Engineered to fail
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 2,990
Likes: 23
From: NC
Engineered to fail
How many of you believe that companies pay engineers to research the lifetimes of components/parts in any/all products so that they fail in a pre determined time, or do you just think that they're putting cheaper components in, and they fail sooner than expected? I've heard folks say that they fail just after warranties are up. 
Road Master
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 899
Likes: 2
From:
Engineers are good but not that good - to be able to calculate exactly (ie: right after the warranty expires) when a part should fail. Furthermore, everybody does not ride the same - some more aggressive riding styles may wear certain parts faster than a less aggressive style. Also, is the engineer trying to get failure after the 2 year warranty, a 5 year extended warranty or something in between?
Let's assume there are 2000 parts in a motorcycle (I have no idea how many there actually are) and 1 part fails after 2 or 7 years (you pick). 1 out of 2000 or so parts would certainly say to me that somebody wasn't "trying" to time failure. If a quarter of the parts all failed together, you migh have an arguement.
Let's assume there are 2000 parts in a motorcycle (I have no idea how many there actually are) and 1 part fails after 2 or 7 years (you pick). 1 out of 2000 or so parts would certainly say to me that somebody wasn't "trying" to time failure. If a quarter of the parts all failed together, you migh have an arguement.
Road Captain
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 669
Likes: 0
From: Opelika, AL
I believe that there are cost price points for components that companies wish to achieve so that they can sell a product within a certain price range. Therefore the highest quality components aren't used, so there is a sort of built in obsolescence present in everything that we buy. Remember the lowest bidder usually gets the job.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 4,915
Likes: 8
From: Austin TX
I've heard it referred to as 'built in obsolescence'
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Grand HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 4,915
Likes: 8
From: Austin TX
Woah, just beat me to the terminology!!
'built in obsolescence'
Must be something that happened after the 1950's. I remember looking at my parents wedding album when I was in my 20's. I saw a picture of my mom opening up a very familiar looking wedding present. It was the same toaster that I used that morning, 27 years later.
'built in obsolescence'
Must be something that happened after the 1950's. I remember looking at my parents wedding album when I was in my 20's. I saw a picture of my mom opening up a very familiar looking wedding present. It was the same toaster that I used that morning, 27 years later.
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Supporter
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 1,272
Likes: 1
From: North East Ohio
Failures
Been in the service industry for years. I have seen many printed lists on consumer products with planned obsolescence life expectancy figures.All of those were well beyond the mfgs. warranty.
