Oil Can Punch/Spout: A challenge...

[happyatheist]

Ms. Atheist,

You'd be better served to upgrade your loops to new technology rather than hoping techinology would return to yours. Especially information storage capacity, which is growing exponentially every day. When most computers are expected to handle gigabytes of information, what use is a drive that can, at best, accept a dozen megabytes?

I don't know how things are in your world, but in my world, whether I am operating as a freelance consultant or as an on staff designer, it's not up to me to upgrade the mill to new technology. That responsibility lies with the mill owner - what he can afford, if/when he can afford it. And the expense is not minimal - averages about $50K/loom just to replace the box where the information is input (if that box is compatable with the rest of the equipment, that's it, if not, you have to upgrade other expensive stuff). With 46 looms to upgrade, you can see this is not as simple as getting a few thumb drives.

The information that is input into a loom is simple binary code - the thread goes up, the thread goes down. Most patterns consist of far less than a million 0's and 1's. For those that may hold more information, then you use 2 floppy disks.

The technology exists for newer methods of information transfer, but, with the US textile industry at an all time low, most mill owners are reluctant to upgrade to expensive equipment without some certainty that those upgrades will pay off. And, quite frankly, most owners are far more likely to save their money in the event they actually need a new weaving machine...weaving faster and better will always be more cost effective than saving a few seconds transfering information from here to there.

As long as someone still makes 3.5" floppy disks, looms will still use them.

 

[ya-ta-hey]

Ms. Atheist,

And did the same guys say "As long as they still make punch cards, looms will still use them"?

Just curious.

Oh, and in answer to your question, my world is the one where we used a calendar with the heading "2012."

 

[happyatheist]

Ms. Atheist,

And did the same guys say "As long as they still make punch cards, looms will still use them"?

Just curious.

Oh, and in answer to your question, my world is the one where we used a calendar with the heading "2012."

Some US manufacturers actually do still use punch cards, although, most of the looms that use punch cards have been bought and are in use by mills in Mexico, China and India who bought them when the US mills upgraded to electronic heads that used floppy disks.

If the equipment is still useable and cost effective, it would not make any sense for a mill to upgrade to newer technology. Let me put it to you this way: I work for a mill that does about $6M/year in sales. To obtain the latest and greatest technology would require that we get about 30 new looms with electronic heads that are all networked to a central design/control computer. This would come at a cost of about $400K/loom. (Realistically speaking, the newer looms, while they are a bit faster, they aren't so much faster that you can cut down to half the looms - maybe 2/3.)

Even if you're looking at only upgrading the elecronic heads, it's still $50K/loom - over 1/3 of the annual sales.

So, you tell me, in a dying industry that is at high risk of losing business to overseas competition, would you upgrade to the latest and greatest technology if the old technology is working just fine?

 

[ya-ta-hey]

Ms. Atheist,

It makes more sense for a a dying industry to find a way to conform, rather than expecting an advancing industry to install a part in their products that nobody but a few uses.

 

[happyatheist]

Ms. Atheist,

It makes more sense for a a dying industry to find a way to conform, rather than expecting an advancing industry to install a part in their products that nobody but a few uses.

Conform to what? As I said, the Mexicans, Chinese and Indians buy all the used equipment coming out of the US. They don't buy new equipment. Which means they'll be using the old technology for decades to come. Therefore China will be producing floppy disks for decades to come...

As such, the textile machinery industry is not advancing very quickly. It's a niche market. Low volume. In a tough market, textile mills get by as best they can with what they can afford.

My only point was that I, personally, was shocked to find that computers didn't come standard with what I use daily and what had always been standard on a computer. It was done in the spirit of the top post.

You needn't make a federal case of it. But, I sure am glad that you're not in textiles or else there would be even less of it left in the US!

 

[happyatheist]

Remember the days when you could tell a car brand a mile away? I have to look at the label now.

Hell, I can't tell what they are from the logos anymore...they're all starting to look the same too!

 

[fairsheet]

Mr. Fair,

I don't know if this applies, and maybe just the opposite. My 15 year old JVC receiver blew a channel, and rather than get it fixed, I decided to upgrade to a home theater surround sound system. On the way to Best Buy to get one of their Sony, $400 units, I passed a garage sale and picked up three great old Sergio Mendez and Brazil 66 albums. Taking the receiver out of the box, thinking the records will sound great on the new system, and you guessed it: There was no phono jack.

Had to take back the surround sound unit, and get one of the few stereo receivers they still had collecting dust on the shelf just so I could hook up my turntable. On the plus side, paid less than half as much than the fancy unit.

I can relate. We "audophiles" are used to 2-channel. After all....when we went to a concert, the band was up front...right? They didn't have umpteen speakers scattered about the venue. So...about 5-6 years ago, when I laid down a bundle for a pair of "Martin Logans", my ONLY choice for a representative receiver, was to shop E-bay for a 70's unit. All the moderns were offering, was 5 or 7 channel "home theater" things.

But...it seems that true 2-channel audiophile units are back. Today, you can buy new units that're "worthy". But...they're expensive. My 100w per channel Technics from the 70's - that I got on E-bay, will serve me just....fine. And of course....it's got a phono input!

 

[fairsheet]

I don't know how things are in your world, but in my world, whether I am operating as a freelance consultant or as an on staff designer, it's not up to me to upgrade the mill to new technology. That responsibility lies with the mill owner - what he can afford, if/when he can afford it. And the expense is not minimal - averages about $50K/loom just to replace the box where the information is input (if that box is compatable with the rest of the equipment, that's it, if not, you have to upgrade other expensive stuff). With 46 looms to upgrade, you can see this is not as simple as getting a few thumb drives.

The information that is input into a loom is simple binary code - the thread goes up, the thread goes down. Most patterns consist of far less than a million 0's and 1's. For those that may hold more information, then you use 2 floppy disks.

The technology exists for newer methods of information transfer, but, with the US textile industry at an all time low, most mill owners are reluctant to upgrade to expensive equipment without some certainty that those upgrades will pay off. And, quite frankly, most owners are far more likely to save their money in the event they actually need a new weaving machine...weaving faster and better will always be more cost effective than saving a few seconds transfering information from here to there.

As long as someone still makes 3.5" floppy disks, looms will still use them.

Ya gotta be able to source a remote floppy drive...even today, can't you? Hey....I'm so old that I remember when "floppies" were actually floppy! 5" inchers!

 

[MaryAnne]

I don't know how things are in your world, but in my world, whether I am operating as a freelance consultant or as an on staff designer, it's not up to me to upgrade the mill to new technology. That responsibility lies with the mill owner - what he can afford, if/when he can afford it. And the expense is not minimal - averages about $50K/loom just to replace the box where the information is input (if that box is compatable with the rest of the equipment, that's it, if not, you have to upgrade other expensive stuff). With 46 looms to upgrade, you can see this is not as simple as getting a few thumb drives.

The information that is input into a loom is simple binary code - the thread goes up, the thread goes down. Most patterns consist of far less than a million 0's and 1's. For those that may hold more information, then you use 2 floppy disks.

The technology exists for newer methods of information transfer, but, with the US textile industry at an all time low, most mill owners are reluctant to upgrade to expensive equipment without some certainty that those upgrades will pay off. And, quite frankly, most owners are far more likely to save their money in the event they actually need a new weaving machine...weaving faster and better will always be more cost effective than saving a few seconds transfering information from here to there.

As long as someone still makes 3.5" floppy disks, looms will still use them.

Happy, I was thinking what you said when reading the posts. Not all companies can afford to upgrade every time a new thing comes along.Especially when you are talking about expensive equipment. You can not just go out and get a box and think it will work. Probably took them years to be able to afford the floppy disks.

 

[MaryAnne]

Ms. Atheist,

And did the same guys say "As long as they still make punch cards, looms will still use them"?

Just curious.

Oh, and in answer to your question, my world is the one where we used a calendar with the heading "2012."

Isn't a paper calender sadly out of date? It is clear the poster knows nothing about the world of manufacturing.

I know the posts were supposed to be show how smart, but instead did just the opposite.

 

[MaryAnne]

No the IDEN network is used to support Sprint / Nextel's push to talk feature. It's separate from regular cellphone service and it being taken down to free up the bandwidth for other features. The other problem is that the phone used the IDEN network for data which means it loses that ability as well when the network is dismantled.

Happy,get a Trakfone,unless you use it all the time. Paid $149 for 2 years service and have over 3000 minutes.You get double minutes. You can get any kind of phone you wish from a camera phone to Smart phones.

Actually,I bought it for my Grandson, his parents thought he was too young then. Now,he has a smart phone,I still have the camera.)