Volkswagen will fire up its first robots at its $1 billion Chattanooga auto assembly plant this spring as the building of the factory reaches another milestone, officials said today.
Installation of the first of 398 robots in the plant’s body shop started a few weeks ago, said Don Jackson, president of manufacturing for VW’s Chattanooga operations.
“This spring, we’ll be ready to start testing units,” said Mr. Jackson at the plant site.
The robots, costing about $30,000 each, will weld together the body pieces of the new cars VW will start producing at the plant in early 2011, officials said.
“This is where the quality of the vehicles start,” said Mr. Jackson.