Some manufacturers stock piled engines under the previous tier classifications and had those to use in tractors for several years. As long as those engines were made to the tier specification for that specific year they were OK. Some overlap of those engines and years are a result.
With competition forcing manufacturers into just-in-time components delivery throughout the supplier chain it is difficult for me to believe: "Some manufacturers stock piled engines under the previous tier classifications and had those to use in tractors for several years." Stock piling finished goods inventory is what sinks businesses when unpredictable contractions in demand occur, such as 2008 - 2012. Engines are the most expensive of tractor major components.
Japanese manufacturers were the first to implement just-in-time manufacturing during the 1970s.
Simply not reality today, nor fifteen years ago.
All should spend their hard earned dollars as they wish.
Engine manufacturers ramp up production to make a lot of engines prior to new EPA regulations coming into effect...
I know folks that work in the industry...
A local Freightliner plant owned by Mercedes has employment fluctuations that correspond with EPA tier regulations that come into effect...
That is a fact...
Not nonsense spouted off by someone with a doctorate in keyboard horse manure...
I visited Iowa this week for the annual OLD THRESHERS REVIEW in Mount Pleasant. As Waterloo, Iowa is not too distant I made an appointment to take a two hour factory tour of Deere's Tractor Cab Assembly Operation, 3500 East Donald Street, Waterloo, Iowa 50703. The tour begins with a thirty minute history film, reviewing the history of John Deere and particularly manufacturing evolution. After the film the actual plant tour was ninety minutes with the plant in full assembly mode.
In both the film and on the floor Deere made it clear that not a single part is in the factory before a tractor order arrives from a dealer, nor do any parts remain after an assembled tractor departs. When dealer orders come in a computer initiates production of all constituent parts from nearby Deere facilities which then ship to the factory I toured in phased, sequential order for painting and assembly. Some welding is done and quite a bit of painting, but there is no molten steel, no forge and no press equipment. The guide emphasized that if so much as one washer is found on the assembly factory floor everything stops until the staff figure out where the part should have been put. This is part of multi-tier, computer monitored quality control. Tractors being assembled move on robot controlled wagons, which depart each assembly point only when the workers key in departure approval.
Deere has an separate, dedicated factory in Waterloo which produces Deere replacement parts for tractors in the field. This is called the SPOT factory, but I have forgotten what the acronym means. Parts produced for tractors in assembly never originate in the SPOT parts factory, nor do spare parts for operating tractors source from the factories producing assemblies and components for the new cab tractor assembly plant.
In the SPOT factory both metric and inch standard parts are produced. If an assembly robot in the cab assembly plant was supplied inch-standard fittings I expect a real mess would result.
Also interesting is Deere's GOLD KEY program, which allows customers to follow their cab tractor through every step of the assembly process at the factory I visited. The larger, four-track cab tractors, generally 400+ horsepower, can take nine hours to assemble in the plant.
Deer has nine factories in and around Waterloo, Iowa, employing 8,000 to 9,000 workers, most affiliated with the United Auto Workers. Deere has several other plants in Iowa, away from Waterloo.
In the afternoon of the same day I visited the Deere Museum in downtown Waterloo, on the bank of the Cedar River. The Deere museum is full of historic equipment made by Deere and Deere predecessor companies. Deere's Drivetrain Operations Plant is near the Deere Museum. I may book a drivetrain tour next year.
A most interesting day in Waterloo.
