Why we hate engineers (Machining) - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Ed.Kloonk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2023, 12:01:39 am
content: Point #5. Have a machinist or former machinist run the orifice.Whilst it seems like it can be a good idea, what tends to happen is the wrong people on the floor fail upwards.

author: beanflying
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2023, 05:54:42 am
content: There are worse things than Mechanical Design Engineers and that is Consulting Engineers as a speciesAs they don't work day to day within the company they are in theory doing the project for the above video stops way short of the level of stupid unless the company themselves is in overall control which of course then defeats the purpose of hiring a Consulting Eng. to do the jobThere are an occasional exceptions to the rule where they have worked for or in very closely associated businesses but in the main just another layer ofand cost overruns and more interested in getting paid for billable hours than completion.Generally the best Engineers are the ones who started on the floor with a broom in hand.

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2023, 06:11:04 am
content: Also think about maintenance, like the auto mechanic who has to disassemble half the engine to replace a simple part like a water pump gasket.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2023, 09:43:22 am
content: Quote from: IanB on March 13, 2023, 06:11:04 amBlame accounting, who said to do it as cheap as possible, and that if it saved 2c on assembly to have that water pump gasket be buried in the engine, they will do it, and take 1c of that saving over the product life as bonus.

author: tszaboo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2023, 10:03:28 am
content: Mechatronic engineers are even worse.I have now several products where the mounting piece of metal costs more than the entire electronics including the custom injection moulded enclosure. Welded stainless steel, 45 degree bends and laser cuts everywhere.

author: Seekonk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2023, 12:42:14 pm
content: I worked with a mechanical engineer and he thought electrical engineering wasn't an exact science because everytime something didn't work we added capacitors.

author: BradC
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2023, 01:57:05 pm
content: Quote from: Ed.Kloonk on March 13, 2023, 12:01:39 amThere was nothing in there about having a machinist run the office, just it's an advantage to have one *in* the office.

author: tszaboo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2023, 03:00:41 pm
content: Quote from: Seekonk on March 13, 2023, 12:42:14 pmWell, and for them if the M4 bolt looks to small, they replace it with M5, and there is like 12 steps in total. Or if 2mm thick is too bendy then they go with 3mm.

author: AndyC_772
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2023, 04:03:22 pm
content: Quote from: beanflying on March 13, 2023, 05:54:42 amThere are two kinds of people who work as consulting engineers:a) those whodon't needa job with a regular full-time employer, andb) those whocan't geta job with a regular full-time employer.Working as a salaried engineer is exactly how group (a) learn the skills, and gain the experience, to finally become able to pass those skills on to new companies that need them.Sounds like you may have had experience with group (b), in which case, you have my sympathy.

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2023, 06:56:26 am
content: this is why having a damn machinist on site makes sense, he has enough knowledge to know what will happen and you know enough about it that you basically tell him what needs to be precise, then you don't even need tolerances because it makes sense. This means that the process is too facelesstoo remote, teams too small, etc leads to this problem. its not gonna be fixed by a few youtube videos and rants, I doubt even education will fix it, its just a result of consolidation and cost optimization on work structures. tough shit. this happens because of like administrative policies on team makeup, the idea that you can cordon off all the machinists and trade workers/artisans to cost optimized 'islands' that communicate to the outside world via simple no effort paper work to reduce costs results in this problem.things like1) i dont wanna buy a three phase and equipment2) i dont want to deal with osha3) i dont want to hire someone on site4) eww blue collar people

author: Infraviolet
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2023, 10:58:28 pm
content: Video neglects to mention the very biggest problem in its own scenario, the thing is a cup-holder, why are they wanting it machined out of metal at all. Wrong material, hence wrong fabrication technique.

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 19, 2023, 08:43:42 pm
content: Quote from: Ed.Kloonk on March 13, 2023, 12:01:39 amYeah, uh. The idea of a machinist running the orifice doesn't look too appealing to me, but to each their own obviously.

author: NorthGuy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 26, 2023, 10:03:05 pm
content: Quote from: Infraviolet on March 16, 2023, 10:58:28 pmThey made it all up.Obviously, there are bad engineers and good engineers, as there are bad machinists and good machinists.If you're a really bad machinist you'll have a tendency to blame everything on engineers. If you're a really bad engineer you'll have a tendency to blame everything on machinists. Assigning blame is the first sign of incompetence.

author: barshatriplee
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 16, 2023, 08:40:07 am
content: It will be good if you talk a bit slower or add subtitles. There are many of us who are not native English speakers. Anyway, that's not a big deal though. Thanks.

author: Faranight
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 17, 2023, 05:31:28 am
content: Quote from: IanB on March 13, 2023, 06:11:04 amUgh, I could say the same goes for laptops. I once had to service this one laptop from HP. It was my mother's laptop, and I only needed to clean the CPU fan of dust. I *literally* had to take the whole damned thing apart to be able to access it... remove the back cover, remove the keyboard, remove the DVD unit, battery, ram sticks, detach the screen, remove the motherboard, and finally the CPU copper bar. Then reassemble it all. The whole situation could have been avoided, if the case designer simply added a small hole/cover on the bottom plastic case where the CPU fan is located.