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Should I pass along a product improvement to mfr?
- Thread starter plasgears
- Start date
It only wastes your time to write the company. Depending on who reads it, it may never get to those that are in a position to review your recommendations.
One employer I worked at had a policy to share 5 good and 5 bad communications from customers, site-wide, across all disciplines. This was done every month beginning. I know those in engineering took to heart what the complaints were about and did try to make improvements if feasible. I have been at other companies where all in-coming emails were read by a Sales Executive, and no one else at the company saw a single one, but the Sales guy had a nice collection of email praises for his next employer.
"Art without engineering is dreaming; Engineering without art is calculating."
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One employer I worked at had a policy to share 5 good and 5 bad communications from customers, site-wide, across all disciplines. This was done every month beginning. I know those in engineering took to heart what the complaints were about and did try to make improvements if feasible. I have been at other companies where all in-coming emails were read by a Sales Executive, and no one else at the company saw a single one, but the Sales guy had a nice collection of email praises for his next employer.
"Art without engineering is dreaming; Engineering without art is calculating."
Have you read faq731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?
MacGyverS2000
Electrical
If the improvements are worthy, I would consider manufacturing it myself... 
Dan - Owner
Dan - Owner
SomptingGuy
Automotive
Most things you buy can be improved. Are your impovements production and cost viable?
- Steve
- Steve
- Thread starter
- #6
I wouldn't pursue a patent on this. I merely transformed an inexpensive two wheel lawn sweeper into a towable four wheel sweeper. Two skids now support wheels thru a long steel shaft. The tow is cobbled up with 3/4" tubing and pipe clamps. Turned out nice.
MacGyverS2000
Electrical
I gotta say, I'm loving my Dyson. Picked one up (the Animal) for my SO's birthday a few months ago and it works better than I had hoped (she asked for it, so no boo's). It removes pretty much every hair the dog leaves on the carpet (long hair), so if I can just get the dog to stop shedding, I'll be set.
Dan - Owner
Dan - Owner
Guest0527211403
Mechanical
Dan- Maybe you can make a similar improvement to your dyson vac that Plasgears made to his lawn sweeper... Make it towable, give your dog a harness, connect them and voila! Roomba, eat your heart out.
justkeepgiviner,
Pet power is a fascinating concept. I have an automatic watch I want to keep working, and I want to wear some other watches, some of the time. I have seen gadgets for rotating automatic watches, but I think this is a completely deranged concept.
I have a cat who needs to be kept entertained. If I could design a rotating cat toy, the cat would keep my watch working. This has additional benefit of being entirely mechanical, which is why I like the automatic watch in the first place.
Will I get rich?
What has this to do with ethics and professionalism?
Is it ethical to make cats work?
JHG
Pet power is a fascinating concept. I have an automatic watch I want to keep working, and I want to wear some other watches, some of the time. I have seen gadgets for rotating automatic watches, but I think this is a completely deranged concept.
I have a cat who needs to be kept entertained. If I could design a rotating cat toy, the cat would keep my watch working. This has additional benefit of being entirely mechanical, which is why I like the automatic watch in the first place.
Will I get rich?
What has this to do with ethics and professionalism?
Is it ethical to make cats work?
JHG
Guest0527211403
Mechanical
As long as the cat doesn't think its working, I don't think it will have a problem with it. Alternatively, you can build a perpetual motion machine with your cat and a few pieces of buttered toast.. or so I'm told. My girlfriend has a bad cat allergy so I can't test it out.
Also, re: the OP, I'd try to pass on the improvement to the manufacturer. It's valuable input "from the field" that would certainly be welcome in some firms.
Also, re: the OP, I'd try to pass on the improvement to the manufacturer. It's valuable input "from the field" that would certainly be welcome in some firms.
Interesting comment on industry.
Dyson took his design to the major vacuum cleaner manufacturers who all rejected it.
He then set up manufacturing himself.
They then copied his designs.
E.g. Hoover:
Good question about patent life here since Dyson patented this 20 years or so ago.
How many times is this repeated?
Having a good idea is the beginning of ones troubles.
JMW
Dyson took his design to the major vacuum cleaner manufacturers who all rejected it.
He then set up manufacturing himself.
They then copied his designs.
E.g. Hoover:
Good question about patent life here since Dyson patented this 20 years or so ago.
How many times is this repeated?
Having a good idea is the beginning of ones troubles.
JMW
Well, I can certainly say that the Hoover bagless literally sucks. It loses suction way sooner than any bagged vacuum we've owned. To clean the little nozzles actually required rinsing, which then required drying. And dumping the canister into a garbage can is sure a lot of fun.
We went back to a regular bagged vacuum. Haven't felt the urge to pay Dyson's steep price, since it would need to be at lest double in performance, which I find hard to accept, given the performance of the Hoover.
TTFN
FAQ731-376
We went back to a regular bagged vacuum. Haven't felt the urge to pay Dyson's steep price, since it would need to be at lest double in performance, which I find hard to accept, given the performance of the Hoover.
TTFN
FAQ731-376
SomptingGuy
Automotive
I bought a Dyson years ago. Marvellous machine. Nothing else I've ever owned or used even comes close. I even prefer emptying it myself rather than having to fuss around with bags. With bags you ultimately find yourself trying to empty one out to reuse it and that's a really dirty job.
- Steve
- Steve
MacGyverS2000
Electrical
$500 is quite hard to swallow for a vacuum, but we picked it up at Bed, Bath & Beyond using one of their 20% off certificates that always clog the mailbox. $400 was still tough, but I'd definitely do it again. We'd change bags every 8-12 months using our two Dirt Devil MVPs... we're emptying the full Dyson canister every month or so. This thing really sucks!
Dan - Owner
Dan - Owner
- Thread starter
- #19
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