Food for thought

[Delw]

I been a machinest for most of my adult life. Areospace mainly some commercial work and lots of engineering work the list goes on.
I am going to bring up something that irriates the ***t out of me, and I mean No disrespect to anyone. Kinda want to get other feelings on this as well.

in the years I have been in the business sending out work, and what I have seen on this board and especilly on the RFQ board just blows my mind. Its kinda one of my pet peeves and maybe cause I dealt with areospace stuff to long.

Its seems like everytime there is a quote or someone asks how to cut a certain part for a customer, someone always comes up with the " well make it in 2 pieces, cast it, weld it etc etc.

for those who do this type of work every day we know we are quoting on what our customer is asking use to do. he is not asking use to weld it, bend it cast it. he is asking a part to be cut at HIS/HER specs. We(job Shops) are not in the position to tell our customer of a better way of making something weather it works or not( mostly it doesnt work).

Most companies have engineers and they have there reason why something should be cut. some companies even have M.O.T. sheets which is basically a step by step process from raw stock to finished part and every process in between.

The customer doesn't want that piece made out of 2 pieces and bolted or pinned together, nor want a casting made of it etc etc if the customer did they would have asked you that to begin with.
So please just quote the part, tell how to machine the part like they have cause thats what people are asking.


Like I said no disrespect to anyone I am just curious if anyone else thinks like me.

[ALLtra Mach]

Here Here

[shay z]

Delw, I work on my own products and also use outsourcing.

when I design a part that should be manufacture on technology that I am not very expirienced in I alwais listen to the profesionals ans many times i alter the design.

you are right that you can't decide on it alone but you have to offer your client all athe possibilities and let him decide what he prefer.

[Geof]

Delw,....you are right that you can't decide on it alone but you have to offer your client all athe possibilities and let him decide what he prefer.

This is correct but not I think it is not quite what Delw is getting at.

You may choose to offer alternatives to your customers or be pleased when suppliers suggest an alternative in an area where you do not have expertise; these suggestions can be helpful.

However, when a poster asks for advice on making something a particular way it is not at all helpful for another poster to suggest a completely different material or approach.

[Matt@RFR]

Del, I bet I know which post you are refering to. I was this close to finishing a quote on the machined version of that part when he cancelled it and made a new RFQ for the individual parts so (I'm assuming) it can be welded. I just love waisting my time. This was after I spent a couple (free!) hours helping him get his costs down on that part. Awesome.

If he'd asked for advice it would have been different. He asked for nothing but a quote and that implies to me that he knows what he wants. So it's a somewhat tough part. Big deal. Our job is to make parts. Suggesting small ways of reducing part costs is one thing...suggesting a total redesign is another.

I'm an aircraft certified welder by trade and I've welded stuff like that before. I wish I could see the look on his face when he goes to bolt the lid on that box only to find that the sides are bowed out 1/4".

[Delw]

That was one that put icing on the cake, along with someone in this section (were we are posting now)asking how to mill something very thin,The RFQ one however is one of the many on the RFQ section. but when I saw that post I was thinking WTF quote a job like the guy wants as in my opinion my opinion only I think its unprofessional to request someone do something a different way than they asked for, of coarse unless the customer asks for it.

I think I look at it the same way when someone has something forsale on a website and they give there phone number and a msg thats says ANY questions please call. then 5 days later someone is going through a website and saying "CALL Me". Dude pick up the phone and call him if you want it ( I own a website and guys do this all the time again one of my pet peeves LOL).