OT: Walmart

[Bill]

I was watching a show consistent with how "everyone hates" Walmart for some of the side effects they cause.

It occurred to me that Big Stores are just the result of "engineering appled to retailing". It's perplexing that other engineering efforts haven't drawn the same amount of attention. I visited a medium size machining factory not too long ago, and none, I think, of the machine operators needed to be craftsmen.

I think engineers will not create like craftsmen, so something may be now missing from the loop. Just a thought.

Bill

[krw]

You mean side effects like a broad selection and low prices? Yeah, I hate that.

I'm sure they had some real machinists. Craftsmen? Not sure how that applies.

Define "craftsmen". Artists? No, probably not. Not in the job description. Fine, detailed, work? Sure.

[Bill]

Yes, make sure the work pieces are attached firmly in place and the cutting bits are sharp. Then listen for 10 minutes in case this might change. Most of the cutting action does not even where you could see it. It's probably mind-numbing. Pay rate is approximately half of what you might expect due to supply and demand.

[krw]

Was there a relevant point in that rambling?

[Bill]

That in a medium sized factor which, to my amazement, only required about 40 people to operate, the only "fine, detailed work" was done by QA-and no more of this than necessary (upon setup, etc.). I'm skeptical whether a few years there would make one a better craftsman. I have little doubt it would make him or her more safety-conscience, so perhaps that counts for something.

[Larry Blanchard]

I once did a job for Kaiser Aluminum interfacing a large German made roll grinder to their computer system. I commented that the new machine must be a lot better than the huge lathes the machinists had been using considering how much it cost. The answer was no, the machinists did a better job, but they were all nearing retirement and replacements were almost impossible to find.

Seems it's not a popular career choice for the younger generation :-).