Drill reccomendation

[Andy Dingley]

You really are a clueless idiot

[dennis]

Do you really think they are going to stop an automated line to produce poor quality cells. No its like most things they do select on test and then badge them. Trouble is they hit the same problem as Intel.. too many good ones so they package up the good ones and sell them as cheap ones. If you don't know that then I guess you are clueless.

[The Medway Handyman]

Thats exactly what they do. They run the line until they have produced the weeks/months/quarters expected forecast of top grade cells, then switch the line to make mid range or low range cells.

Most OEM supply companies have different ranges to compete in different market segments. Many of them market high/mid/low ranges under different brand names.

[Andy Dingley]

No you f****it, they run separate factories: one makes good cells, one makes cells for you and Drivel. Different designs for different markets.

"Select on test" hasn't been good practice for 20+ years. Look up "SPC" if you want even vaguely contemporary QA practice. Only the likes of Rover could afford to make both good and bad units and then filter out the duds. Everyone else has had to learn to make good products, and to make _every_ product good. The line stops (or is rectified without stopping) _before_ they make a bad one.

[dennis]

Really, tell that to semiconductor manufacturers where its all select on test.

You really don't know much do you?

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[stuart noble]

One wonders whether the switch costs more than the savings in raw materials. As somebody in semi-conductors said, today's typical factory is run by a man and a dog, and the man is there to feed the dog.

[Andy Dingley]

If your volume is big enough, then it does. The main difference (for alkaline batteries at least) is material purity. The good stuff needs an extra refining step, then you make the cells out of it in exactly the same way.

The Canadian patents on rechargeable alkalines are interesting reading.