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<\/a>(picture: Jonathan Joosten)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
In the reception area are four JJP titles showcasing the very first game they made – The Wizard of Oz<\/em> – and the three most recent – Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory<\/em>, Guns ‘N Roses<\/em> and Toy Story 4<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n While all were either Limited Edition or Special Edition models, the Guns ‘N Roses<\/em> was even rarer than that.<\/p>\n\n\n The reception area is also home to some of the awards won by the company.<\/p>\n\n\n The first sight we see as we move into the production area is a familiar one from years of taking the Stern Pinball tour.<\/p>\n\n\n Walking past the lunch heating\/eating area we see two playfield production lines. At the time of our visit only one was in use. The second had been shut down in preparation for the Pinball Expo tour which would take place in two days’ time. Red tape was being laid on the floor to indicate the tour route, while exhibits of partially completed playfields were positioned along the tour so guests could see how the components are gradually added.<\/p>\n\n\n As we have seen at other companies, there are essentially three separate sections of a pinball machine – the playfield, the cabinet and the backbox.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The playfield is by far the more complicated to manufacture. Not only does it have the most individual components, but many of those components are bespoke to each title. Then there are the different versions of that title, each of which may have further variations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While the cabinet and backbox feature title and version-specific artwork and metalwork, these are relatively easy to vary. The basic designs of the cabinet and backbox enclosures don’t change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As a result, far more resources and staff are devoted to building up the playfield, which arrives at the factory in a box from JJP’s playfield manufacturer, Mirco Playfields in Germany.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Two titles were in production around the time of our visit – Toy Story 4<\/em> and Guns ‘N Roses<\/em>, although only Toy Story 4<\/em> was actually on the line while we were in the factory.<\/p>\n\n\n All playfields are hand-inspected to make sure they haven’t picked up any damage during shipping. <\/p>\n\n\n Any which are found to be less than perfect and can’t be easily touched-up are marked as seconds and sold as decorative items for wall hanging or used for give-aways.<\/p>\n\n\n Once they pass inspection, playfields go into racks until they are ready to start their journey down the production line.<\/p>\n\n\n The next stage for a playfield is to have a number of holes drilled so that posts, flatrails (metal ball guides) and T-nuts can be added. These holes also ensure that later mechanisms are mounted in exactly the correct place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To achieve that, playfields are mounted in a rotisserie which allows the playfield to be easily flipped between the top and the underside, and also makes it easier for them to travel over the production line’s rollers.<\/p>\n\n\n Once the holes are drilled, those posts and flatrails are added to the otherwise-unpopulated playfield.<\/p>\n\n\n Each station has a set of electric screwdrivers or nut drivers. These are usually suspended above the line on a retracting cord, so they can be pulled down to the playfield when needed.<\/p>\n\n\n Adding all the hundreds of parts to a playfield requires great stock control. The stock room at Jersey Jack Pinball is extensive and tightly managed.<\/p>\n\n\n Besides the regular posts and switches, game-specific mechanisms also need to be installed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Because they require time-consuming assembly and testing, these sub-assemblies are made at separate workstations behind the production line workers, and then put into racks for the line workers to access.<\/p>\n\n\n Each sub-assembly requires its own parts list, schematic diagram, assembly tools, assembly instructions and testing equipment. Since these have to be made from scratch for every new sub-assembly, if a sub-assembly can be reused in future games it saves a considerable amount of time and resources.<\/p>\n\n\n The Duke Caboom jump ramp is a complex mechanism requiring accurate and robust action, while also lying level with the playfield when not activated.<\/p>\n\n\n While some sub-assemblies can be stacked in storage bins, others are more delicate and require special handling.<\/p>\n\n\n The Star Adventurer illuminated marquee plastic is especially impressive, having dozens and dozens of controllable LEDs to create intricate and attractive patterns.<\/p>\n\n\n If any electrical or mechanical errors are discovered, the playfield is sent to be fixed and a fault report generated so the problem doesn’t recur.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a>
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