Back to Squawk list
  • 21

Boeing 787’s problems blamed on outsourcing, lack of oversight

Enviado
 
Surprise, surprise Boeing you just didn't listen did you! (seattletimes.com) Más...

Sort type: [Top] [Newest]


racerman
larry clement 2
If my name was on a product that costs as much as the 787, I think i would have close oversight of the suppliers.
mikeb5618
Mike Barbato 3
A few months a go I spent $30 on a oscillating fan from Sears. I was astounded at how cheap and flimsy the product was. I had to handle it gently because I the thin cheap plastic felt like it was going to break in my hands. I wound up not needing to use it much but if I did, I'd give it 1 to 2 years max before it craps the bed. That seems to be the new American business model: charge as much as you can for absolute crap and pocket all of it until the wheels finally fall off.

And it's not like American (or first-world) made products necessarily need to cost a fortune. A Mag-lite costs about the same (or sometimes less) than a similar Chinese-made Craftsman flashlight. American Apparel is comparable in price and quality to what you'd find at Macys or Nordtroms and is made in SoCal.

I'm looking to invest in a ANR headset and plan to get a David Clark. Made in USA, incredible quality and reliability and great customer support.
akayemm
Er.A.K. Mittal 1
The detailed/parent article confuses and surprises me , both . The concept of out sourcing is too ancient , may be as old humanity itself. It all depends on your perception of the idea. Man outsourced cooking to woman . She outsourced killing to man ! If food(product) quality was not good he complained and if cooking was not good or easy to cook she complained of bad supplies(kill) !
This prompts me to state the steps known to all our readers and our predecessors very well in context of out sourcing and quality control steps for such procurement .
Every supplier has his share of suppliers . Each buyer prepares his specifications/requirements and specifies level and type of quality control . And this supplier , who becomes a buyer to his suppliers does a similar exercise . At each level or tier there is/or corresponding quality control checks .
So where is the problem ? Or the chance or need to compromise on the standards or quality control ? The only steps necessary are to prepare check lists suitable for each category of product/service/system/sub system/assembly/sub assembly and so on .
That is precisely the reason why millions are spent on design personnel and those from the materials/stores section !
And if these basic steps are over looked in the anxiety of these steps being too primitive , then we know the results and the outcome of such over zealousness !
RRKen
Kenneth Schmidt 1
No one is complaining about the subject of sourcing parts and assemblies. However, when one orders a part, usually there are specifications that must be met. I know of one industry that every part in everything, must meet industry specs, and be an approved supplier of same, or they will never get a dime of business in that industry. Every screw and bolt.

It used to be, specifications for parts was not a suggestion, but a hard and fast rule. Suppliers did not dictate it, the buyer did. The more critical the part, the harder the buyers made it on the suppliers.

When one blindly accepts the design of a part or sub-assembly to install on their own product, it becomes a gamble. The jobber or supply source does not have their name on the product, you or your company does. And especially when your product operates 40,000 feet off the ground, you had better be sure what you are putting into it. Because reputations fall as hard as your product from 40,000 feet (isn't there a law of physics and economics that cover that?).
joelwiley
joel wiley 1
If they were outsourcing the spec writing, why didn't they outsource management as well? May have been improvement at the top of the chain.
WALLACE24
WALLACE24 1
Sounds just like the same reason your kitchen appliances never get past a few years without needing work anymore. Cheaper, inferior, imported parts. Whirlpool and Boeing should just share engineering staff and save even more money. Lol
cheshire
Cal Keegan 0
Caveat emptor. Almost all the washing machines are crap! Read the reviews, $2000 machines explode the first time they are used. My parents' Kenmore lasted 20 years. Bought top of the line Maytag ten years ago. Replaced a circuit board for $700 and it would never drain properly and stunk up the clothes. Repairman said well it was a new model. LIke they forgot how to make them. Did my research the next time... Speed Queen is still good. Really good.
bishops90
Brian Bishop 1
How many of you know-it-alls who are having so much fun telling Boeing "I told you so" ever ran any kind of business at all, let alone a publicly traded international, multi-BILLION $ aerospace corporation?
Just curious.
WALLACE24
WALLACE24 1
I didn't say it Brian , the article did. :-) I just cracked wise about it.
bishops90
Brian Bishop 0
Wasn't directed at you insomuch, I just find all the armchair quarterbacking amusing.
WALLACE24
WALLACE24 2
I sure don't have a solution or even a suggestion. Lol

[This poster has been suspended.]

JetMech24
JetMech24 1
You probably should know what you are talking about before commenting.
JetMech24
JetMech24 2
Really? Down votes with no responses? Panzies.
WALLACE24
WALLACE24 2
Hell, if I knew what I was talking about I'd have a better audience and charge for it. Lol
JetMech24
JetMech24 2
WALLACE24
WALLACE24 2
There you go
WALLACE24
WALLACE24 1
Well we all know most outsourcing is done to save labor dollars. I wasn't kidding about the kitchen appliances I posted earlier. In 05 I built new home and stocked it with Kitchen Aid (whirlpool builds most brands) and I have personally worked on almost all of them, replacing mother boards, various circuit boards, ice makers in both refrigerators, etc etc. Each and every part said made in Mexico or China. I bought the best models of each. I would rather pay more upfront and get quality and help provide jobs here. This relates to most products we buy. I don't have the answer but I know who opened the door for this situation. :-(
bishops90
Brian Bishop 0
"Liveable wage" as defined by who, the union bosses? Exactly.
Pileits
Pileits 0
I understand other multi-billion $ American companies have reconsidered outsourcing their products production and are bringing some of that previous outsourced production back to the USA.

A few that come to mind are Ford Motor Company as well as Apple Computer. Both companies realized they really can't keep close enough watch on the making of their products when for the most part the production workers can't even read let alone understand the English language. It's just to difficult to control your product when it's being made 6,000 miles away in a different country. Obviously WalMart could care less. ;)

Entrar

¿No tienes cuenta? ¡Regístrate ahora (gratis) para acceder a prestaciones personalizadas, alertas de vuelos y mucho más!
¿Sabías que el rastreo de vuelos de FlightAware se sostiene gracias a los anuncios?
Puedes ayudarnos a que FlightAware siga siendo gratuito permitiendo que aparezcan los anuncios de FlightAware.com. Trabajamos arduamente para que nuestros anuncios sean discretos y de interés para el rubro a fin de crear una experiencia positiva. Es rápido y fácil whitelist ads en FlightAware o por favor considera acceder a nuestras cuentas premium.
Descartar