Carvewright and Quality

[texasinmi]

I have worked around the automotive industry for 15 years. I have watched as the Japanese have schooled the big 3 about quality. I have also watched as the big 3 have responded in a good way. As I do not believe in just complaining but proposing some possible solutions as well. Here I go, though I may be preaching to the choir:

1. I love my B machine but hate the lack of quality and robust design.
2. Quality is a matter of corporate culture
3. One of the many tools for quality improvement in statistical quality control. Us it to measure and then react to the data. You cannot improve what you cannot measure.
4. Many companies improve their quality using Design for Six Sigma, DFSS, for development and Six Sigma for production. Use the tools that are available in this area to improve quality.
5. There is an area of quality engineering called robust design which can provide additional tools to improve the overall robustness of the CW.
6. There is an analysis technique that was developed by the military called Failure Modes Effects Analysis, FMEA, for manufacturing and Design FMEA for product development. Its use has an excellent track record for helping companies improve quality.

Conclusions

1. Study your warranty data and forum feedback to identify the top 3 quality issues and focus on those. I am sure the forum members have some opinions on what these 3 should be!
2. Hire a contract quality engineer to help. The forum may prove to be a good source for some limited free engineering help. After all, we would be feathering our own beds.
3. My reading of the forum indicate that dust is a huge problem, my guess is it is the #1 issue. I suggest you do not sell a CW without a dust collector, make it mandatory. Another source of revenue to fund the quality improvement project is to sell a complete dust collection system, including the blower, hoses the whole works.
4. If the bearings are a big quality issue, which they appear to be, get higher quality more robust models. We are not talking about big bucks here.
5. If the FSC cable is as big a source of issues, as it appears to be, source a better quality one. Again, not big bucks.
5. Commit to being a world class DFSS company, at least 4 or 5 Sigma.
6. I recognize LHR is not a big company, but a bad reputation for quality will not help you grow.
7. Adopt as many quality engineering disciplines as it makes sense to use.
8. Some small, low cost fixes can get you a lot of bang for the buck. Again, the forum may help you engineer a solution.

Please accept this feedback with the positive attitude I wrote it with. I do love my machine when it works.

A loyal customer

texasinmi

[aokweld101]

my reply is as a automobile, nothing last forever, things wear out... considering the activity the carvewright does... it is a very active machine, carvewright advertisement says it is for hobbyist not industrial use... I myself don't like buying parts, but the replacement parts are not so sky high that you can't afford them.

[texasinmi]

I agree that maintenance is necessary, like changing the oil in your car. However, one of the things engineering management learned at the big 3 is that you cannot let those kinds of arguments that you make be an excuse for poor quality to start with. Production management at car companies used to say, "Get the product out and let the dealerships handle the quality issues under warranty." Then that decision began to come home to roost as warranty costs soared into the $1,000,000,000.s of dollars.

In today's world there is no excuse for poor quality.

texasinmi

[lynnfrwd]

Every new model has delivered improvements. You weren't here in 2007.

[Digitalwoodshop]

Ouch... That hurt... It is a hobby grade machine at a hobby price...

You get what you pay for and at this price it is a pretty incredable machine.

That is honest and not negative.... So I am not jumping on him.

And yes, lots of improvement since 2007.

AL

[unitedcases]

I will ask...what are the big 3?

[lynnfrwd]

I think he meant ford, Chevrolet and GM.

[bergerud]

Ford, GM, and Chrysler?

[RogerB]

The big three also got lots of $$$$$$$$$$$$ from the tax payers to save there ***. The CW is very good for the price. I have worked with wood for the past 20 yr. You want the best you pay the price. Some time's the best is living off the name from the past. Bostic come's to mined.

[CW-HAL9000]

I think he meant ford, Chevrolet and GM.

Chevrolet an GM are one company.