Fastening, Joining & Assembly

Nah...we've always done it like this...

Good one dude!

The "dodecahedron" has always been reduction of the human labor content of the manufacturing operation.

At the risk of turning this into a political discussion, which I don't want to do, I'll try to delicately suggest that the recent course of world events suggests we stop and rethink a bit.

There is plenty of room to examine other parts of the picture of not only conserving the resources that comprise a manufacturing enterprise but also making use of poorly utilized resources.
Example areas for creative thinking are:

Improve efficiency of energy usage.

Reduce floor space requirements.

Reduce the use of expensive consumables and repair parts.

Reduce costly environmental impacts.

Reduce raw material use.

Reduce the work of management and expand the practical span of managerial control.

Reduce the low grade tasks of managerial and professional staff. (Are you such a lousy manager that your programmer has to spend 5% of his time at the copier)

Improve community relations.

Enable businesses to operate further away from expensive urban centers.

Improve the ability to internally train and employ low cost local labor.

Reduce unnecessary stress and improve working conditions for the existing business staff.

Influence educators to focus more on putting people to work and less on selectively creating a small pool of superstar "winner" students.

Reduce costs of shipping product and improve recycleability of packaging materials.

Reduce manufacturing cycle time and time to market of new products.

Improve methodologies for cost accounting and cost estimating.

Reduce WIP and inventory carrying costs.

Improve customer loyalty and commitment to the future of your business.

Improve the quality of your advertising and websites.

Yeah, there's a lot of "preaching to the choir" here. But we are in the middle of a sea change in the business environment. Revisiting some old thinking in this new context is going to produce some good harvests.

Ed Weldon

Which "box"?

We all have our own "box", which is our knowledge, based on years of experience. Many companies insist on hiring the "ideal candidate" - the most experienced (or the newest qualified) in a particular field thinking that this will give the best results.

Often what is needed is someone who has a different education/experience: someone who will go round asking why something is done in that particular manner when their knowledge of different working practices can cause a re-think, whether to implement the new method entirely, or adjust the current method to their advantage.

If the box don't work get a new box.

US manufacturing is in trouble for many reasons. To much money is taken out of the process by the parties involved. Stockholders, Workers, Management, and Banks.

To much "We didn't think of it in our house so it don't exist" attitude. To much what is in it for me, not how can we improve the company/country to improve us.

To much of what will the market bear not what is good for us and the customer.

To much short term thinking and profit taking, The Japanese take the long view and make constant improvement their national motto. They learn it from us and we are still not listening.

Add to that a Government Bureaucracy that is in a feeding frenzy that is built into its basic kernel program.

We have a huge well of wisdom but we don't see as a nation and any individual that bucks the greed treadmill is un American. We could at anytime out perform Europe and Japan even to include China. What we have been denied by our fearless breeders and their masters is the selfless leadership to excel.

Brad

Post Deleted by Del.

Drat... my post was intended for a different thread
...brain..failing...need...more....toast.
<flump thud>

Being creative and innovative should be a way to revive manufacturing. No matter how you do it. But we may want to review who decides what is creative and what is not. It's usually some CEO who got there through politics.

For example, I worked on a program for one of the big 3 for a new automotive door hinge concept. It would swing the door out on a 4 link, parallel with the side of the car. It was a creative and interesting project that went from basic geometric members into involving gears and belts and other gizmos. And even in it's simplest form it would add 100 lbs to the car. Right from day 1 we recognized it as a bad idea but the big wigs wanted it. An outside-of-the-box waste of time and money.

Innovation does not have to be elaborate. Making simple things simpler, light things lighter and inexpesive things cheaper would be a good start.

Making simple things simpler, light things lighter and inexpesive things cheaper would be a good start.

No, no you don't understand...you've got to add a wirelss interface to a laptop...so that it can be screwed up remotely and to minimise reliability...I know...it must be true ...a marketing man said so.
In fact I spent half of Thursday in a meeting about it... I didn't have the heart to tell 'em it was stupid idea... did their laptop work for their demo? Did our salesguy's software which he borrowed from a subsidiary work?
Did I manage to stay awake?
Answers on a post card to... 'do I give a damn...'

Del

C'mon guys!! I don't see a lot of creative thinking here......Back to the original question: "Is there a limit .... etc."

I think there is a limit in the short run wherever scarce cash and credit combines with the realities of the ROI calculation and shrinking markets. OTOH I think the survivors will be the ones who avoid crying in their own beer and stretch their horizons out.

For those businesses that can survive recessions can be a time when the "fog of war" that accompanies business operations at 100% of capacity clears away and there is bandwidth available to open one's mind to new possibilities.

Manufacturing processes will always adapt to the reality of the available resources. We are coming into a time when the resource mix is changing, both worldwide and locally (and the two will differ). Availability of human labor as well as the skills mix are changing. Money is in shorter supply. Energy is becoming more expensive. Natural resources are diminishing. Communication methods are improving and changing. Worker attitudes are changing. Public education will be changing. Governments and what they do are in for a lot of changing. Is there room for creative new ways. You bet!!

Are new ideas going to benefit the builders and manufacturers of stuff that automates manufacturing processes? Ahhhhhhh...... good question. I submit that the biggest place for creativity will be in finding ways to put people back to work. This is where the gold will be for the entrepreneur.

Henry Ford had it right. (although historians may question his inner intentions) (In my words) The best way to make money selling stuff is to insure that people will be able to make money so they can buy your stuff.

Ed Weldon