New Pazzo copy Levers

automated CNC machinery costs the same to operate whether it's parked in the US or in Taiwan.

Expensive American products have less to do with wage and more to do with inefficiencies in the manufacturing process that people are either too stupid or lazy to address. Clearly its a more complicated problem than one sentence of a forum post can summarize, but the lazy have pulled the wool over your eyes when they blame wages for the cost of manufactured goods.

 

Why? I think the discussion is on topic. You certainly have every right to your opinion.

Imagine if we all bought our cars from some independent company who turned out five cars a year and we could talk to the guy making the product.

or you can buy from someone who's automated the process and turns out an equally comparable product at a significantly reduced price.

Americans could produce that product for the same price. As a matter of fact, they very well may.

I want to see people "Buy American" but that also means that manufacturers have to produce competitive products. We are fully capable of it. There are a multitude of problems from philosophy to government (and government philosophy).

A friend of mine just built a conference room, break room, and bathrooms inside of his manufacturing building. The county now is trying to assess him a $17,000 "use" fee. WTF is that about and how do you think that affects the price of his products and his ability to expand the business (employ more people etc.)?

 

You have any clue how to quote that part?

80% of operating cost of a business? Who cares? Has little bearing on how much of that labor cost is actually in the part.

High end, 5axis machining center with multi pallets for automation would cost $300k.

That's about a $6000/mo payment. or $34.6 per hour.

1/3rd of an employee because he runs multiple machines $15/hr

aluminum machines fast and is easy on tooling - maybe $10/hr for tools

$15/hr for burden (lights, insurance, flat screen in the office to watch oprah)

machine cost of $75/hr. How many of those parts can be made on said part per hour?

I say 5min a pair 75$/hr divided by 5min a pair is $15bucks. So the most expensive machine in the shop only cost $15 a pair to mfg our levers including our high standard of living American wage. Add a few bucks for sawing blanks (on an automatic saw), assembly, packaging, material, finishing, and some evil profit (ssshh, don't tell the Occupy people).

Now run that machine multiple shifts and the hourly cost required to make the lease payment goes down. Allows us to make the part in the US, pay a living wage, and sell the part at $25 chi-com prices.

P.S. I suppose this regulatory compliance you speak of is the $17,000 "use" fee the county wants to assess my buddy for building his employees a break room and shitter?

 

most guys in the US would rather buy a worn out pile of shit Fadal. Fadal 1016 CNC VMC With CNC 88 Controller | eBay

Limited tool capacity extends setup time for each job. No pallet changers allowing him to go load a piece of bar stock in the automatic saw, do invoicing, program other jobs, change worn tooling in another machines, etc...

Now the job has little or no hourly cost required to make a payment but requires a dedicated employee driving the part cost up and allowing Asian companies to make products for less. He's also only getting four lever pairs per hour instead of 12.

You think Asia is teaming with qualified and capable machinists ready to setup and run parts or do you think they invest in automation?

 

Assuming 3/8x3"x12' bar = 24 pairs and I buy 4 bars. $2.60 a pair for material

http://www.metalsdepot.com/products/alum2.phtml?page=flat&LimAcc=$LimAcc&aident=

 

At one time I worked as supplier to Boeing. They sent LEAN trainers to all their top level suppliers to go through LEAN exercises. Using a pile of clicker pen parts and kanban to demonstrate process improvement and cost reduction. Was fun stuff and eye opening at the time. Thanks for the link