Engineering Outsourcing/Workshare Concerns? 4

[Jafka]

Virtually all of the major engineering firms are now sending at least some piping design and CAD work overseas (namely, India) and many are beginning to do the same for the various engineering disciplines.

I would be curious to hear everyone's experiences, worries and predictions about a growing trend of American engineering firms sending engineering work abroad.

Jafka

 

[KENAT]

Greg, US min wage is a bit more than that in most states. However, your point is not missed.

Posting guidelines faq731-376

http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?

(probably not aimed specifically at you)
What is Engineering anyway: faq1088-1484​

 

[csd72]

We are talking about $10/hour for engineers as opposed tio the $100/hour charged in the US, but I can see how it was easily misunderstood when read out of context.

 

[cranky108]

Are we forgetting that in most products the engineering is a small part of the cost. For specility products, it can be consiterable.
And for out sourced products, there is an added cost of quality control.

The safety issues that are spoken of above, do they really apply to engineering? Maybe and maybe not, depending on the final product.

Then again, with the worker issues here in the US, you could get a better product by out sourcing.

 

[KENAT]

I've been hearing similar for a while now but vaguely relevant, if you believe it all:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4356924...es-some-us-manufacturing-companies-back-home/

Posting guidelines faq731-376

http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?

(probably not aimed specifically at you)
What is Engineering anyway: faq1088-1484​

 

[ewh]

I also saw that story. Sounds encouraging until you read further and see that they only increased North American (not just the US) made locks by 5%. I guess it's a start.

"Good to know you got shoes to wear when you find the floor." - [small]Robert Hunter[/small]

 

[SnTMan]

"We were very focused on the unit cost ... What really started to dawn on us is it's the system costs. That's a very different approach."

"There was always this notion that if you controlled the design and the brand, you could park your production somewhere else," said GE's Campbell. "I'm not sure that's completely true anymore. Because what happens over time is you lose competency."

Where do they get these guys?

 

[KENAT]

MBA school and similar, a lot of leaders - not just industry but political - have bought into similar.

Posting guidelines faq731-376

http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?

(probably not aimed specifically at you)
What is Engineering anyway: faq1088-1484​

 

[SnTMan]

Yeah I knew that. Fads.

 

[SnTMan]

Of course what it's really about is increasing short term stock price and cashing in...

 

[ewh]

Everythings a business model.

"Good to know you got shoes to wear when you find the floor." - [small]Robert Hunter[/small]

 

[cranky108]

Where do they get these guys?

They always want to promote people who don't make mistakes, which does not include engineers. They come from the accounting departments.

There is another trend of changing jobs every 3 to 5 years, so you don't have to fix the problems you create.

 

[SnTMan]

Everythings a business model.

Especially if you don't care much about the business long-term.

Regards,