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Originally Posted by mike16
there is enough evidence out there to approch SPIDs with some caution. Most of the time they are crrect but often enough there are ty[ically errors of ommission as well.
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I'm skeptical...
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Originally Posted by mike16
in other words, AC is a big option and unlikely to be over looked when actually looking at the truck. But remember that its not the huge AC unit on the truck that was overlooked or ommitted in error. It was a single option listed on a spid plate, printed up in some room off the main assembly line that was ommitted.
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...and here's why.
You seem to be under the misconception that there was a person sitting in a room somewhere typing up SPID labels as the truck went by, trying to match the label to the content.
That is not correct; the option database was created and loaded at the beginning of the model year. The option content for the specific truck was downloaded to the final assembly location system after the dealer order was approved. The information was "broadcast", or disseminated, and printed through the whole plant at the same time to each area of interest, specifically the chassis, motor line, body, and paint build sheets, including printing the window sticker (Mulroney label). SPID labels were broadcast at the same time and printed well in advance of the vehicle arriving in station.
Although "Air Conditioning" looks like one line on the SPID it is actually a complex option affecting several areas of build - body, trim, engine and final line. As such - if it's not on the build sheet - it's not going on the truck. If it's not on the build sheet - it's not on the SPID.
I know that mistakes get made (in Flint the guy that installed the SPID labels worked for me) but I can see that on a simple, stand alone option (like a trailer hitch); not on something as integrated across the vehicle as A/C.
A disconnect there would bring the process to a screeching halt.
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Originally Posted by mike16
Huge numbers of these trucks were comming off the assembly line each day, I read somewhere that GM hired an additional 6000 employees to work nights and week ends to fill orders. Vehicles comming off the line at that rate? do you, me or anybody else believe they had time to screw up a spid plate and reprint another corrected one.
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60 an hour, to be precise, in most of the plants I worked in. Or one completed truck per minute, leaving the operator about 45 seconds to grab the part(s), make the installation and reload for the next truck.
That's why no "thinking" was required as the line was running. Everything was laid out months and years in advance, such that all the assembler had to do was read the build sheet and install the indicated part.
That includes the pre-printed SPID label.
K