Originally Posted by
Big Pistons Forever
I find it very easy to believe that Boeing cut corners. What is unbelievable to me was the fact that Boeing used the supposed automated control of the shim process as justification for reducing the number of QA personnel. The drip drip drip of examples of corporate malfeasance is truly scary.
Now if there is a crash of any newer Boing due to a significant design or manufacturing flaw, I have to think Boeing in its present iteration is finished.
Apologies, only just catching up on this thread.
The reduction in QA personnel was almost certainly part of the business case for the introduction of that piece of equipment. It is almost inevitable that personnel are reduced with the introduction of major new equipment. Claims will be made about person hours saved by the introduction of the equipment and they will be banked in the business case payback timetable.
Different companies have different payback schedules. One company I worked at was 1 year almost non-negotiable. Introduction of any new equipment was incredibly difficult and it showed. Another company was 3 years, and far more realistic for larger capex.