Product engineering a mature industry?

[UCengno1]

According to the product engineering outsourcing advocates in the "VANTAGE POINT" article in the recent issue of Machine Design, product engineering is now a mature industry. I guess I had perfected something and didn't realize it. Follow the link below to the magazine.

http://machinedesign.texterity.com/machinedesign/20051020/

Does this sound self serving and nieve? Maybe I am a stedfast supporter of the superiority of engineering in US but the simplistic approach taken by the authors is almost embarrassing. We have not cornered the market on ingenuity but any real jumps in product design still starts in the US. Agreed that certain countries excel in reverse engineering but wait until the their new version comes out ... like never.

 

[RDK]

I have to disagree with your premise that the US is the best in product engineering.

Take a look at almost anything coming out of Detroit these days (in fact for the last few decades)

The Japanese have them beat hands down in product innovation, design, reliability etc.

So do the European auto makers that have targeted the North American market like Volvo and WV.

Lets face it engineering is in large part a commodity and any competent engineer can do it no matter where they are geographically located. The internet and modern communications has made geography irrelevant in any knowledge based industry.




Rick Kitson MBA P.Eng

Construction Project Management
From conception to completion

http://www.kitsonengineering.com

 

[GregLocock]

"Maybe I am a stedfast supporter of the superiority of engineering in US"

Sounds like it. I've never noticed that American engineering is any better than any other nationality. If I were putting a cost-effective team together it would be heavy on Russians and Germans, actually. They seem to have better degrees, and work for far less money.

"We have not cornered the market on ingenuity"

True.

"but any real jumps in product design still starts in the US"

With the exception of computers and suchlike, I'm struggling to think of any succesful globally prestigious product-orientated consumer brands that are based in the USA. Oh, OK, SnapOn Tools, Harman Kardon, Gibson Guitars and Motorola.

"Agreed that certain countries excel in reverse engineering but wait until the their new version comes out ... like never."

Well, you've obviously got some examples in mind. Sony Walkman? Nokia mobile phones? Concorde? Bosch? Toyota? Wedgwood?

Cheers

Greg Locock

Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.

 

[SomptingGuy]

There's even product innovation going on in Australia! Just take a look where many of the novel engine designs come from.