Tow Tractor

Meaning no disrespect, but why not improve assembly procedures so that new trucks coming off assembly line have all the correct parts, like, steering boxes and starter systems properly assembled?

Now to answer your question, why not try a winch to pull them the short distance just outside the building where your existing wrecker can then pull them to you outdoor quality improvement area.

Rework is foolish ELIMINATE THE ROOT CAUSE!

Who failed to put on the missing parts? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY?

5whys

milo

This is it not a normal situation, as you know the shape of the word economy is not so good. we start to process the sales orders 4 or 5 days after the customer makes a request to us, due to this reason the suppliers can not respond as we need (they dont' have enough visibility to built the parts and send them to us, the normal process takes 2 0r 3 weeks).

The plant directors don't want to stop the production and that is the reason that we need to work in this way. If they decide to wait 2 or 3 weeeks (normal process) the plant must stop several days waiting for the material.

The fact that they are plant directors does not change the fact that they are playing a numbers game rather than managing a robust quality process.

Some normal process

milo

Its called JIT manufacturing, and if there is a supplier problem, then parts will get delayed.

JIT = Just In Time, as in, you manufacture parts as the customer needs it, and the quantities they need them, so you don't have stock laying around wasting rescources building and storing something that customer currently has no need for.

Kenworth Trucks has gone from manufacturing about 100+ trucks a week down to about 3 a day. (Australia alone)

Just in Time= three lies for the price of one. It assumes that all schedules mesh perfectly and Force Majeure never happens.

Well I have news for all you JIT nutcases, sh1t DOES happen, it ALWAYS happens, and if you haven't built buffers into your processes to account for them (and that means a stocked inventory room.) then you have been educated far beyond your intelligence.

"Just in Time= three lies for the price of one. "

I Like it!

milo

Hello Rroschach,

I agree with all you and Milo say!!!!!!!!!!!! ............. :=)

For a large Truck Manufacturer not to have enough stock is ridiculous. i am really a large vehicle 'nut'! I have seen similar factories and they finish all the trucks outside their factory. Painting, and various 'add ons etc'? The have low small shunter vehicles which can turn on a Dime which tow the almost finished Trucks from the 'production line' to another 'shed' for painting etc.

I find the fact this question is asked at all quite amazing.

Why not buy a 'Farm Tractor' to tow these other 'Tractor-Trailers'?

Does no one at this factory have any foresight to build similar trucks to tow with or, have some winches attached to steel girders or 'rings' in the concrete outside to hook the winch-line to?

Seems to me the 'Managers' are not 'managing' at all, as far as planning goes!!!

I am afraid, if I was in charge, there would be few 'original 'managers' still at this factory. This situation is one that comes along every so often and is one that should be 'second nature' for an 'Engineering' Firm to deal with.

This makes me very angry!

No insult intended.

You can get a forklift which will lift that and more. Check this link.

If you just need to pick up the front of the truck and pull it your not lifting 18000 lbs. So I'd get your machine shop to fab some forks that would fit a hard point or two under the front frame or bumper. Keep them close to the mask of the forklift. Grab the sucker and roll with it. Use a forklift from the plant to test for proper lift without the rear wheels of the forklift jumping off the ground. Keep in mine that forks will bend if not thick enough.

Ed

Purchase or fabricate a "wheeled" tow dolly--Place the front of the production tractors on the dolly--use a small vehicle to tow to lot--problems solved! (I assume the tractors have rear wheels???)

Donzi

Assuming that you have the front axle attached with wheels and tyres (tires). You could build a dolly trailer. Then put the truck onto the dolly trailer,and using a medium sized tractor or forklift with a tow hitch tow it outside.

The dolly trailer will carry the weight of the front half of the truck so if its fitted with similar hubs,bearings, wheels as the truck then there shouldn't be any problems.

As most dolly trailers have a turntable between the vehicle cradle and the axle/towbar it affords easy manoeuvrability when parking the trucks in the yard. Note you'll need to jack the truck up to load and unload it to/from the dolly trailer. How high depends on how high you make the cradle.

If you google car dolly trailer it will give you some idea of what I mean, this link is for one made in the US for cars and RV's 4X4's designed to be towed by a motorhome

www.motorhomesaustralia.com.au/images/QLD618.jpg

If you make an upsized truck version of this it'll solve your problem.

Hope that helps

Cheers

Perry

I had thought of suggesting an "A" frame but I then considered the problem of being able to manoeuvre the trucks in close quarters of the factory or in the yard where they are laid up waiting parts for final assembly.

Using a dolly trailer overcomes those issues, as well as whether the steering gear is all there or not. It also saves scrubbing the new steer tyres (tires) unnecessarily. These are new trucks we're talking about so an ounce of care is worth a ton of repair.

An airport towtruck would be ideal also but may be beyond this fellows budget or availability. Given his management's attitude is light on logistics detail, I would suspect they're not too clued up on practical solutions either.

Still the OP can make up his mind once everyone has tossed in their penny's worth.

:-)

Waste in motion... Have the supplier keep the parts you need in his inventory for you. Or set up your own safety stock based on the number of parts you use in 2 to 3 weeks. When you are down to the 2 to 3 week supply order more.

Just a thought...

May i sugest that you buy/use one of the small little trucks/carts that the airports use to move the jets around at the air ports. I'm sure you can tow them with it but there is no lifting capability.

Hola Juan, Why not start the build-up instead on the floor, on a small 4 wheel carts. move the unfinished truck in and out as you choose with a small tug or tractor. A small airplane tug capable of towing 10 tonns, in the surplus market will cost 2-3K dollars.hope it helps....Chao.

Maybe one of these?

I bet the Repo men are looking at that in awe....

So right! Good one!

Hello bp01,

Maybe one of

http://ablestmage.wordpress.com/2009/07/02/new-japanese-tow-trucks-motorcycles/

These Bikes look to be a great idea! They can get to the breakdown fast and shorten any resulting 'jam'?

Put a couple of these under the front tires and pull or push the rig around with whatever. Since the weight is supported on the rear tires and the dollys, it won't take much force to move the rig. Google "wheel dolly" or make your own.