Quality Control? in our hobby

[Florida_Slotter]

[ElSecundo]

[ElSecundo]

[Ember]

I've kept quiet but had a few chuckles reading this thread.

Really nice to see that report from E.D. on Jules. Poor bugger's been flat out.

Just some little things to keep in mind.

Poor quality control in a 1:1 car can KILL people. Poor quality control in a slot just pi$$es people off.

And although 'mass manufactured' the manufacture of a slot car is still a very much hands on and human process. Once the bits are cast it's pretty much all hands on (with the minor exception of tampo printing) from painting to assembly. I'm not saying this excuses quality control. But the human factor is involved a lot more than in some other manufactured products.

[KnowtoriousWon]

Some have touched on it but our hobby is a mess: it is missing some basics that are NOT standardized such as what racing surface (track), power, controller, the type of track layout (short vs. long, twisty vs. long/straight) and other details. It is almost impossible to make an affordable car that can satisfy all the different variables. I know that some basics issues should be addressed like round and concentric wheels/tires and that is why we need things like Home Racing World to help us understand what these different products are really like.

[JULES]

Most of the time I tune into HRW and rip the knob off. This forum is the place I like to be. Now and again however, I answer specific questions on the other chat rooms and a recent one related to the reasons for pulling out of China and the various QC and multi-various other issues. A couple of HRW stalwarts have requested that I copy over the following which I wrote the other day and goes just a small distance to explain some of the issues surrounding QC in this particular sector of the hobby. So, here goes.....

The biggest problem for me, and slot car makers of similar size, is that the choice of China supplier was very small. Slot car production is a tiny market sector that generally allies itself alongside toy trains (in the same factory). The problem for several of the smaller makers is that the toy trains often find themselves at the head of the production schedule due to the much higher volumes. This was always easing Pioneer cars down the schedule. As soon as a 50,000 piece train order came through then my cars and several other brands simply were put on hold often for many, many months. To a certain extent this also happens with the larger brands, often resulting in poor QC as the production line gets up to speed again.

Worker ‘churn’ is also very high in the southern China provinces. This was a constant issue. I would find myself on the assembly floor showing another 50 new workers how I wanted the cars nailed together. This was because a huge sector of the workforce had simply disappeared and not returned from a vacation. (worth noting that many migrant workers can travel 1000’s of miles back to their home town and can’t be bothered to return).

Clearly, with better organized ‘World Class’ factories of which there are 100’s of 1000’s of examples, the workplace is somewhat better planned and operated. The smaller factories constantly battle with staff arrangements and demands for higher wages. From what I observed, there is very little job loyalty. The average worker will change jobs frequently and switch from electronics assembly to packing mobile phones to fitting rubber tires on slot cars; a few dollars a day makes the difference.

1000’s of clients have a good and fair relationship with their Chinese suppliers and are pleased to receive top quality product. I suspect that many of these products can be clearly QC’d and regulated and are, very often, made by robots with a minimum of hand-made input. If the project is large enough they will have paid employees on the shop floor looking after the business interests of the brand owner. Hand-made slot cars and toy trains are quite unique in the fact that not only do they need to look good but they need to perform to a level that the buyer is happy with. It is the hand-made element that is the problem. This heavily relies on a worker being keen to get it right and there is the main hurdle – not many of them do in this particular industry sector. That is my view/opinion based on what I have witnessed on many occasions.

It’s probably a fair estimate that 1 out of 10 slot cars are faulty to some extent. The worker or the production QC guy or the factory owner simply does not realize that tires rubbing on the body, a poorly aligned chassis, loose parts, poor paint finish, wobbly wheels etc are important. To your average Chinese assembly worker these models are nothing more than a child’s toy. Many of them do not even know what the model does, i.e, go round a track. Honestly, they do not. I set up a track in the factory and they were amazed by what they saw. It helped them realize what the consequences of a poorly made model were. They cottoned on that there was a performance issue that had previously escaped them.

The other huge problem at smaller factories run by 3 or 4 ‘bosses’ is that they will save a few cents at every opportunity and expect that you (me) will not notice. Many of the ‘issues’ you notice on slot cars are also down to a substitution of regular specification parts. For example, motors, braids, magnets, rubber tires, wire and even plastic specifications will be changed if some savings for the factory can be made. When you get a new slot car that seems ‘different’ to the similar one you bought last year from the same maker you’ll be able to work out what has happened: For example, the motor is different but it looks the same - new supplier. Braid too thick – new supplier, cheaper. Harder rubber, different Shore rating - cheaper supplier. Weaker magnets = cheaper and on it goes. It is a battle to spot this remotely until it is too late and the models are in circulation.

The above is just a small selection of the problems I experienced. Quite simply, I had had enough of pleading with them not to try and fob me off with sub-standard models and the increasingly lengthy delays. You can also add in the rapidly rising cost of Chinese labor to the problem list. I saw a 36% rise in the ex-works costs of a finished model in less than 18 months. The labor costs will keep increasing as the workers demand more and more.

It was time to get out before it got worse. I’m pleased to say that all my product, tooling and stock has now arrived in England. A new adventure now begins…..

Thanks for all your support,

Jules

[cgingras]

[Ember]

Jules, Harry and Jeremy may I have permission to repost Jules' statement on Auslot, please?

[DAVE]

Jules; You have hit on many issues common throughout manufacturing. There is high worker turnover
everywhere. Most factories in this country utilize temporary workers. This means that the person working
the production line today may not be there tomorrow. Therefor, in order for that line to be up and running
at full production at the beginning of the shift, little or no training is given. Secondly, that person has no fear
of termination for poor performance, since the temporary service will find them a new job if they fail to do
their duties. There is no incentive to do their best. Then there is that catch phrase, "continual improvement",
which came out of the days of ISO registration. The original meaning was that the registered company was to
strive to continually improve their product. But after a while it started to be referenced as continuous increased
profits. And you find management personnel starting to look for ways to cut production costs. Naturally, the
easiest place to cut costs is by cutting payroll. There are two effects from this; First is that the workforce gets
pared down below what is required to operate the production lines, and secondly, the quality of the workforce
is compromised. Even if the final sale price is increased, many companies are using the increased price to cover
that "continual improvement" in profit. The workers do not benefit. So, before we will see improved quality in
the product, company management has to return to the ideal that employees are an asset, not a liability.

[HomeRacingWorld]

Sure...go for it.

Thanks Jules!

[JULES]

Ember, I'm happy for you to post my piece over on AUSLOT. I don't get over there so much these days.
Jules

[JULES]

DAVE, your further analysis of the situation is spot-on. The root of the issue is that the workers are at the factory to earn a bowl of rice but they need to earn more. The bosses need more profits so only pay what they have to. The average assembly worker is not a happy bunny and needs to earn more so they make collective demands. The bosses give in and raise the prices of the goods to the client. It is an ever decreasing circle that will have no happy ending. The workers quit in droves and the bosses do not want to waste production time in suitable training and this results in some very poor standards of work, not necessarily because the worker can't do the job but just that they are not quite sure what they are doing.

Incidentally, if any of you were wondering, China workers in several South China provinces can now belong to the countries first 'Worker Unions' since April 2011. They can now shut down a factory by walking out. A few years ago this would have been unthinkable. Union controlled labor now controls vast section of manufacturing workforces. This is the core reason for the rise in ex-works China prices. The QC issues are a spin off as a result of unhappy/untrained workers.

Naturally, any reasonable person would wish that the entire world could be paid a fair wage but i doubt whether that will be the case for 20 years or more as major manufacturing business chase across the globe searching for the 'new' China. Personally speaking, I like the general price and quality of Far Eastern made product but I can't help thinking that I would prefer if that was not the case. Having said that, more often than not there is no choice.

My QC and factory problems in China have propelled me to take action to save my product. My issues with China could never be regarded as typical of all Chinese industry, I have based my 'Tales from the East' on my personal experiences. I do firmly believe that China will begin to turn away from the manufacture of western goods as it begins the more profitable task of supplying the ever increasing consumer spending boom in the larger cities. It will then have come full circle and will have the ability and technology to be a self-sustaining economic powerhouse. I have a feeling that they may be smart enough to keep it that way.

I really hope that 1000's of businesses will return enterprise to the West and enable the re-employment - and training - of millions of workers over here that badly need a job. I just recruited a QC manager for this business. That's a start, at least!

Jules

[HomeRacingWorld]

I will assemble them pretty cheap :)

Just sayin'

[TsgtRet]

Thanks Jules, for the update.
Folks, I don't think some of us realize how lucky we are Jules has "hung in there"; many would, by this point, have said "Enough!", grabbed hat and coat and headed for the door. As M_Delaney said, I'm waiting to vote with my wallet. :clap:

[JULES]

You'd have to be real cheap Harry, I mean like real cheap.

What about the QC Harry? What about the QC? Who's gonna do that? Can't be having loose wheels and rubbin' tires. :roll:

I'll put you down as a 'maybe'.

Jules