where is machining industry going.

[cob]

to all who are machinest
if you live in the usa where do you think the machining industry is going do you guys feel like it is looking like a diying trade, it looks like all the manufacturing is going over seas. and most knew kids are not even taken a interest in this kind of trade. (it looks pretty scary I think)
how do you guys feel about .

[inthedark]

Don't kid yourself. Today's machinist deliver parts within timelines that outsourcing can't. America's job shops keep industry alive, we can make parts in days or even hours when needed. Your average outsourced part takes months to get to the U.S. I even hear complaints about the quality that comes from overseas. With a lean manufacturing mindset. There's lot's of money to be made.

[shotgun_mann]

I also agree, that one big advantage is the just in time philosophy. Overseas has problems with larger parts getting them here in a timely and cost efficent way. I've seen dies, made in Asia, and they were designed, built and shipped, ready for production in six weeks. But for the long term, I believe shops and their owners will have to adjust their plan and be able to respond to their customer base, and deliver quickly. This is the advantage of local small shops. Asia, cannot compete in this way. So my feelings is that the US based manufacturer is here to stay, but must be organized and develope a business plan which complements Asian based competition, and the services they offer. Don't be intimidated by the Chinese workers and manufacturing companies, but by offering a good product in a timely manner, will ensure longevity in this new world market.

[ksimmons]

The biggest challenge for any skilled trade is finding good people, then keeping them. As long as there are components to be made there will be a demand for machinists. Finding good people is already an obstacle, and I think it will get tougher in that respect.

[swingwing205]

Asian machine shops can't even close deliver the quality of American machine shops, or can they compete with local shop turn around times. The only advantage of outsourcing is getting it "cheaper".
For about 8 years, I worked at a big name alternator/starter business that was ran by an idiot, who got his job of being "shop manager" because his father wons the company. His philosophy was to buy the parts from China/Taiwan, and wait out the lead time by putting his customer's orders on backorder. Basically, the customer was going to "wait it out" for the starters and alternators he bought, if my idiot ex-boss didn't have the components in stock to build the items, which was often the case. Once we got the parts in, many months after they were ordered, the machine shop I worked in was always having to rework them, and these parts came in at least 1000's, some 10000's. I now work for a local job shop with a very good rep that is ISO rated, and even in this sluggish ecomony, they still have work, plenty of it, and are not having to scrap around for it, in large part to local and semi-local companies that are tired of chinese quality issues and long lead times.
American machine shops are starting to see an increase of work due to outsourced work coming back. Quality and lead times are more important many times than saving the big .03 on the dollar spent, which is becoming a reality now since transportation from overseas is getting more expensive (due to oil prices), the dollar is falling in exchange rates towards other currencies (even the Chinese Yaun, although that's happening very slowly), and the lead times are potential killers in regards keeping customers.
In the US, it's becoming more obvious that a good machinist will never be out of work for long, especially if he's willing to relocate or take a slightly lower wage than maybe he'd like (and there are reasons that might actually happen). Although the common person may thing that machining in the US is dying, it certainly isn't. Instead, it's actually starting to get it's wings back, but that will be a slow eventual process. A lot of damage has been done to this industry in the US, because of the greed of corporate fat cats. Many people have left machining in favor of other kinds of work, and that leaves just a few with the skills or the desire to learn/re-learn those critical skills. So, getting into and staying in machining looks to be a good long term choice, both for individuals and job shops willing to take the work on.

[automizer]

Not being in the US market I can't say to much but I don't fee the asian shops deserve such a beating.... some do yes but like anywhere weather its on US soil or not the quality is purely up to the company. I have seen some fantastic stuff come from over seas and yes lots and lots of garbage as well, but I have seen some pretty bad stuff come out of the US too. Just because its "made in the us" doesn't mean its good. Made by good workers and a good company makes it good. And there is always a place for quality in any industry.
My 2 cents

[xychicago]

I happened to know both sides very well, since I travelled a lot. Both Asia and U.S. have problems (where opportunities might be). The shift is happening, the world became flatter (read a book "the world is flat"). I totally agree that for small shops, you can win by quality and lead time. But, in a long run, I think U.S. may need to provide more service-oriented jobs, instead of manufacturing. Asia needs to do same change too. Even the manufacturing is shifting to Asia, there are still high unemployment rate. As the world became closer and closer, it will become two parts: one is most commonly used goods will be produced by a few highly scaled-up companies by using highly automated machines; another part is many small, but very specialized firms are running very individualized or highly customized items to satisfy various personal needs.
I and a frend are thinking to set up a company doing some business. Any machinist interested in? CNC experience required. You can drop me a line at: voittoinc@gmail.com.

[dertsap]

noone has been able to keep up with Japan in quality and production , the automation is second to none yet many shops have survived or flourished , the local machining market has been crazy for a while though it may have tapered off some . Over the last few years a lot of new machines have flooded the area either due to companies keeping up , guys starting their own shop or guys just simply taking on other shops overflow . which lead me to disbelief while at a dinner party when an aquantance was explaining to me how the economy has been so bad and the family tool and die company has been going down hill the past number of years even though the retired father had built a thriving well resected business , it was everything i could do to not inform him it is the family running the ol mans business into the ground and not the economy ,the work has been out there strong for the past 6 years , but the one thing that i did explain to him is that the nickle dime work that every business has cut each others throats for for years is gone for now and its a matter of adapt or get out , thats the cold hard truth , there are a number of areas in the manufacturing field that people are neglecting to see because they are blinded by the glimmering shine of gravy materials like aluminum and refuse to cut anything else in fears of eventually wearing out their machines , and i know of a couple shops who are hurting because of it , may as well run the machines hard than not at all , its all the same when the bank comes to collect
china has the benefit of cheap labour , as their quality of living continues to rise so will the demand for bigger wages ,eventually creating a balance equal to the rest of the world , leaving them without the competetive edge that they have now for "economical parts"

I understand the situation in the US is different than here though not for long if things continue the way they are
there is a shift in the manufacturing field and we either evolve with it or we go extinct

[mc-motorsports]

I don't think the problem is so much of oursourcing US manufacturing jobs as it is importing too much finished product. We don't need machine shops and manufactures in the US when we're just buying cars, computers, machinery, even electonics like the Ipod and household furninture... It all starts with machinists and manufacturing, buying all of the above from china puts american shops under, no need for molds, stampings, prototypes, welded assemblies or custom engineered production machinery... They can't afford to buy from us and they can't afford the lead time for US to manufacture and ship the above mentioned to thier manufacturing facilities so they can sell these products to our hardware stores, furniture stores and Wal-Marts.

If McCaine's worthless ass gets into office, get all the pipe welding certs you can and move to Alaska, you'll do good.

[xychicago]

China is a very symbolic issue. When we blame every problems because of outsouring to china and job loss, we are in blind. Yes, that is truth, but I found out not because of China or India, but because today the world is different, the information flows instantly, things just happen so qiuck, and, if there's no China, no India, there will be other cuntries to take some jobs away fom U.S. My friends in China told me (near shanghai) that they are facing job loss now, I'm shocked. The manufacturing jobs are shifting again from east-coast of china to west side of china, when the land, labor gets more expensive, and also many textile manufacturing begin to shift to Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, and other countries. The world is changing faster than we think.
I talked with a professor, he told me that the globolization is going faster, and it's not about China, or India, but no one can stop the trend, because of the information flow -- we should blame who invented internet, phone, and airplane (isn't that funny?) -- imagine that if we need to have a business travel to China will take ONE MONTH by ocean, how can make the business shift so easy? Now only 12-14 hours by airplane! Done the business!
I predict that the resource will re-allocated, or re-balanced in some ways, and it will take time. But we either adapt to the new change, or we go broken.
Check this out: "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljbI-363A2Q&feature=related"]YouTube - Did You Know; Shift Happens - Globalization; Information Age, it's shocking as I watched it.
I would suggest everyone to find his/her own niche, and prepare for the future, good luck.