Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Re: telephoning long distance

Marcus & Eva wrote:

> You are right, it is a shame to have lost the talent of this man!

I'm assuming this is in reference to Michael Morgan. Yes, but fortunately, he
isn't totally lost. He will eventually dig his way out of his hole, and be a
lot wiser for it. Too bad he and his family had to go through such hard
times to learn such a lesson, though. He didn't do his cause well by
treating his customers poorly, though. Your customers are the people
you need to treat like kings, even when times are really tough. They remember
that you treated them well, and honored your promises, even while your
business was in big trouble. They WON'T desert you. But, treat them
poorly, and you'll be all alone, soon.

> The number of GOOD machine rebuilders is getting fewer and fewer, and the
> quality of new machines is getting worse and worse.

The ones who stay around do it by building up a LARGE cash cushion
during the good times, because history has shown them that this is a VERY
cyclical business, probably one of the worst out there, like auctioneers.
In fact, maybe he should BECOME an auctioneer, to balance the workload
from decade to decade.

The used machine brokers really know this well, they have HUGE warehouses,
and know that any particular machine may sit in inventory for 8-10 years
before being sold. No other buy-sell business works like that, unsold
inventory will kill you in a year! So, they have to be vultures, picking up
good machines at outrageously low prices.

> I read an article a few years ago that spoke about coordinate measuring
> machines.
> Many of the biggest buyers of these machines were getting older models and
> retrofitting them, because the new machines were poorly built and relied on
> software compensation instead of good design and good manufacturing
> practices to get their accuracy.
> So when the weather got hot, the machines lost their accuracy, and when they
> were moved to a new plant they lost their accuracy etc etc.

This is probably true of the old "iron" as well. A 50 year old K&T or
Cincinnatti bed mill can be retrofitted and rebuilt for maybe $200 K, but
a comparable machine may not be available from any vendor at any
price, except as a complete custom machine.

> You are correct too, when you say that too many engineers have no practical
> knowledge about what they are supposed to administer.
> The technical "expert" in the company who is my biggest customer can barely
> read a drawing, and has no understanding of tolerances other than that they
> are "important".
> He is a mechanical engineer with over 20 years experience, but all of it in
> a big company (DuPont).
> I am holding his hand now, but I think he will drop me as a vendor as soon
> as he doesn't NEED me anymore.

So, don't ever tell him too much at one time. If you can keep stringing him
along, he may never understand the full picture, and need you forever.

Jon