
- 2016 Focus RS, 2019 Ranger, 2021 Mustang Mach 1
- Occupation
- Retired Electrician
- Vehicle Showcase
- 1
Thanks for another good story about life in an assembly plant. We called them FRLs (Filter Regulator Lubricator). They did their job if they were maintained, but as you said they were usually mounted over head, and out of sight is often out of mind. As we have discussed here before, most pneumatic tools have been replaced by electronic torque tools and the quality has improved as a result. ?Hi Bret,
I launched Tremor....It was a niche product using aftermarket parts, installed as an off line product after the initial build with radio delete. Definitely a boom box on wheels. The RCA connectors were not up to OEM requirements as as such we had to process deviations to our standards to produce this product. I did my best and it appeared to be a hit, but I hated it as I hate these stoplight boom box encounters where my windows and teeth fillings rattle.
I think I told a story here in another thread about Tremor prototypes shaking out plant line equipment at Edison that needed replacing. The back story was the first Edison Tremor prototype had a terrible rattle in the cab. The second one did too as did the third. We tracked it to the right rear cab mount being loose and resulting in the trapped flat washer rattling on the floorpan. I had a FCG Trainee (Ford College Graduate) and I told him to walk back up the line to Cab deck and look for the right rear cab bolt to be installed...the walk back to where it was not and find the operator. Then come back and get me and we will see what is going on. So Wally H. finds the operator and then guy tells him to get me as he had been bitching to the plant that his air gun was toast. So I go back with Wally and the operator was pleading with me to fix the problem...I looked up at the air line where it connected overhead and there was a pressure regulator with a glass bowl water trap that was completely black and full. I had to wait until the next meeting with the plant manager to bring up the subject...He was so pissed he grabbed me out of the meeting to take him to the line which I did using his golf cart. We then hopped back into the golf cart and back to the meeting...He blew past the conference table and picked up his phone and barked into the phone and slammed the phone down. A few minutes of silence (very uncomfortable) this area supervisor came into the office and got a performance review in front of all of us. There was a yard audit of all units and a bunch of repairmen/women and Millwrights running around with torque wrenches fixing trucks before going to the shipping lot. We were lucky as they started finding units that were okay that were earlier in the shift, so nothing reached the dealer or customer. Next day as we were walking the line the operator called out and gave us a thumbs up and pointed to the new regulator, air line and gun.... Sheesh...and so it goes....
Did not like Tremor, but it did find a problem before it got in customer hands!
Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired
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