Comments on: With Burma Distracting From the Olympic Torch Fun, China Reasserts Itself as Center of Attention http://www.ninme.com/archives/2008/05/with_burma_distracting_from_the_olympic_torch_fun_china_reasserts_itself_as_center_of_attention.html Sat, 06 Sep 2008 02:53:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: ninme http://www.ninme.com/archives/2008/05/with_burma_distracting_from_the_olympic_torch_fun_china_reasserts_itself_as_center_of_attention.html#comment-31659 ninme Thu, 15 May 2008 16:04:03 +0000 http://www.ninme.com/archives/2008/05/with_burma_distracting_from_the_olympic_torch_fun_china_reasserts_itself_as_center_of_attention.html#comment-31659 <p>Well, have you heard about the Mercedes case? They opened a plant in the US to much hooplah and of all the cars that ended up having problems after that pretty much all of them turned out to be from the American plant. It's one of Peter's favourite stories. Perhaps I'll ask him about the details I've forgotten later.</p> Well, have you heard about the Mercedes case? They opened a plant in the US to much hooplah and of all the cars that ended up having problems after that pretty much all of them turned out to be from the American plant. It’s one of Peter’s favourite stories. Perhaps I’ll ask him about the details I’ve forgotten later.

]]> By: Brett_McS http://www.ninme.com/archives/2008/05/with_burma_distracting_from_the_olympic_torch_fun_china_reasserts_itself_as_center_of_attention.html#comment-31623 Brett_McS Thu, 15 May 2008 05:55:25 +0000 http://www.ninme.com/archives/2008/05/with_burma_distracting_from_the_olympic_torch_fun_china_reasserts_itself_as_center_of_attention.html#comment-31623 <p>Perhaps this is not the time to bring up our experience with bogie frame subcontractors in the US.</p> Perhaps this is not the time to bring up our experience with bogie frame subcontractors in the US.

]]> By: HalfEMpty http://www.ninme.com/archives/2008/05/with_burma_distracting_from_the_olympic_torch_fun_china_reasserts_itself_as_center_of_attention.html#comment-31566 HalfEMpty Wed, 14 May 2008 19:10:32 +0000 http://www.ninme.com/archives/2008/05/with_burma_distracting_from_the_olympic_torch_fun_china_reasserts_itself_as_center_of_attention.html#comment-31566 <p>Mandate of Heaven getting ready for a premature withdrawal maybe.</p> Mandate of Heaven getting ready for a premature withdrawal maybe.

]]> By: ninme http://www.ninme.com/archives/2008/05/with_burma_distracting_from_the_olympic_torch_fun_china_reasserts_itself_as_center_of_attention.html#comment-31558 ninme Wed, 14 May 2008 16:14:10 +0000 http://www.ninme.com/archives/2008/05/with_burma_distracting_from_the_olympic_torch_fun_china_reasserts_itself_as_center_of_attention.html#comment-31558 <p>So, wouldn't someone get yelled at at some point since someone now has to pay for whole new locomotive bogie frame? I mean at some point the cut corners and graft would start to get expensive for someone in high places with a managing interest in prison real estate.</p> So, wouldn’t someone get yelled at at some point since someone now has to pay for whole new locomotive bogie frame? I mean at some point the cut corners and graft would start to get expensive for someone in high places with a managing interest in prison real estate.

]]> By: Rueful Red http://www.ninme.com/archives/2008/05/with_burma_distracting_from_the_olympic_torch_fun_china_reasserts_itself_as_center_of_attention.html#comment-31484 Rueful Red Tue, 13 May 2008 08:35:11 +0000 http://www.ninme.com/archives/2008/05/with_burma_distracting_from_the_olympic_torch_fun_china_reasserts_itself_as_center_of_attention.html#comment-31484 <p>Interesting concept, re-engineering downwards. Penny wise and pound foolish and all that. Having read the Clarkson post, I'd say that's what we do in the UK to American fast-food formats. And the education system.</p> Interesting concept, re-engineering downwards. Penny wise and pound foolish and all that. Having read the Clarkson post, I’d say that’s what we do in the UK to American fast-food formats. And the education system.

]]> By: Brett_McS http://www.ninme.com/archives/2008/05/with_burma_distracting_from_the_olympic_torch_fun_china_reasserts_itself_as_center_of_attention.html#comment-31462 Brett_McS Tue, 13 May 2008 00:07:28 +0000 http://www.ninme.com/archives/2008/05/with_burma_distracting_from_the_olympic_torch_fun_china_reasserts_itself_as_center_of_attention.html#comment-31462 <p>Fortunately it didn't strike Chengdu itself. It's full of newly sprouted office towers and tall hotels; and Chinese construction techniques tend to emphasize speed over quality.</p> <p>We tested our locomotive bogie frame (built in Australia) in a test rig in the Czech Republic. It passed handily. The exact same design was built by our partners in China (under license) and then tested. It cracked half-way through the test (this was a few weeks ago). Our people went over there and were able to identify a number of short-cuts they had taken in construction which contributed to the failure.</p> <p>So, "Made in China", still signifies 'dodgy'. They don't even seem to be interested in following the path that the Japanese used to turn "Made in Japan" into the stamp of quality it is today, cf Back to the Future, part III.</p> Fortunately it didn’t strike Chengdu itself. It’s full of newly sprouted office towers and tall hotels; and Chinese construction techniques tend to emphasize speed over quality.

We tested our locomotive bogie frame (built in Australia) in a test rig in the Czech Republic. It passed handily. The exact same design was built by our partners in China (under license) and then tested. It cracked half-way through the test (this was a few weeks ago). Our people went over there and were able to identify a number of short-cuts they had taken in construction which contributed to the failure.

So, “Made in China”, still signifies ‘dodgy’. They don’t even seem to be interested in following the path that the Japanese used to turn “Made in Japan” into the stamp of quality it is today, cf Back to the Future, part III.

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