Excellent reply, Larry. As another engineer, I agree completely. Of course CAD
is hard, but it's because engineering is hard, not the other way around.
Russ Jensen
Parker Hannifin Corp., Racor Div.
lblasch@opw-fc.com on 04/23/99 10:35:02 AM
To: Steven <themissinglink@eznetinc.com>
cc: rp-ml@bart.lpt.fi (bcc: Russ Jensen/RCR/PFG/PARKER)
Subject: Re: Confused
Steve,
First, I have to say that I agree with your basic premise, that the RP
manufacturers have listened to the service bureau requests over the
private use companies with 1 or 2 machines. You must remember though,
in doing so, they were responding to their big customers just like
every other business would.
But you said:
" CAD is hard. It is made for engineers. Slowly, CAD is evolving to
where the creative people can use it."
What a myopic view of creativity that statement represents.
Just what do you consider to be evidence of creativity?
Form without function?
Design without constraints?
Production without consumers?
As one of your creativity deprived engineers, I am fed up with people
depicting engineers as unimaginative and lacking creativity.
In every profession there are people who cannot see outside the box.
The creative mind is the one that can do that.
It is the creative engineers who turn the inspiration into functional
products and goods.
Engineers are often considered to be lacking creativity because
they are forced to work within the constraints of practicality.
The "designers" that you speak of, exist only where practical
people are creative enough to generate the wealth necessary to
support them.
It would be great to have inexpensive tools to play with, but in
the real world, tools cost money to produce. Good tools don't
happen overnight, they evolve.
Flame the engineers and they don't usually reciprocate, they just
design an extinguisher.
Larry Blasch
Peeker outside the box.
OPW Fueling Components
P.O. Box 405003
Cincinnati, OH 45240-5003 USA
Voice: (513) 870-3356
Fax: (513) 870-3338
**********************************************************************
Disclaimer...The views expressed are personal opinion and not those of
OPW Fueling Components.
**********************************************************************
______________________________ Reply Separator
_________________________________ Subject: Confused
Author: Steven <themissinglink@eznetinc.com> at internet Date: 4/23/99 2:04
PM
As an outsider to the RP world, I am a little puzzled by all the hand wringing
and worry about the state of the industry. My gut feeling is that many of you
are defining the industry as the Service Bureau.
When defined as such, then I can see how you could go back and forth being
positive and negative. The Service Bureau, however, is just one business model,
and does not represent the only one. If these machines were to be sold, in
force, directly into industry, then wouldn't that be considered success?
So what is constraining this from happening? CAD. CAD is hard. It is made for
engineers. Slowly, CAD is evolving to where the creative people can use it.
FormZ seems to be taking the lead in this by promoting its use in design school
instruction. As long as CAD/CAM is dominated by engineers and programs like
CATIA and Pro/E, then it will remain in the realm of large organization R&D
departments.
When more people understand CAD, then the creative forces will find a way to
obtain RP equipment. For this reason I feel that the focus of RP manufacturers
on build size over speed and price only reinforces this limited scope of market
potential. Build size is desired by manufacturers. The early adopters of this
technology are big manufacturers of industrial equipment. Their voices are the
only ones being listened to by the RP manufacturers because they are the only
current customers. The growth, however, is with the people whose voices are not
being heard. People who are not even aware of RP now.
That is the challenge for the RP manufacturers. To hear the voices which are
not yet speaking.
Steve Pollack
For more information about the rp-ml, see http://ltk.hut.fi/rp-ml/
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