RE: They're they go again!!

["Farmer" <pharmer@domain.elided>]

Tom wrote:
>
> Frames are built by someone else.
>
> The plant in Springfield painted the bodies, riveted a bunch of stuff
> onto the frames (bolt on the off-the-shelf brake drums, axles, brake
> lines, etc), dropped the motor/tranny into the frame, then put the body
> on.
>
> Very little was "IH"... you can order a "Navistar" Tractor with a
> Cummins if you want!  The body and the name-plate are genuine IH tho'...
>

I really don't think there's much difference in whether a component is built
in a IH/Ford/Chrys/GM plant or a 2nd/3rd tier supplier.  In either case the
engineering staff will design the specifications, or review existing
components for use.  Then they will design the interfaces between the
various components.  These components will be assembled at the assembly
plant.

Of course, certain components have well-known characteristics (IH 392, Dana
44, Bendix brakes, Delco radio, etc, etc), while others might be more
commodity items (seat belts, springs, etc).

Right now, GM has forced its suppliers to use its own CAD system so that
drawings created by GM engineers can be sent electronically to the suppliers
to review.  The suppliers can then modify the drawings & send them back
electronically.  These drawings are stored in what the engineers call "math
data".  The cad package can check the drawings for errors, and the data is
used by CNC machines to produce the part with very little human input.  Of
course, there are also times in which the engineers at GM will give the
supplier *requirements* (functional & interface) instead of a drawing.  In
that case, the engineers who work for the supplier will produce the drawing,
and eventually send it back to GM.

BTW, the big manufacturers aren't gobbling up the suppliers.  Rather they
are shedding much of this functionality:
 - GM sold Delco off
 - Ford sold its glass division
 - Ford sold its dealer software & support unit
 - etc

But - the suppliers *are* merging rapidly.  There used to be thousands of
these suppliers in the Detroit area 10 years ago.  In five years there will
probably just be hundreds.

All in all, I'd say that the suppliers perform an extremely valuable
function for the automakers.  They reduce costs, tend to encourage standards
(de facto if nothing else), and I think that they improve quality.


ken farmer
pharmer@domain.elided