Toyota's new plan: Design parts, then cars: Suppliers develop components years in advance

摘要

Toyota Motor Corp. has launched a program in which it invites suppliers to develop parts three or four years ahead of production - before the automaker has even begun to design the vehicle. By having suppliers develop parts independently of a vehicle's design, Toyota can give them an extra 12 months to engineer the parts, said Bob Young, Toyota's North American purchasing chief. With the extra time, suppliers can take a clean-sheet approach to optimize parts for better performance, easier manufacturing and higher quality.