My time at Hovland - HP-100 Lore

[a.wayne]

Originally Posted by bcarso

You would have fit right in with another amplifier company, where I understand the big guy does all of the design --- by taping up PCB artwork! Then the stuff is thrown over the wall to people who extract the schematic and figure out how to test the product. One of those people contacted me to find out if I could consult there, the principal "decoder" having been on a long leave of absence due to health concerns, but having sent a resume I never heard from the owner. Evidently the person I know is still there.

Beats dowsing the schematics ....

[DF96]

Originally Posted by SY

Don't laugh, visual replenishment systems are quite "in" these days for lean manufacturing.

"Visual Replenishment Systems" could be a whole module on a production-based MBA. People could write essays and run spreadsheets on the optimum Bin Interrogation Frequency. As we speak, someone in the EU will be devising a mandatory colour code for component bins in order to assist labour mobility and ensure a level playing field for manufacturers.

[M Gregg]

Originally Posted by DF96

As we speak, someone in the EU will be devising a mandatory colour code for component bins in order to assist labour mobility and ensure a level playing field for manufacturers.

"Kaizen" Pardon... ..Black belt in paper folding or Bin labelling...non profit and the 7 wastes...EEK!
Take english motor bike and fit gaskets..take over the whole market..
Take electronic design..apply Zen...can't afford robots..use cheap labour..target market..zap..Sony..LOL Take over whole market..

Regards
M. Gregg

[wicked1]

Originally Posted by Jozua

All the audio companies have some dirt- do we really want to know or blackmouth them in this forum ?

Yes
maybe things are different in your part of the world, but here, talking about X 'whatevers' makes the best conversation.

[morinix]

Originally Posted by Lynn Olson

I love these stories! Keep them coming!

I paid my dues at Audionics back in the Seventies, but the industry was a little different back then. Once the cable-meisters came in, and prices skyrocketed ten to twenty-fold during the Eighties, the industry changed.

Thanks! BTW Your Hidden Harmonics article really helped me understand things.

[morinix]

Originally Posted by bcarso

I guess 50 is the new 17

That is Fifty ONE to you sir The way I see it is, if I was old enough to be aware of what was happening when Nixon looked into the camera and said "I am not a crook", Then I can be classified as old.

Besides, that stern, belittling "young man", staring down the bridge of the nose whilst lifting up the reading glasses; Gee whiz! Save it for the dudes with the underwear hanging out of their pants.

[morinix]

Originally Posted by SY

Don't laugh, visual replenishment systems are quite "in" these days for lean manufacturing.

Originally Posted by M Gregg

Yes,

Red, yellow, and green tags...Used like this....A wall full of metal draws with U shaped pieces of metal painted /clipped over the draw top kept in in the draws. When someone takes The parts down to half inventory the green tag is replaced with a yellow tag, when down to one left a red tag is fitted...with a glance at the wall Everyone can see straight away what you have and what you need. If its not been used for 6 months a purple tag is fitted to show (check if no longer in production)...Standard Lean practice..Cheap and effective.

Regards
M. Gregg

Originally Posted by DF96

"Visual Replenishment Systems" could be a whole module on a production-based MBA. People could write essays and run spreadsheets on the optimum Bin Interrogation Frequency. As we speak, someone in the EU will be devising a mandatory colour code for component bins in order to assist labour mobility and ensure a level playing field for manufacturers.

Originally Posted by M Gregg

"Kaizen" Pardon... ..Black belt in paper folding or Bin labelling...non profit and the 7 wastes...EEK!
Take english motor bike and fit gaskets..take over the whole market..
Take electronic design..apply Zen...can't afford robots..use cheap labour..target market..zap..Sony..LOL Take over whole market..

Regards
M. Gregg

You guys are cracking me up! How about a simple sign out sheet next to the parts rack? That's the budget way it was done in most of my past employments.

[Bob Richards]

Back when Tektronix was a stellar company to work for (before about 1985ish), they had the little u shaped colored metal indicators that were put on the part boxes in the parts stock rooms. It worked great.

On the issue of using spiritual practices for processing parts... building electronic stuff can be boring, especially when it's the same thing over and over. I can see doing some of that just to annoy the young newbie whippersnapper smart-***. It sounds like it worked.

[M Gregg]

Originally Posted by morinix

You guys are cracking me up! How about a simple sign out sheet next to the parts rack? That's the budget way it was done in most of my past employments.

Its a culture "Lean"

Tied up with things like value added and non value added work..ie if you carry a part from one machine to another its non value added..if you drill a hole as part of the job it Adds value to the component..even down to how far you have to move your hand to drill the hole, if the down movement of the drill is traveling in the air for most of the stroke its non value added time. Only the cut time is value added...how long it takes to clamp the part or position the part..
How long it takes to etch a board is value added, however if the process is done faster at another company any time beyond that interval is non value added..(the company is wasting time with an outdated process).

Regards
M. Gregg

[morinix]

Originally Posted by Bob Richards

On the issue of using spiritual practices for processing parts... building electronic stuff can be boring, especially when it's the same thing over and over. I can see doing some of that just to annoy the young newbie whippersnapper smart-***. It sounds like it worked.

Sidney Harman did the old make the coin disappear and pull it out of my daughters ear once. I think I can tell the difference! You are making Hovland out to be like the Magic Castle in order to bolster your dislike of my forthright composition.

Au contraire! Let me make this as clear and concise as possible: The dowsing was an integral part of the daily assembly process of the HP-100. It was not done as some distracting medicine show.