Shop OBEX P1 Docs P2 Docs Learn Events
Trip to factory - How to prepare? — Parallax Forums

Trip to factory - How to prepare?

SRLMSRLM Posts: 5,045
in General Discussion
My company is about to send me on a trip for a few weeks to the factory that is ramping up on our new product. I've never been to a factory before, and want to get the most out of the trip. I'm being sent from the software team to observe how the factory is producing our product, and to figure out where the pain points are.

Some background:
- the product is a complex precision consumer product in the $3k range
- it has significant mechanical, electrical, and software components
- the factory is in eastern Europe.

How do I prepare for this trip, and how do I get the most out of it?

Comments

  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    That sounds great. It's a long time since I got to visit a decent factory. It's fascinating to see all the tricks involved in getting things made. In the most high tech production lines you will find the crudest of kludges used to tune the process and keep it running reliably and accurately. Like that bit of old wood jammed into the works to get things lined up "just so".

    That mess where electronics meets mechanicals is always interesting. I was once flown out to see why a newly installed multi-million dollar machine was reported to be running 10% too slow by it's control system. It was obviously my new software right? After I poked a scope at the "rev-counter" signal for a minute it was nice to be able to tell the mechanical guys they had put the wrong gears in it.

    As for advice. I don't know. It's good to know your product design inside out, which I guess you do. I'd be thinking about all the tests that should be done on all the parts and the final assembly and ready to check if they are doing all that correctly. Quality control stuff.

    As a lot of questions. Stick your nose in wherever you can. Take pictures if possible.

    Don't let them befuddle you with copious amounts of vodka! That always seems to be a peril of factory visits :)

  • davejamesdavejames Posts: 4,047
    SRLM wrote: »
    How do I prepare for this trip, and how do I get the most out of it?

    I'm presuming you're USA-based. Have you traveled out-of-country before?
  • frank freedmanfrank freedman Posts: 1,983
    Probably the single most important thing you can do is to make sure you have a very good idea of what they expect you to do on this trip. It won't be cheap and they are not likely into giving freebie vacations to ....... Eastern Europe. Though that could be interesting to see what has changed in the last decade or so. And if it is a freebie, how can I apply with them as well?

    But seriously, know what deliverables they will expect on your return.
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    edited 2015-10-01 17:04
    Good for you. Czech, Poland, or Romania? Jean dobry!
  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    As the representative of a valuable customer, you'll probably be wined, dined, and shepherded about. But take advantage of any opportunity to escape your "handlers" and see some of the country on your own. And be sure to take some distinctly American small gifts to thank your hosts for their hospitality.

    -Phil
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    Phil,
    And be sure to take some distinctly American small gifts to thank your hosts for their hospitality.
    Good idea. I'm wondering what that might be. A crate of Big Macs :)

    I know, some Propeller badges.
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    Get a phrase book (preferably with CD) and learn a few phrases. They may be expecting the "Ugly American" but if you make any effort to say please, thanks and good morning, you will help break that stereotype and they will appreciate it.

    "How loudly do we coathanger at the airport greatly"?

    "I will need happily grow hotel three yesterday."

    Smile and poise!
  • tomcrawfordtomcrawford Posts: 1,126
    erco wrote: »
    Get a phrase book (preferably with CD) and learn a few phrases. They may be expecting the "Ugly American" but if you make any effort to say please, thanks and good morning, you will help break that stereotype and they will appreciate it.

    "How loudly do we coathanger at the airport greatly"?

    "I will need happily grow hotel three yesterday."

    Smile and poise!

    Best advice yet!

  • jmgjmg Posts: 15,173
    SRLM wrote: »
    .... I'm being sent from the software team to observe how the factory is producing our product, and to figure out where the pain points are.
    ...
    How do I prepare for this trip, and how do I get the most out of it?

    How many have they made already, and what are your factory contacts like now ?
    If this is a first-ramp, what you seek is a little different from a more bedded-in trip.

  • SRLMSRLM Posts: 5,045
    Thanks all. There's some good advice in this thread.

    I've traveled quite a bit, including around China, western Europe, and Mexico. So I'm not too worried about surviving in a foreign country.

    At this point the product is just getting ramped up, and we're still working out the production. It's brand new. I'm also not the first one from my company to visit the factory. Mechanical and EE has been there for a while, but I'll be the first one focused on improving the testing software and process.

    For a gift I bet I could find something local here in Boston. Chocolate that the Pilgrims ate?
  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    The chocolate that the Pilgrim ancestors from my family ate was German chocolate. Grandpa Pilgrim came from Hanover. (Yeah, I know: what's the Teutonic root of such a WASPy name as Pilgrim? I have no idea!)

    -Phil
  • Beau SchwabeBeau Schwabe Posts: 6,566
    From the perspective of my relatively "new" job of 8 months, much if not all of what we do is designing in the area where the electronics meet the machines ... I can't imagine not knowing both halves of the equation and just designing the electronics or just designing the mechanics.

    Regardless if you are just an electronic engineer or just a mechanical engineer, you need to know the lingo and understand what and where your design fits into the equation. If that means thinking before you speak then so be it. If there is something your not sure about, then you need to motivate yourself to find out the answer. As it was mentioned earlier in this thread, this is not a cheap trip and you are there to learn something that will benefit not only yourself but the company that is willing to send you as well.

    It probably won't be easy, it will be a crash course in learning, but as I tell my girls all the time ..... "Nine times out of Ten when you fret about something, when you look back at the situation you were faced with, many times you'll wonder why in the heck you were making it so hard on yourself."

    Good luck !!
  • cruXiblecruXible Posts: 78
    Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) wrote: »
    As the representative of a valuable customer, you'll probably be wined, dined, and shepherded about. But take advantage of any opportunity to escape your "handlers" and see some of the country on your own. And be sure to take some distinctly American small gifts to thank your hosts for their hospitality.

    -Phil

    I agree with this 100%. Accepting every dinner invite can turn an exciting visit to another country into one big, long, boring business meeting.
Sign In or Register to comment.