Boy, but I hate poor engineering!

thcri · May 27, 2004

Sittin on an airplane somewhere over Chicago I was talking to this guy and I asked him what he did. He had a name for it but I can't remember what it was. But basically he was an engineers---engineer. He was independent and was working on one of the major automakers. His job is take a vehicle and re-engineer it after the automakers engineer designed it. You see most engineers to protect their reputation will over design stuff. So manufactures will come back and cut them down some to stay competitive. Just thought that was interesting and when something breaks, don't blame the engineer at first, blame the engineer's -- engineer. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gifDid I say that right?? /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

murph

Soundguy · May 28, 2004

I think that would be some sort of cost control consultant.

Lovely world isn't it.... Engineer something with a safety margin.. and then have someone find out just how much you can back it down, and whittle away at it so that it won't fly apart untill after the owner peels the 'do not remove' sticker off the front of it voiding the warranty...

Soundguy

have_blue · May 28, 2004

I used to love the stuff our maintenance department fabricated. The top maintenance guy would draw it up and hand the drawing to his fabricators without anyone nit-picking the cost. What always resulted was BULLET PROOF stuff. Everything was double or triple strong, and would last a lifetime. They would use 3/8 steel on a simple table top when 1/8 would have been fine. Luckily we had plenty of good fork lifts.

It would be interesting to see what cars and TRACTORS would look like if the designer's plans were built exactly as he envisioned, before the cost control buzzards pecked away at them.

nomad · May 28, 2004

( I am not an engineer Nomad.

Egon )

You speak as if you are engineer because your words are too technical. It isn't the diploma/certificate that makes you an engineer - it's the words mowed by the tongue, raked by the teeth, baled by the lips and discharged out of the mouth that makes you an engineer.

Egon · May 28, 2004

You only call yourself an engineer if you have paid your dues. I haven't and I'm not an engineer.

Egon

normde2001 · May 28, 2004

"I haven't and I'm not an engineer. "
No matter what your bio says?

Egon · May 28, 2004

My bio does not say I am an engineer with a Bsc from an accredited university.
A teck and power may have the term assciated with them but by no means are they an engineer.
I'm just a regular grunt with dirty hands.

Egon

have_blue · May 28, 2004

There are "engineers" and "Engineers". All men are engineers. Some more so than others, some lots more so than others. I have known some Engineers that couldn't find their **** with both hands. I have known some engineers that amazed me every day with their pure genius. Formal training merely helps you fully understand and communicate your ideas. It does not give you ideas or greatly enhance your native ingenuity.

To20Chris · May 28, 2004

Well said!

AndyM · May 28, 2004

There are "engineers" and "Engineers". 

There are some people who have had no formal training, but have the mindset of an engineer.

I've only met Henro in real life just once, but I don't think he worked at the steel mill as an engineer. However, his mind works better than many engineers I work with. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif It's pretty neat to watch someone look at something, and see it from many, many different angles! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

No matter how much someone may insist that Egon was educated as an engineer, he's not in title, but he is in his mindset and his ways of thinking. Egon has given excellent advice to many of us over the past few years here. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif