From: Steven Pollack (steve@familyjeweler.com)
Date: Fri Jan 04 2002 - 22:12:04 EET
Brock,
While RP may be a ways away from making completely original designs for
standard models of cars, one thing it can do is make manufacturing
smaller batches economically feasible. Whereas auto manufacturing tool
and die creation and setup charges may only amortize at volume over
100,000 RP may make it feasible to setup smaller production in the
1,000's of units. The CAD system in that case, instead of offering
unlimited variation in the shape of the hood might allow for a dozen
variations which is 11 more than we have to choose from today per
model. The bolt locations would be fixed per model or model type while
the styling would change. The biggest issues are where the parts
interfacce with other parts so they would need to come to a common plane
or arc.
If I am correct in the feasibility of smaller batches then RP may enable
smaller boutique type auto manufacturers to flourish.
Steven
Brock Hinzmann wrote:
> Terry's note reminds me of a couple virtual car companies that some
> former big3 execs tried to form a couple years back. They may still be
> in business. The idea was to allow people to log in and design their
> custom car on-line. The virtual car company would then contract out
> all of the components to suppliers or even to the OEMs. I guess it's
> not much different than what the OEMs do now. I just didn't see how
> you could rely on the current supplier system to make sure a Mercedes
> hood would fit on a PT Cruiser (to use a really bad example). To take
> it further, how flexible are suppliers in responding to someone
> requesting, say, a shower and a bath tub in the back of their van?
> Still further out is the notion of using RP to make completely
> original designs and parts that will fit the standard model?
>
> Brock HInzmann
>
>
>
> Terry T. Wohlers wrote:
> >Larry,
> >
> >Interesting thread. Thanks to you, Brock, Rafael, and Steven for the
> >thoughts and insight. (Did I forget anyone?) You are right about the
> >custom homes. With the exception of floor coverings and wall colors,
> few
> >new homes are totally custom-built, even though the idea has been
> applied
> >successfully for decades. My guess is that only around 5-10% are
> custom
> >homes.
> >
> >I'm sure many of you are aware that the computer and automobile
> industries
> >have been allowing its customers to customize new products for some
> time.
> >Most of the major computer manufacturers, including Dell, Compaq, and
> HP,
> >allow you to tailor a computer configuration on-line. You can add and
>
> >subtract components and get an updated price as you make changes. It
> works
> >and works well. I haven't added up the potential combinations, but
> it's
> >got to be in the hundreds if not thousands. A friend from the UK did
> the
> >math on the number of combinations for a particular model from
> Mercedes and
> >he said it approached one million. Sounds like mass customization to
> me.
> >
> >Visit dell.com, ford.com, or another company's site and build and
> price a
> >new product on-line. It's a good way to compare products, features,
> and
> >prices.
> >
> >Best wishes to everyone for a safe, healthy, and productive 2002.
> >
> >Terry
> >
> >************
> >Terry Wohlers
> >Wohlers Associates, Inc.
> >OakRidge Business Park
> >1511 River Oak Drive
> >Fort Collins, Colorado 80525 USA
> >970-225-0086
> >Fax 970-225-2027
> >twohlers@compuserve.com
> >http://wohlersassociates.com
> >
> >
> >Message text written by "Blasch, Larry"
> >>Steven and List,
> >
> >Your experiences with customization have just add support to the
> argument
> >that there's more to "engineering" a product than most people can
> imagine.
> >
> >It's often stated that all it takes to successfully enter the product
>
> >market
> >is an idea and the drive to succeed.
> >
> >If that was all that was required, than the failure rate of new
> business
> >start-ups wouldn't be so high.
> >
> >If the product that you are attempting to create in a mass
> customization
> >scenario needs to interface with a range of options, then the entire
> option
> >set must be understood. This may require a simple algorithm or a much
> more
> >complex "smart" system since options can be interdependent as well as
> vary
> >due to functional requirements.
> >
> >Simple products are already mass customized. Most everyone has a
> coffee mug
> >with their company logo, mouse pads, pens, pencils, letter openers...
> and
> >the list goes on. Most of these item don't allow the customization of
>
> >functional properties, just cosmetic features.
> >
> >Let's face it, the average consumer wants a product to perform it's
> >intended
> >function correctly, but starts by choosing an aesthetic design that
> >interests them.
> >In other words... They find something that they like aesthetically
> and then
> >try it on.
> >
> >Most consumers cannot think outside the box far enough to even start
> on an
> >aesthetic design of their own.
> >
> >If you are going to offer a product that can be customized, it's the
> >functionality that would need to be customized unless you plan on
> making
> >some kind of cultural change in how people think.
> >
> >Even if you offer the product in a clip-art style collection, with
> >thousands
> >of variations, you will still end up selling mostly the same thing
> with a
> >few options.
> >
> >New homes are by far the most customized item sold on a mass scale,
> and
> >they
> >are seldom ever really customized. A builder usually hands you a book
> of
> >floor plans with a list of standard options and you go from there.
> Some
> >people get creative and change lot's of things, adding rooms, moving
> >walls... but usually the things that are customized are limited to
> swapping
> >standard components from a catalog. Even then you hear complaints
> about the
> >huge task of choosing from the options. (Or they hire an architect to
>
> >create
> >a customized design because they can't do it themselves.)
> >
> >So to end my babble... Good luck in your mass customization
> endeavors. Just
> >don't expect the world to beat a path to your door. In my opinion,
> the
> >cultural change that is necessary is far too great.
> >
> >Besides, a totally customized product won't sell if it's 10% more
> expensive
> >than the standard item...;)
> >
> >
> >Sincerely,
> >
> >Larry Blasch
> >
> >Lawrence R. Blasch
> >Design Engineer
> >CAE Systems Administrator
> >
> >OPW Fueling Components
> >P.O. Box 405003
> >Cincinnati, OH 45240-5003 USA
> >Voice: (513) 870-3356
> >Fax: (513) 870-3338
> >
> >*****************************************
> >* "Always remember you're unique,*
> >* just like everyone else." *
> >*****************************************<
> >
> >For more information about the rp-ml, see http://rapid.lpt.fi/rp-ml/
> >
> >RFC822 header
> >-----------------------------------
> >
> >Return-Path: <owner-rp-ml@rapid.lpt.fi>
> >Received: from [128.18.35.100] (HELO bic.sri.com)
> > by sric-bi.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 3.4.7)
> > with ESMTP id 350692 for bhinzmann@sric-bi.com; Fri, 04 Jan 2002
> 08:18:46
> >-0800
> >Received: from <owner-rp-ml@rapid.lpt.fi>
> > by bic.sri.com (CommuniGate Pro RULES 3.4.7)
> > with RULES id 1115939; Fri, 04 Jan 2002 08:19:39 -0800
> >X-Autogenerated: Mirror
> >X-Mirrored-by: <owner-rp-ml@rapid.lpt.fi>
> >Received: from mgw-mp.sric.sri.com ([128.18.32.32] verified)
> > by bic.sri.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 3.4.7)
> > with ESMTP id 1115938 for bhinzmann@bic.sri.com; Fri, 04 Jan 2002
> >08:19:39 -0800
> >Received: from rapid.lpt.fi ([193.166.79.18]) by mgw-mp.sric.sri.com
> > (Netscape Messaging Server 3.6) with ESMTP id AAA1A37
> > for <bhinzmann@mail.sric.sri.com>; Fri, 4 Jan 2002 08:17:17 -0800
> >Received: from major by rapid.lpt.fi with local (Exim 3.34 #1)
> > id 16MXW6-0003XY-00
> > for rp-ml-outgoing@rapid.lpt.fi; Fri, 04 Jan 2002 18:48:26 +0200
> >Received: from ameba.lpt.fi ([193.166.79.3] ident=exim)
> > by rapid.lpt.fi with esmtp (Exim 3.34 #1)
> > id 16MXW3-0003XK-00
> > for rp-ml@rapid.lpt.fi; Fri, 04 Jan 2002 18:48:23 +0200
> >Received: from siaag1ac.compuserve.com ([149.174.40.5])
> > by ameba.lpt.fi with smtp (Exim 3.34 #1)
> > id 16MWoV-0005np-00
> > for rp-ml@rapid.lpt.fi; Fri, 04 Jan 2002 18:03:23 +0200
> >Received: (from mailgate@localhost)
> > by siaag1ac.compuserve.com (8.9.3/8.9.3/SUN-1.12) id KAA14676
> > for rp-ml@rapid.lpt.fi; Fri, 4 Jan 2002 10:58:56 -0500 (EST)
> >Date: Fri, 4 Jan 2002 10:58:17 -0500
> >From: "Terry T. Wohlers" <twohlers@compuserve.com>
> >Subject: RE: Mass Customization
> >To: RP-ML <rp-ml@rapid.lpt.fi>
> >Message-ID: <200201041058_MC3-ECB2-5317@compuserve.com>
> >MIME-Version: 1.0
> >Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
> >Content-Type: text/plain;
> > charset=ISO-8859-1
> >Content-Disposition: inline
> >Sender: owner-rp-ml@rapid.lpt.fi
> >Precedence: bulk
> >
For more information about the rp-ml, see http://rapid.lpt.fi/rp-ml/
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.4 : Tue Jan 21 2003 - 20:13:18 EET