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Smooth: Nissan blames jewelry on assembly line
As taken from the Dallas News.....
Nissan blames jewelry on assembly line
By LYNDA EDWARDS / Associated Press
JACKSON, Miss. — Blame it on the jewels. Puzzled Nissan Motor Co. engineers inspecting the company's $1.4 billion Mississippi plant traced vehicle paint flaws and scratches to the watches, wedding rings, belt buckles and bracelets that assembly line workers were wearing on the job.
In June, Nissan dispatched 200 mechanical, structural, electrical, chemical and materials engineers from its Tokyo headquarters after a J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study published consumer complaints about Nissan vehicles manufactured in the United States. The study, published annually, questioned 51,000 consumers who bought or leased 2004-model trucks and cars.
Consumer gripes about vehicles made at the Canton, Miss. factory included wind noise, vibrating brake pedals and paint blemishes.
The plant, which opened in May 2003, produces the Altima sedan, the Quest minivan, the Armada sport utility vehicle and the Titan truck for Nissan and the QX56 SUV for Infiniti. Nissan also makes Altimas at a Smyrna, Tenn., plant.
"The engineers walked the Canton assembly line, watched workers getting in and out of cars, studied their movements," Nissan spokesman Tom Groom said. "Wet paint can be mutilated very easily so the engineers walked the whole assembly line then focused on the area where the paint is still wet."
That's when the engineers spotted jewelry inflicting scratches and paint smears.
He said workers have been ordered to remove their all jewelry and metal accessories before taking their places on the assembly line.
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