Vehicle Manufacturing

One thing mankind has gotten right over the years has been continuously innovating.  The horseless carriage, an early name for the motor car, kicked off the automotive industry in the 1860s.  Up to that point, only animals, typically horses, reserved the right to transport people around. Hence the term “horsepower”.

Horsepower

Most automotive buffs view the automotive industry’s true start as taking place in the late 1800s, when German inventor Karl Benz invented the "Motorwagen".  Even with that breakthrough, automobiles did not take off in popularity immediately. In their early years, cars were mostly purchased by wealthy individuals, primarily because of cost.

Ford's Invention

European inventors may have developed the car, but it was Americans that embraced its production.  In 1913, Henry Ford pioneered the assembly line for mass-producing vehicles, making them affordable for almost everyone.

Work performed on Ford's assembly line

Ford’s production method was based on the idea of simply assembling interchangeable component parts across a conveyor belt-based assembly line.  Prior to his invention, coaches and buggies were hand-built by skilled artisans, in small numbers, and at much higher costs.  Ford's innovative design reduced the number of parts required, the skill required to perform the work, and the overall number of skilled fitters needed to get the job done.  With decreased costs and increased output, Ford’s assembly line was destined to be one of America’s greatest innovations.

The U.S. Interstate Highway System helped fuel the auto industry’s growth, changed America’s landscape, and transformed rural areas into modern cities.

The core phase of today’s motor vehicle industry is still assembly, the process Ford pioneered over a hundred years ago.  Today’s auto and truck manufacturing industry is expected to reach this year $99 billion in total revenue, with a total 2019 market value of $229.2 billion.  The U.S. is the world’s second-largest automotive market for vehicle sales and production, and the impact of this industry is seen across the entire American economy.

95% of American households own a vehicle, and for good reason.  The personal automobile lets people live, work, and play in ways that were inconceivable just a century ago.  Automobiles stimulate tourism and allow increased access to outdoor recreation across all 50 states.  Whether someone is taking a road trip across U.S. highways or commercial vehicles are delivering freight, the automotive industry has made its mark.

The automobile has essentially become a necessity for anyone living in the U.S.

Motor Vehicle Manufacturing Products and Sub-Industries

The industry’s core manufactured products are passenger automobiles; light-duty trucks such as pickups, vans, and SUVs; and heavy-duty trucks like buses. We break down each sub-industry within this industry: Automobile Manufacturing, Light Truck and Utility Manufacturing, and Heavy-Duty Truck Manufacturing.

Automobile Manufacturing

NAICS 336111

This sub-industry of motor vehicle manufacturing involves companies that manufacture complete automobiles.  According to Hoovers, passenger cars make up 38.4% of the overall automotive market value.  These motor vehicles drive on at least four wheels, are used for the transport of passengers, and contain no more than eight seats, in addition to the driver's seat.

Types of Passenger Cars:

• Convertible – the automobile may be driven with or without a roof in place
• Coupe – car with a sloping rear roofline, often sporty in nature, and with only two seats in the rear
• Hatchback – made with a rear door that swings upward
• EV - Electric Vehicles
• Hybrid Vehicles – cars that combine a combustion engine and battery
• Sedan – configured with three major compartments: cargo, passenger space, and engine
• Wagon – a sedan with a large cargo area, rear tailgate, and the space of an SUV

 

Light Truck and Utility Vehicle Manufacturing

NAICS 336112

Manufacturing companies in this sub-industry assemble light-duty vans, pick-up trucks, minivans, and SUVs.  Light commercial vehicles (LCV) weigh up to 7 tons and are used for the carriage of goods.  According to Hoovers, the truck market makes up roughly 59% of the entire U.S. economy.

Heavy-Duty Truck Manufacturing

NAICS 33612

Companies in this motor vehicle manufacturing sub-industry assemble and manufacture heavy-duty trucks, heavy-duty buses, and heavy-duty motor homes.  These are vehicles that weigh greater than 7 tons.

• Buses and coaches - used for transporting passengers
• Heavy trucks - vehicles intended for the carriage of goods

Vehicle Production

Motor vehicle production is big business, with manufacturing occurring across the entire globe.  To compete in today’s market, automotive manufacturers manage large supply chains that cross over into geographic regions outside the company’s home country.  The good news, from a global standpoint, is that world production has been on the rise, as shown in the image below.

Worldwide vehicle production has been increasing at a rapid rate since the mid-’90s.

For the past 100+ years, the U.S. has played a vital role in worldwide motor vehicle production, starting with Ford’s assembly line innovation. However, towards the end of the 20th century, U.S. production of passenger cars gradually shifted to other countries.  Consumer preferences began to change, with an increased demand for better performance, and the U.S. found itself falling behind foreign automotive companies for the first time.

Click for larger view

American-made cars hit a record high production number in 1978.  By 1980, Japan overtook the U.S.’s #1 position and became the world’s leading automobile producer.  As you can see in the chart below, which utilizes data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. auto production for passenger cars has continued to decline well into the 21st century.

Today, China is the largest producer of motor vehicles, including cars, trucks, coaches, and buses, as shown in the following image.

Click for larger view

With regard to U.S. production, it’s not all bad news for the automobile industry.  Total production in America is directly behind China, due to the U.S. being the largest producer of commercial vehicles, with over 8,000,000 units produced per year.

Key Companies

In 1916, 55% of all cars in the world were Ford’s Model T.  Over 100 years later, the Model T is no longer with us, but the Ford Motor Company still maintains a dominant market position in this industry.  Today, Ford produces sixteen vehicles every 60 seconds.

The Big 3 automakers in the U.S. today are Ford, GM, and Chrysler.  As we’ve mentioned, however, there are many automakers competing in the U.S.  Here is a look at the top automotive companies operating in the U.S. and their employment numbers across the world.

The American Auto Council highlights the following OEM share of production in the U.S.:

Plant Locations Across the U.S.

To produce vehicles, automakers need plants. Currently, three out of every five U.S. auto plants are owned by Chrysler, Ford, or General Motors. However, since the 1980s, when Japanese car makers began opening auto production plants in the U.S., the manufacturing arena has changed. New assembly plants, operated by foreign automakers, began appearing all across the southern states.  Today, there are a vast number of foreign auto plants operating on U.S. soil, providing employment to thousands of Americans.

Here is a look at where some of the larger plants are located across the U.S. landscape.

As you can see, automotive manufacturing plants are concentrated heavily in the Midwest and in the South.  The map above shows where the following automotive plants are positioned in the U.S.:

Here are the top producing American car plants from the list above.

Automotive Manufacturing Process

Even though technology has transformed motor vehicle manufacturing since the days of Ford’s initial assembly line, there are still many of the same principles at work.  Assembly still combines standardization, interchangeability, and continuity.  Automobiles flow to the individual worker at each specific workstation, with each worker performing a precise task.

The assembly line remains the place where things come together in one spot.  There are several sub-assembly areas, like doors and engines, however, the assembly line is still where highly specialized employees make the vehicle come to life.

Vehicle Assembly

A modern automotive production line utilizes what is referred to as the division of labor.  In this system, instead of each person performing an entire job from start to finish, everyone focuses on a small piece of the job, bringing the smaller parts together until the final vehicle is assembled.  It is this innovative thinking that helped Ford mass produce those first Model Ts in 1908 and that approach remains the most cost-effective method of assembly today.

Building and assembling vehicles requires a complex assembly progression.  Throughout the whole process, frequent inspections are performed to ensure the vehicle’s quality.  We highlight the entire process and the hazards employees face change as the vehicle makes its way through the assembly process.

Assembly Process for Manufacturing Vehicles

Keep in mind, each automaker utilizes its own unique manufacturing process. Some plants strictly assemble vehicles, relying heavily on just-in-time manufacturing, as castings/forgings, electrical equipment, and other parts are brought to the factory.  Others manufacture their complete engines, plastic moldings, and other parts at the in-house automotive plant.

The flow chart below highlights automotive manufacturing as you move down the assembly line.  Inspecting blanks, stamping metal parts and loading welding lines is where cut-resistant gloves and sleeves become a must.  Keep in mind though, PPE changes across each step of the manufacturing process.

These are the core production stages found in auto plants, along with a full visual map showing the sequence of events.

Step 1

Raw materials arrive.

Raw materials, such as steel, are shipped in via coils.  The primary metals industry serves an important role in automotive manufacturing, occurring well before any raw materials show up at a plant. Be sure to check out our Primary Metals industry page for more information about their role.

Coils at the Factory

Step 2

Metal blanks are made.

The steel is then turned into metal blanks.

Metal Blanks

Step 3

Tool-die makers get to work.

Workers prep the press and stamping begins.

Prepping the Press

Step 4

Press machine stamps out metal components.

Workers have to handle stamped parts and feed the blanks into the machines to make different components: rear frame, panels, bumpers, and floor and side panels.

Prepping the Press

Step 5

Stamped metal is destacked.

Workers move the stamped metal parts to production, loading them onto welding robots.

The highest cut protection should be worn when handling stamped metal.

Step 6

The frame parts are welded.

Over 1,000 precision welds take place during this phase of production.

Robots Welding stamped metal together

Step 7

Further welding happens in the body shop.

There are some areas of the frame that robots can’t get to. Body shops mig weld those areas of the automotive frame needing final welds, before the frame moves further down the assembly line.

Welding vehicle frames

Step 8

Quality inspections take place.

Quality checks occur throughout the entire manufacturing process.  This step ensures burrs are grinded and buffed out.

Inspecting burrs

Step 9

Time for paint.

The vehicle passes through sealed paint rooms, where the body is dipped into chemicals to prevent rust, and then primed, painted, and sealed.

Paint Line

The engine is most times built while the vehicle is painted, then sent to production.

Step 10

Trim line assembly is conducted.

Assemblers fit items such as instrument panels, steering columns, and body glass into the vehicle.

Glass Installed

Step 11

Chassis phase focuses attention underneath.

Assembly takes place on the underpart of the vehicle.

Assembly Underneath Vehicle

Step 12

Power train is loaded (Engine and Transmission Assembly).

Machines assist with loading these heavy parts and assembling them into vehicles.  Workers have to be concerned with residual oil on engines and parts during this stage.  Fuel tank, exhaust, and bumpers are assembled at this time, too.

Engine Assembly

Step 13

Final assembly stage.

The final assembly process is where the bulk of workers are found.  Work at this phase of manufacturing involves the use of many power tools. Here, parts such as the seats, dashboard, and upholstery are fitted.

Dashboard Installed

Step 14

Final inspection time.

Nylon gloves are a must as workers do a full inspection of the finished product.

Inspecting vehicles

Step 15

Fluids are filled up.

Workers fill and top off fluids like oil, transmission fluid, and brake fluid in this step of production.

Filling up gasoline

Step 16

Final transportation of the vehicle to warehouse.

Once all the assembly tasks are completed, a brand new car is ready for purchase..

Vehicles ready for purchase

In the U.S., there are roughly 130,000 assemblers working in motor vehicle manufacturing plants.

Total Automotive Manufacturing Employment

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports there are a little over 217,000 U.S. automotive manufacturing workers, a number that has been declining for years, even though worldwide production continues to rise.

Are there concerns that fewer people are employed in automotive manufacturing today and that those numbers continue to drop?  Well, in Michigan, the answer is yes, with a decline of nearly 65,000 workers in Motor City compared to thirty years ago.  Robotics, technology, computers, standardization, cost reduction, and globalization have all played a part in reducing the total labor force.

Employment by State

Every state is an auto state, as motor vehicle manufacturing represents the largest manufacturing industry in the U.S.  There are automotive establishments spread out across the entire country.  If you don’t want to take our word for it, just check out this interactive map, created by Auto Alliance.

While every state has come connection to automotive, the majority of all motor vehicle manufacturing, more than half, occurs in three states: Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana.  Here are the overall top 10 states for auto manufacturing.

One state that has seen a rise in auto manufacturing in recent years is Alabama, as you can see in the previous graph.  When foreign facilities began moving to the U.S., they opened many of their plants in the southern U.S right-to-work states, where unions are not able to effectively organize. Since 1990, Alabama’s employment has risen from 400 automotive manufacturing jobs to numbers approaching 40,000 today.

Overall U.S. Automotive Industry

Northern U.S. Automotive Industry

Central U.S. Automotive Industry

Southern U.S. Automotive Industry

Occupations

When it comes to employment, there is a multitude of jobs available to workers in the motor vehicle manufacturing industry. The top three occupations found in this industry are the following:

1. Assemblers and Fabricators
2. Maintenance Workers
3. Construction Trades

Here is a look at the positions employing the most workers.

• Assemblers and Fabricators 

  Assemble finished products and parts.  There are around 130,000 of these workers in the Motor Vehicle Manufacturing. You will find this worker assembling bolts, using many different types of tools, and moving heavy parts.  They construct finished products and the parts that go into them. These workers use many tools, machines, and most importantly need their hands protected.  Common job titles for this occupation are Assembler and Fabricator.

• Metal and plastic workers 

  Operate machines designed to cut, shape and form metal.  There are roughly 14,000 employees found for this occupation.  You will find these workers fabricating metal products, lifting heavy materials and working with their hands.  Common job titles for this position are Sheet Metal Worker and Welder.

• Industrial Machinery Installation, Repair, and Maintenance Workers 

   Lubricates machines, changes parts, and performs machinery maintenance.  The Motor Vehicle Manufacturing industry employs a little over 10,000 of these workers.  You will find these workers cleaning machine and machine parts.  Cleaning solvents, oil and metalworking fluids are a definite concern for these workers.  Common Job titles for this position are Lubricator, Maintenance Man, and Oiler. 

• Construction Trades Workers  

  Perform tasks involving physical labor.   There are roughly 6,000 of these workers in Motor Vehicle Manufacturing.  They operate hand and power tools of all types.  You will find these workers preparing sites, digging trenches; erect scaffolding, applying paint to surfaces, sealants and assembling structures.   Common job titles for this occupation are Helper, Laborer, Skill Laborer.

• Material Moving Workers  

  Around 4,200 of these workers help move material and vehicles in the Motor Vehicle Manufacturing industry.  That is a large number of hands needing to be protected.   You will find these workers operating conveyors, transporting materials, and operating machines.  Common job titles are Laborer and Operator.

• Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers  

  Inspect machined, fabricated, or assembled parts.  There are around 3,900 of these workers in motor vehicle manufacturing.  You will find these workers inspecting equipment and structures.   Common job titles for this position are Quality Technician, Inspector, and Picker / Pacer.

• Laborers and material movers by hand  

  Workers that move materials, objects and stock.  There are around 3,000 of these workers in the Motor Vehicle Manufacturing industry. Machine feeders also fall into this worker group.  Common Job titles for this position are Line Tender, Laborer, and Materials Handler.  Due to the use of one’s hands, wearing gloves is a must.

• Industrial Machinery Mechanics 

   Repair, install, and adjust industrial machinery.  There are around 2,900 of this occupation working in motor vehicle manufacturing.  You will find these workers cutting and welding metal to repair broken metal parts.  Job titles for this position are Fixer, Industrial Mechanic, and Master Mechanic.

• Maintenance and Repair Workers 

  Keep machines, mechanical equipment, or the structure of an establishment in repair.  There are around 1,300 of this occupation that works in Motor Vehicle Manufacturing.  You will find these workers pipe fitting, repairing equipment, and repairing buildings.   Job titles for this position are Maintenance Worker, Maintenance Mechanic, and Facilities Manager.

• Tool and Die Makers 

  Lay out metal stock, operate machine tools, and assemble parts to make and repair dies.  There are roughly 2,300 of these workers in the motor vehicle manufacturing industry.  You will find these workers cutting and shaping metal, in addition to assembling machine fixtures.  Common job titles for this position are Die Maker, Die Machinist, and Tool Repairer.

• Painting Workers  

  You will find these workers applying paint coatings, cleaning production equipment, and positioning work pieces.  There around roughly 2,300 of these works in the Motor Vehicle Manufacturing industry.  They paint and coat surfaces.  Workers are exposed to many contaminants.   Common job titles for this occupation is Painter and Spray Painter.

• Welding, Soldering and Brazing Machine Operators 

  Operate welding, soldering or brazing machines that weld, braze, or heat treat metal products.   Roughly, 2,000 workers are found in the Motor Vehicle Manufacturing industry.  You will find these workers adding material to workpieces, joining metal components, and annealing finished work pieces. Common Job titles for this position are Fabricator, Mig Welder, Spot Welder, Fitter-Welder, and Braze Operators.  

• Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders 

  Operate machines used to taper, shape, and form metal.  Around 1,900 of these workers are found in motor vehicle manufacturing.  You will find these workers removing dies, forging hammers, and moving metalwork pieces.  Common job titles for this position are Forger, Blacksmith, Hammer Operator, and Forge Press Operators

• Welding Cutters and Fitters 

  Use hand-welding, flame-cutting, hand soldering, and brazing equipment to weld/join metal components, fill holes, indentations, or seams of fabricated metal products.  There are around 1,900 of these workers are employed in the Motor Vehicle Manufacturing industry.  You will find these workers welding components in flat, vertical or overhead positions.  Common Job titles for this position are Maintenance Welder, Mig Welder, and Welder/Fabricator.

Work Activities

An assembly line runs like a well-oiled machine.  It does so because there are a lot of specialized workers who perform many tasks.  Each worker must complete their assigned task within a certain takt time, ensuring production continues in an efficient manner.

Here are what workers in this industry do on a daily basis in an automotive plant.

Assembly

• Fastening components and parts
• Adjusting small parts and screws
• Assembling bolts
• Assembling chassis
• Assembling components like dashboards, panels, and seats
• Assembling finished products
• Attaching cables
• Body trimming
• Connecting devices
• Constructing finished products
• Feeling fine parts
• Moving heavy parts
• Assembling parts
• Using a wide range of tools
• Assembling electrical components and wire harnesses

Body Shop

• Assembling metal parts to form vehicle structures

Engine and Transmission Assembly

• Assembling oily objects and components

Injection Molding

• Deburring
• Handling molded parts
• Inspecting parts

Inspector and Testers

• Finishing
• Inspecting and touching vehicles for defects
• Inspecting for unnecessary burrs
• Inspecting machine-assembled parts
• Laboratory

Machine Tool Setter and CNC

• Inspecting metalwork pieces
• Forming metal with a machine-press
• Working with sharp metal

Machinist

• Assembling components
• Cutting, shaping, and forming metal
• Handling rough, jagged, and ultra-fine sharp parts
• Handling sharp small parts
• Metal handling
• Metalworking and manipulating metal parts

Maintenance and Repair

• Assembling and disassembling equipment
• Maintaining production machines
• Mounting equipment
• Repairing equipment and machinery
• Changing parts
• Cleaning machines
• Lubricating machines
• Maintaining machinery

Material Moving

• Delivering finished vehicles
• Delivering parts to work stations
• Preparing components for assembly

Metal Stamping

• Bending and forming metal sheets to desired shapes
• Cutting and separating metal
• Handling metal panels
• Handling sharp metal parts formed from the presses
• Operating machine-press

Paint Line

• Painting vehicle body
• Applying sealers
• Cleaning tools with solvents
• Cleaning vehicles
• Treating surfaces
• Touching up
• Working around chemicals

Many of the activities found in the automotive industry involve metal fabrication.  Be sure to check out our Metal fabrication industry page for more information and resources.

Safety

When you examine the working conditions in early assembly lines from the 1920s, you may notice that cars were built in grime, greasy conditions, and dirty factories.  Because of the difficult working conditions found across production plants, autoworkers looked for outside representation to help improve overall conditions.

The United Automobile Workers (UAW) union was recognized by GM and Chrysler in 1937, and then by Ford in 1941.  Today’s workers would not recognize those early working conditions, with most of today’s work occurring on well-lit factory floors boasting extremely clean production lines.

Even with the improvements in automotive plants, we know safety and PPE are still important elements.  Companies still pay close attention to and place a high priority on safety across manufacturing facilities.  How do we know this?  Just take a look at the BLS incident rates below for this industry and you’ll see.

In 2002, the number of work-related injury and illness cases averaged 12.1 per 100 full-time workers in motor vehicle manufacturing, compared with 7.2 in all other manufacturing industries and 5.3 in the entire private sector.  The numbers clearly show these workers experience higher rates of injury when compared to most other industries.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, today’s number of injuries are still double the number of injuries from all other industries.  6.44 out of every 100 motor vehicle manufacturing workers are injured, compared to 3.2 in all other industries.

The above image highlights what kinds of injuries are likely to occur.

As shown in the above table, work performed in this industry comes with risks.

There is good news, though, when you look at this issue: injuries have been coming down in the 21st century.   This decline is a testament to safety managers in the industry and advanced technologies improving worker protection.

No matter what safety measures are taken, workers will always be exposed to dangerous machinery and will always operate power tools that can easily bang up against their hands.  Moreover, sharp metal is found everywhere on a vehicle’s body, creating a constant hazard to hands and arms.  Since assembly is all about hands-on work, a worker’s hands can be injured rather quickly when assembling components, tightening bolts, and installing bumpers.

MCR Safety has some experience in motor vehicle manufacturing, since we’ve been in business for over 45 years.   Check out all the PPE solutions we highlight below for motor vehicle manufacturing hazards.  Let us keep you protected when manufacturing automobiles!