Subject:
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Re: Bulk Ordering - Secrets Revealed.
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.general
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Date:
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Wed, 20 Sep 2000 14:56:08 GMT
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Viewed:
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2319 times
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In lugnet.general, Larry Pieniazek writes:
<about LLC factory tour stuff>
> I'd caution everyone not to draw TOO many conclusions from these pictures.
> IIRC Mike Walsh said at the time he took these at LLC. The mold may or may not
> be the entire mold actually used. Anyone who knows for sure may not be able to
> say, either, as TLC considers their manufacturing stuff to be crown jewels, IP
> wise and anyone who knows is almost certainly under non disclose.
I don't really see why it wouldn't be (the entire mold). The only thing we've
speculated on that doesn't *need* to be incorporated in a mold is the
changable dies that extend the useful life of the mold. The only thing (IMO)
that mold could tell a snoopy competitor is the machined dimensions of a LEGO
brick mold - and pounds to pennies says those dies are no longer accurate.
There is a heck of a lot more to manufactory than the actual manufature.
Plant layout, process control & product movement all come to mind as being at
least as critical as the mold - and I don't recall seeing anything about that
in the tour... ;)
> Why do I say this? Because the stamping line in the next pic over is almost
> certainly a fake. A clever one, we were suspicious that they would be
> stamping out that many copies of a non current part, but it had us scratching
> our heads for a while to see if we could spot where the substitution
> happened... then we saw a STAMPED piece (with the LEGO logo on it) come in on
> the input conveyor, go through the "stamper" and "come out" UNSTAMPED. :-)
> That cinched it for us, although we never did spot the exact manner in which
> the sleight of hand was occuring.
Well, If I were to make a guess, I'd put a much more practical reason behind
the sleight of hand on the stamping machine: Cost. They can design a display
that uses a set amount of elements, in rotation, or they can provide the
stamper with 1000's of 1x4x3 thin walls every day, plus ink, etc.
> This was on LLC opening day in March 99. I doubt they slip up like that any
> more.
Yup, they do - or did while I was there. (August 99)
James
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Message has 1 Reply:
Message is in Reply To:
 | | Re: Bulk Ordering - Secrets Revealed.
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| Frank said: (...) I'd caution everyone not to draw TOO many conclusions from these pictures. IIRC Mike Walsh said at the time he took these at LLC. The mold may or may not be the entire mold actually used. Anyone who knows for sure may not be able (...) (24 years ago, 20-Sep-00, to lugnet.general)
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