On Tue, 16 Jan 2007 10:01:43 +1100, "Rod Speed"
wrote:

clare at snyder.on.ca wrote
Rod Speed wrote
Too_Many_Tools wrote

Having BTDT (for 30+ yrs) w/ several engineering/manufacturing
firms from very large to start-ups which grew until were bought by
very large, I have to agree w/ Rick here...while there are MBAs and
accountants, and they have very important functions, in none of
these places did they dictate to Engineering nor were "engineers
are under the thumb of accountants." As Rick says, where the
cost-accounting enters the design phase is in trying to make a
price-point which is a function of market niche, competition,
timing, comparative product advantage vis a vis competitors',
etc., etc., etc., ... After that, it then becomes an engineering
problem of how to design, fabricate and distribute (and support)
the product. As one moves from more complex, costly products to
less expensive, the compromises to accomplish the goal become more
severe. If your product is a plastic toy to try to sell millions,
the margin per item has to be miniscule. If, otoh, you're
building a high-end anything, that is a different set of
constraints. Either way, unless the product can be designed and
manufactured and ultimately, sold for a profit, there won't be any
more company so the cost point is as important as anything else.

While I respect your opinion, it sounds like you are reading
straight from a textbook.

After decades in manufacturing, I can tell you
that I have never seen it work that way.

Reality is much different than the academic BS model....
see Dilbert for a real life reference.

Nothing like real life.

Ever wonder why Dilbert and the television show
"The Office" are so popular...because they are so true.

Nope, because they exaggerate what really happens.

That is what caricatures have always been about.

What you neatly gross over is what happens when
engineering says it can't make a product based on
the imaginary price point...who then decides?

Its never that black and white either.

I will give you a hint....it ain't engineering.

It aint the bean counters either if it isnt possible, stupid.

Not stupid. It IS the bean counters - and for the
pricepoint DICTATED it is impossible to make a
QUALITY product with any kind of consistency.

Utterly mangled all over again. Its actually the engineers that
choose to make things in a way that minimises the cost of
manufacturer, and maximises the reliability, even if that does
produce a product that is difficult or impractical to repair if it fails.

Most obviously with plugpacks which cant be opened without
physically breaking them, and molded power cords etc.

It's the bean counters that dictate the quality or lack thereof that
makes the part failure prone in the first place, and glue is a lot
cheaper than screws. Moulded power cords, on the other hand, are not
only CHEAPER, but "more reliable" They are cheaper to make than just
the replaceable end itself because they are moulded in place.

So the customer becomes the QC department.

No they dont. And thats got nothing to do with his stupid claim
about who gets to decide how things are constructed anyway.

This is getting to be like mud wrestling with a pig.



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