Mike, many thanks for this first-hand account of the practical environments in which manufacturing takes place. One of my 'hats' is that of an organizational performance specialist and I can say that your description rings absolutely true.
When embedded in complex systems, especially ones that have severe cost constraints, the product of even the brightest brains can look pretty dumb to those at one or two removes. My sense is that everyone does the best they can -- all the time. It is perhaps the greatest tragedy of mankind that we can see better ways of doing things, but are stopped from pursuing them by the tired 'realities' of money, competing priorities, and disagreements among ourselves. Cheers, Lawrence -----Original Message----- From: Mike Carrell [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, March 05, 2008 9:27 AM To: vortex-l@eskimo.com Subject: Re: [Vo]:"Tooo" obvious for Detroit? I don't know if you guys have ever seriously encountered the realities of mass production and the mind-set that it *imposes*. For years I was involved in mechanization-robotics projects at RCA, principally with the manufacture of TV picture tubes. This a complex chemical/mechanical process that at first appearance is nearly impossible, but they are made by the million. The guys that manage the factory are not stupid and are in daily hand-to-hand combat with Mother Nature. If the yield at final inspection falls below 95%, the entire enterprise is just an elaborate way to lose money. I visited two plants in different parts of the country. A particular processing step was done differently in each plant, and the management, while aware of the alternative, swore that their way was best. Any novelty may reduce yield in unforeseen ways. The Wankle engine has many appealing virtues, but I understand the seals are a potential problem, requiring engine teardowns at 50,000 miles. Mazda used it in a sports car, and Yamaha in some motorcycles. People have been inventing clever IC engine configurations for many years and complaining about stupid management all the time. The ability to manufacture economically in quantity is a formidable requirement. There are others -- microelectronics, LCD/plasma displays, VCR recorders -- which required years to evolved the manufacturing techniques to become reliable and economical. It is all too easy for clueless theoreticians and developers to dismiss the skills of manufacturing engineering. I have lived in both worlds and acquired deep respect for the latter. Mike Carrell ----- Original Message ----- From: "R C Macaulay" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <vortex-l@eskimo.com> Sent: Tuesday, March 04, 2008 8:39 PM Subject: Re: [Vo]:"Tooo" obvious for Detroit? > Interesting thinking Jones. A proposed valveless, pistonless engine/motor > concept is being studied whereas the "engine" is ring shaped and drives a > cluster of embedded cavity discs positioned with the ring. The design > approach is to build a "planetary transmission with an engine inside" . > The transmission functions both for mechanical drive output assisted by > the huge torque output with the large diameter ring primary mover and > also output electric power from the electric generating features. > > Designers have been stuck in the 18th century steam engine rut too long. > Their approach has been to build an engine and connect it to a > transmission. Radical new thinking suggests that we should be building a > transmission and fit an engine/electric generator inside. This thinking > would allow for the engine exhaust to serve a secondary turbine scavenging > purpose. The unit assembly shape could be an inclined pancake shaped > configuration and ... not use "gears" but slip discs within the planetary > reduction system. > > These radical new engine/motor concepts "fit" the theme of your post. New > engines must be designed for new fuels and not attempt to "make" new fuels > fit present engine technology. > Richard > > Jones wrote, >>The following suggestion, or a version of it, will be > implemented by some perceptive auto manufacturer in > the coming years. > > > ________________________________________________________________________ > This Email has been scanned for all viruses by Medford Leas I.T. > Department.
