Inside the Polaris Factory “Quality at the Core”

Start it and go ride. Those simple words sum up what each and every rider today expects from their new purchase. We all know that today’s snowmobiles are more complex yet at the same time easier to operate. We also expect better quality with every new purchase, even if we trade our sled every year.

This past July SnowTech’s Hal Armstrong visited the Polaris factory to meet with key members of the engineering and production team to do a “deep dive” into the Quality program at the Roseau, Minnesota facility. We followed a new sled being built down the assembly line to learn first-hand all of the steps and measures taken to ensure quality and consistency of the end product.

Story by Hal Armstrong

Customer Driven

At Polaris the quality process begins with the customer. Polaris Snow Engineering Director Cal Larson explained, “It all starts with an opportunity from the customer that we translate into requirements. Customer wants and needs are learned through conversations with snowmobilers everywhere year round. Their wants and needs vary depending on location and their activity. Polaris spends more time on the snow with small groups of riders that have something in common (mountain riders, touring riders, etc.). This is where we learn and gather more detailed information that is of real value for future products. Everyone wants more power and lighter weight but changes in ergonomics, lighting, storage, etc. are just as important.

The process of bringing a new update, feature or even a complete new platform is kicked off when we bring the entire engineering team, manufacturing and purchasing together. We chat and layout everything we know about our customer today. We want the team to understand what the true customer wants are. We take the whole group through that, have a lot of great conversation and then it is really 6 months of refining what the customer asks are.”

Every Polaris snowmobile (or accessory) on the snow today and in the future has gone thru their Product Development Process (PDP). The Product Development Process is commonly used by companies to ensure products are at their best possible when launched. At Polaris this process requires the new product design to pass thru a number of “Stage Gates” that have specific requirements. Work does not continue into the next phase until those requirements have been met.

Keith Curtis RMSHA Factory Race Sled

Concept & Development/Validation

Polaris uses a systems engineering approach when it comes to component validation. Today this process is under even more scrutiny as manufacturers are under pressure to continuously release new products and design innovations to consumers that are always looking for the latest and greatest. The snowmobile is one of the most competitive in terms of bringing new innovations every year to gain performance and market share.

Once an “opportunity” has been given a green light to move onto the “concept” and then “development/validation” of the PDP process, we (the consumers) may catch a glimpse of some of the new designs while testing in competition. Racing is still critical today, with new technology put through its paces at the events like SnoX, Cross Country, Iron Dog and RMSHA. Sometimes the changes are easily identifiable at the racetrack and others are minor detail updates. During my visit I was shown one of Keith Curtis’s race sleds in the engineering department undergoing evaluation as part of the validation process after a season on the RMSHA circuit.

Once a critical design review has been completed even on a successful race sled, it does not guarantee that the system or component will move onto production.

Test Driver Willy Schmidt running through a water bath to lubricate the hyfax and cool the engine before heading for another lap around the wood chip test track

In addition to racing there is an entire field test team in Roseau that follow detailed test plans to gather data on sleds equipped with sophisticated data logging to monitor inputs and outputs during operation. Snowmobile Product Manager Nels Eide explained; “This testing could be conducted on an early concept sled, or production sled taken right off the assembly line.” To witness that testing, I was taken to the wood chip test track located far behind the production facility. Think of a snow cross track covered in wood chips. It was a hot humid July day, and a KHAOS 9R with a 146 track was under test. The field test assignment today was to run the sled for numerous laps and then inspect the rear skid and suspension components for any unusual wear or fatigue cracking. Field testing is a year round activity. Snowmobiles are constantly under test providing data for engineering. Every year, even with low snow in 2024, the Polaris field test team logs hundreds of thousands of miles and thousands of hours testing and validating.

Component Testing  (QA) Lab

In addition to field test validation the materials testing lab in Roseau provides significant data that would be impossible to recreate field testing.

Polaris Power Train and CVT Dyno testing

James Acton (Test Engineer in the QA Lab) explained the purpose of the lab; “We perform structural testing to correlate to CAE (Computer Aided Engineering) data and identify failure points and failure modes. We get components, individual parts (A-arms or rear suspension rails) or systems (steering system) and test to our internal specification.”

The Dyno Rooms

The power train department is where the fun is. We all talk engine performance and durability, and this is where all the testing happens. The dyno rooms were busy with numerous 9R production engines screaming in the background. Imagine coming to work every day and hearing that sound to get you pumped up!

John Lundgren explained how the Dyno department works. “We run 24 hours a day, 5 days per week with 3 shifts. Testing is conducted according to the test plan created for engines under development /validation as well as production. To replicate winter temperatures, all dyno rooms have chilled air and fuel to represent riding in the real world (winter) so during test the temperatures even on a hot July day the dyno test can replicate subzero riding conditions. Once the endurance test is completed, the motor is removed and sent to tear down for detailed measuring and inspection.”

I witnessed several engines that had completed their test cycles in the lab. “The test engineer along with everyone involved in the project reviews and assesses all the parts and measurements. Any issues found will have an Incident Report (IR) created that is sent to the design/development team and if required a modification will be made and a new engine built for re-testing.”

  The power train department is also home to a CVT dyno. Test cycles designed to replicate actual field test data to evaluate primary and secondary clutch setups as well as monitor belt temperatures are run on the CVT dyno. Here development and endurance validation and testing are conducted. During the visit the CVT dyno was operating sweeps from idle up through 9200/9500 rpm (well past in-field operation). Clutch efficiency testing is completed on the full ratio range along with high load testing (if required) by engineering. Testing could vary from a couple of hundred cycles to a few thousand cycles, depending on the test plan.

John Lundgren explains, “We can get repeatable consistent results on the CVT dyno. It is faster and more efficient to get test results on the dyno than in the field as the computer controls the dyno cycle for consistency.”

SSCC Validation

Snowmobiles are unique so the bulk of the QA requirements are based on internal specifications that Polaris has in place. It is these internal specifications that are the most stringent to ensure the durability, safety, performance and fit and finish differentiate their product from the competition. In addition to Polaris internal specifications there are also external standards that components and complete models must meet, including EPA (engine emissions) validation as well as SAE (Society of Automotive Engineer) test methods used to obtain SSCC certification. The SSCC (Snowmobile Safety Certification Committee) has established a minimum standard of safety performance requirements and test procedures for the sub-assemblies and assemblies of snowmobiles. Check the tunnel on your sled and you will see this certification label showing your sled complies.

Pilot Builds

Matt Prusak explained, “Should we find an issue in validation or launch readiness that we need to fix before production, we get stakeholders from across the entire business (not just engineering) to approve the change. It’s critical to have that sign off as our quality team needs to be engaged, our purchasing team needs to be engaged, and production needs to know it is coming. There are just so many stakeholders, especially as you get later in a program that need to be involved with any level of change.”

  Once validation has been completed the PDP program enters the pilot build stage.

While I was at the plant in late July there were three (3) new 2025 Indy Cross Country sleds in various states of assembly. At this stage, even with a mature product platform, production readiness must be confirmed. The 2025 model comes with a new 600cc engine. Electrical wiring, fuel hose routing (just to name a few of the updates required) are all reviewed. Once the verification has been signed off and production information required for the team members on the production floor approved, the sleds are ready to be scheduled for production.

Tunnel Assembly KHAOS 155 9R on the production Line

Production – Plans become reality

The best engineers in the world can create the best snowmobiles in the world but it still takes trained production operators to put it all together and bring the sled to life. Polaris is on the move with proactive automation and vision systems on the production floor. The snowmobile market is limited. To make money you must either increase market share, reduce costs through design innovations (reduce complexity), improve manufacturing efficiency, reduce scrap/remakes and reduce warranty/recalls. Basically, “Do it Right the First Time!”

The use of vision system for die inspection is a technology implemented starting for MY 23. Ryan Telander explained, “On the self-pierce riveters used for tunnel assembly there is a die we inspect with a vision system. After every cycle on each riveter a camera takes a still image and processes the image to verify the die still meets the condition we need it to be in to get the proper join. The vision system is a proactive measure to ensure that every assembly is riveted correctly.”

KHAOS 9R 155 engine install

Production Quality System Traceability

The VIN number is etched into the tunnel right at the start before assembly begins. At this point, the new snowmobile is created in the system. The VIN number has the complete Bill of Material (BOM), assembly specifications and work instructions for each stage of assembly connected to it. In addition, all of the data that is collected in real time during assembly is traceable against the VIN number.

David Borowicz summed it up, “As soon as the engine serial number is matched up with the VIN, our torque control system is activated for each stage of assembly where fastener torque is required to be monitored and data logged. Each unit is guilty until proven innocent. The entire assembly system is focused on repeatability and verification. Work instructions are displayed on monitors, so all the information is current.”

Each step in the assembly process must be validated before proceeding to the next step. The Operator at each station has a checklist with every part that must be verified. All those little QR codes you see identifying parts on your new sled are scanned at each station to verify the right part was used.

For example, installing the correct A-arms. The parts are scanned so during assembly the smart torque tool controller ensures the actual torque value and angle measured matches the setpoint in the specification. If you do not get a clean torque on a fastener the line stops until the fastener is re-torqued to the correct value.

Bob Moser emphasized, “We have a system called ‘Stop in Stages’. You must prove that all torque values meet specification and prove the right part with component verification is logged in critical areas. Until an approval signal is received that indicates I completed my job, that machine will not move to the next manufacturing stage.”

Each sled moves down the assembly line on a specific carrier number. I followed carrier #34 which was linked to the VIN number we had been following. In addition to the operator checks, cameras and video are used to minimize unseen issues (like cable routing) from going out the door. The vision system is a huge step forward for identifying and traceability of issues.

Polaris’ goal is to limit exposure and revolves around checks and balances and ensuring their processes are being met.

Run Up station for end of line verification

Run Up (Final Check)

Once assembly of the sled on carrier #34 was complete the sled was taken for component verification and the sled started and ran with all systems on the sled verified. If a sled has an issue it is sent to rework for correction and a non-conformance is issued for the defect.

As a final check on the production line, we selected a random VIN from a crated sled and asked Bob Moser and Ryan Telander to go into their quality system so we could verify the traceability data. They were able to pull up the complete records on their laptop through the quality system software in place on the production floor.

  The core of the system is a simple check and verification data input that empowers the operator to check their own work and as well other co-workers. Those checks are then verified by inline auditors, system auditors and end of line auditors. The multiple vision systems implemented take the final quality verification to the next level which many manufacturers (in any industry) do not have in place. The traceability at Polaris is impressive and world class.

Continuous Improvement – P22 Clutch Spider Upgrade

We have gone through the entire quality process from the PDP (Process Development Planning) to the final check (Run Up) in production. So, how and why do parts still fail when the machine gets into the hands of the consumer? This issue is not just unique to Polaris.

For this question we’re going to review the detailed process that Polaris engineering worked through to resolve the premature failure of the cast aluminum spider originally used on the P22 clutch found on the Prostar S4, 850 Boost and 9R motors.

Cal Larson opened the discussion. “Historically, CVT failure modes have been difficult to replicate in a consistent manner. There has been a ton of learning on that front, through the use of intricate instrumentation on load sleds such that we can more accurately and consistently replicate the in-field performance on dyno and accelerate our learnings and updates.”

Matt Prusak: Make no mistakes, today’s engines are meaner than what we have ever built. They have lower inertia and higher hp. Faster revving engines put more power into the clutch. The smallest of changes within the engine can create the biggest of dynamic changes or vibration changes. We have learned that just the way the throttle body is mounted to the engine can have a dramatic impact on the total vibration that other systems see within that engine. We must take a lot of consideration that the smallest of changes can have a big effect.

SnowTech: So, with the original cast spider design on the P22 you validated this clutch as good to go. What was missing in your validation and endurance testing?

Cole Maxwell: We had confidence in that clutch for what we knew at the time. A big part of it was that 9R was not released yet. The cast spider architecture had 95% of its validation on the Prostar and 850 Boost engines. On the 9R, certain firing pulses and inertia elements created some new challenges with the P22 system. When we got our signals from warranty that we had problems you take your time, understand, and evaluate so when you do come back with a solution, you have confidence in that solution.

As far as the spider, it was cast originally. We needed hard data to find hot spots causing the issues. Once we knew what components we really wanted to analyze, we started looking into improving the instrumentation. The instrumentation for a rotating clutch and learning how to wire it was not easy to figure out.

SnowTech: How did you mount and wire the strain gauges?

Cole: We needed to instrument the spider and locate strain gauges in the locations that will generate the best data so our CAE engineer can utilize the data in a meaningful way to create a new part. Using some creative engineering we now can record data from the spider with it mounted on our engine of choice while running on a dyno.

There is a little bit of a common misconception when it comes to gauging, collecting data. I would say 75% of the time you cannot put that strain gauge exactly where you want to. You must try and get as near as possible to it and there is a level of extrapolation from that. That is where a good handshake between the test and the CAE engineer comes in.    The instrumented spider was a work of art and mounting it on an engine in the dyno room was not an easy task. The solution to do this is not found in a textbook. The work done resolving this problem will make clutch analysis much better in the future and has been implemented into our development and validation process. When we make changes in the future, we can now go back to that same cycle, same scenario and understand if the changes were an improvement.

SnowTech: So, what are the lessons learned from these recalls and others?

Cal: When we talk about these recalls there is no single contributing factor. While there are certainly varying points of breakdown, we (Polaris) are responsible for them. Whether it is our supplier who had an issue (components), or our internal designs or assembly that had an issue or unanticipated impacts of consumer use cases and capabilities on our sleds, it is on us. We own it and we are committed delivering high quality sleds and rebuilding the trust with our customers.

Summary

     Polaris has implemented state of the art technology to monitor every detail during the assembly process to ensure the product is built the way it was designed and validated. The robustness of corrective actions in place to resolve past issues is evident in every step of the manufacturing process. The people I spoke to on the factory floor know the stakes are high and were proud to show me the changes made in their area to improve product quality. The Polaris team at Roseau continues its quest to earn riders’ trust by delivering industry leading quality & reliability on every Polaris snowmobile.

SnowTech would like to thank the following Polaris Team members for their participation in this article;

Cal Larson – Snow Engineering Director

David Borowicz – Production Director

Bob Moser – Mfg. Quality Manager

Peter Kern – Snow Engineering Manager

Nels Eide –  Snow Product Manager

Matt Prusak – Senior Snow Vehicle Architect

Cole Maxwell – Driveline Engineer

Ryan Telander – Manufacturing Engineer

James Acton – QA Test Engineer

Kellin Geisler – Staff Investigation Engineer

Darren Hedlund – Power Train Development Lead

John Lundgren – Power Train Development Tech

Scott Rhodes – Lead Test Driver

Willy Schmidt – Test Driver

2025 Polaris Quality Updates

Polaris is dedicated to building the highest quality, highest performing sleds in the industry. Through continuous testing and development they make upgrades to their products. The following is a list of quality updates planned for the 2025 model year (and also in service winter of 23/24 where applicable).

Powertrain Updates

650 PATRIOT: NEW PISTONS – Improved heat transfer for improved durability.

850 PATRIOT: NEW PISTONS – Shares same casting as Boost for improved durability.

850 PATRIOT: Updated Oiling Calibration – Increased oiling below 5000 RPM for improved durability.

PATRIOT BOOST – NEW AUX. INJECTOR HARNESS – Updated & improved injector potting and premium wire – improved reliability (available in service winter of 23/24).

PATRIOT BOOST – IMPROVED TURBO SEAL – Improved sealing & reliability (service kit backward compatible).

PATRIOT BOOST – NEW BYPASS COOLANT LINE – Improved routing.

NEW THROTTLE BODIES (All RMK Models) – New grease and cam changes compatible with new RMK throttle for improved durability.

PATRIOT 9R UPDATED CALIBRATION – Improved low elevation performance for Patriot 9R, driven by 9R trail performance/crossover MY25 launch.

NEW SPARK PLUG BPR8ES (All Patriot Engines) – Hotter heat range for more consistent performance and resistance to fouling. (Available in service winter of 23/24).

NEW PTO REAR ENGINE MOUNT (All Patriot Engines) – New PTO rear mount bracket with 2 bolt configuration for improved durability.

NEW P22 FORGED SPIDER,

COVER, AND CLUTCH BOLT (Patriot 9R * Boost Engines) – Forged spider, new cover, and improved bolt, building on the 2024 quality and durability improvements.

Chassis Updates

NEW COOLANT BOTTLE (PROSTAR Models) – Designed for less aeration and improved cooling performance.

NEW OIL BOTTLE SCREEN MESH (All Matryx Models) – Reduced ‘air bubble’ near oil bottle and improved bleeding of air.

NEW 5-WAY SWITCH (7S Equipped Models) – Upgraded 5-way switch for added durability.

NEW RMK THROTTLE (All RMKs) – New throttle system for all-day control.

NEW STARTER AND BENDIX (Patriot 9R & Boost Models) – Improved durability and cold starting performance.

NEW RECOIL ROPE GUIDE (All Patriot Engines) – Increased rope wear resistance.

NEW DRIVESHAFT (Patriot 9R & Boost RMK Models) – Improved durability and lighter weight.

NEW STRONGER REAR BUMPER (All Matryx RMKs) – Improved durability of the rear bumper and rear tunnel.

NEW DUAL EXTROVERT DRIVESHAFT (Patriot 9R a Boost Switchback Assault Models) – Improved ratcheting resistance & performance.

NEW RAIL CAPS (All Matryx RMKs) –Improved durability and performance.

NEW EXHAUST ISOLATOR MOUNT (All Patriot Models) – Increased heat performance for improved durability.

NEW WASTEGATE ACTUATOR SHAFT (Patriot Boost Engines) – Increased engagement of shaft and wastegate for improved durability.

NEW BOOST TUBE (Patriot Boost Engines) – Improved sealing & reliability.

NEW 550 DRIVE BELT (660 Engines Only) – Upgraded material for improved durability.