Well let's see, I've seen huge stamping machines, robotic plasma cutters trimming the stamped parts and drilling precise holes and automatic lathes. I've also seen them producing identical parts by the hundreds. I still say it doesn't make sense to do all that set-up work to make one part. I think you seriously underestimate the amount of work required to do the set-up for precision parts manufacturing.
Tom Reese > Apparently you are not aware of how numerical contolled machine tools > work. It is a matter of loading the correct program, chucking the > correct piece of metal, and hitting the on button. Once you have the > program, it takes only ten minutes or so to set up to produce a > particular part. > > graywolf > http://www.graywolfphoto.com > "Idiot Proof" <==> "Expert Proof" > ----------------------------------- > > > > Tom Reese wrote: > > >I still don't know about this. In my mind, these lenses have too many custom > >parts for them to bother making a single lens. The lens barrels, the > >focusing helixes, the diaphragm mechanisms etc have to be different. I can't > >see Pentax going to their supplier and ordering one of each to build a > >single A 15mm lens. I can see them producing a batch of fifty or so but I > >don't think they'd bother for an older model that has been replaced in the > >lineup. > > > >Like I said, it's an interesting idea. > > > > > > > >>The ain't shutting down no line to make your A15, Tom. They put them > >>together in a little job shop in the basement <grin>. In fact I would > >>not be suprised to find out that they grind the lens elements on a > >>numerically contolled grinder and polish them by hand. They probably > >>haven't made enough 15mm's since 1975 to keep a serious production line > >>busy for one day. > >> > >> > > > > > > > > >
