Manufacturing Job 1: Cutting costs, saving time

Automakers are at a turning point as they deploy post-recession profits to sharpen their manufacturing edge while dealing with the threat of another economic downturn. Ford is pushing a common, global system to cut costs, build more vehicles at each plant, and respond swiftly to changes in demand. At Chrysler, 3D models of plant tools have spotted problems and saved millions -- long before the start of production.

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