"Take one mechanical ventilator, the machine that's so critical. To make one of those takes over 156 parts (he misspoke, it's 1500) that comes from at least 14 different countries and it's made, each of those parts, by experts who have the machines specifically for that part. Suddenly to ask General Motors to do that is absolutely like asking you and me to go become brain surgeons because we at one time or another held a knife in our hands." --The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell, 3/27
http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/about-us/cidrap-staff/michael-t-osterholm-phd-mph
His opinion piece in today's NY Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/27/opinion/coronavirus-trump-testing-shortages.html
I would be more interested in what mechanical and electrical engineers think about producing things than the opinions of political hacks.
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You do realize GM was offering to produce ventilators but the hang up was contractual terms, not technical.
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You also realize that GM is skilled in producing complex computerized machines in mass quantities. I can assure you the average automobile has more than 1500 parts.
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Don't quote idiots.

Good point. But all of the defective airbags were made at their Mexico plant. The airbags made in their German factory were not defective.
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That does show that items manufactured to the same specs by the same or similar means at different factories do not always perform to the same standard. ![]()
To secure the BOM (Bill of materials or part needed to complete task) will be hard in the time they're saying. I think the quote or projection was to have 100,000 in 3 month vs the 29,000 in one year they get from what a regular suppliers can provide. That's what I pick up from yesterday's briefing.
GM is mostly automated with robotic machinery. To reprogram the system to maneuver in a tighter working area will be a challenge. They'll have to retrofit their machinery to accommodate the parts of the ventilator
The learning curve will take weeks but to secure the parts won't be easy.
I don't think GM was all in on this from the get go..they probably delayed this as far as they could.
My guess is in the end, they'll hire a bunch of guys, pay them $15.00 hour, non union. Give then a set of screw driver put them in a corner and let them have at it.
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