Loki Research
Motor Manufacturer
- Joined
- Aug 20, 2011
- Messages
- 1,409
- Reaction score
- 596
Ive heard a lot of different complaints over the past few months about Aerotech being out of hardware and not being able to fill orders for it. 6 months is the number I have heard. While I completely understand a customers frustration with this situation, I also understand Aerotechs situation all too well. I seriously doubt that they have put hardware production on the back burner in favor of other business interests at hand. Believe it or not, it can be very difficult at times in getting others to produce products to exacting specifications that meet your requirements, even when it is all clearly laid out in a print drawing.
As for myself, I've been trying to get new 38mm hardware for almost 4 months and it will still be several more weeks before I do. I placed an order for 38mm hardware back on the 28th of January. About half of that order was the remainder of a previous blanket order that should have already been produced, but it had never been made. When the order was finally delivered at the end of March and I began to inspect it all, I could immediately tell that something was horribly wrong. As it turns out, it had all been made from extruded tubing, not DOM (drawn over mandrel) tubing as the prints specifically state. The tolerances of those materials a very different. Needless to say it was all sent back. Because of this and other previous production issues, the decision was made on both ends to part ways, and I placed a new order with Eric Foster. Well Eric is absolutely swamped with work right now. Hes got all the tubing cut up and is waiting on a machine to open up from other jobs so he can get the tubes machined. Eric makes the best Loki hardware the company has ever seen, but he doesn't have the ability to laser mark the hardware. This was one of the main reasons for using a different machinist, and I'm very sorry to see that feature go away.
My purpose in telling you all this is, you may not always know why or what is causing a huge delay. They do happen and there are normally very good reasons why. It is not because we don't want to make hardware and exchange your money for it. ;-) When the delays are this long, its usually because they happen at the worst possible times. When that happens, there are always other smaller fires to put out alongside the big one. Often times while your biggest fire is raging out of control, you have to take the time to put out the smaller fires before they turn into raging infernos as well, as so the big one rages on a little longer. I have many outstanding orders waiting to be filled for 38mm hardware and while each week races by, the time to get those orders filled seems like an eternity. In the meantime, I have to try and stay on top of everything else as well. It is all a great deal of work.
Speaking on both of our behalfs, I hope customers can understand and appreciate the problems smaller manufacturers sometimes face and they understand that even with the best of intentions, things dont always go as we plan. I would like to ask that customers continue to be patient with us, and when we are ready to deliver, please be ready to help us quickly and smoothly get those orders delivered to their new homes.
Sincerely,
As for myself, I've been trying to get new 38mm hardware for almost 4 months and it will still be several more weeks before I do. I placed an order for 38mm hardware back on the 28th of January. About half of that order was the remainder of a previous blanket order that should have already been produced, but it had never been made. When the order was finally delivered at the end of March and I began to inspect it all, I could immediately tell that something was horribly wrong. As it turns out, it had all been made from extruded tubing, not DOM (drawn over mandrel) tubing as the prints specifically state. The tolerances of those materials a very different. Needless to say it was all sent back. Because of this and other previous production issues, the decision was made on both ends to part ways, and I placed a new order with Eric Foster. Well Eric is absolutely swamped with work right now. Hes got all the tubing cut up and is waiting on a machine to open up from other jobs so he can get the tubes machined. Eric makes the best Loki hardware the company has ever seen, but he doesn't have the ability to laser mark the hardware. This was one of the main reasons for using a different machinist, and I'm very sorry to see that feature go away.
My purpose in telling you all this is, you may not always know why or what is causing a huge delay. They do happen and there are normally very good reasons why. It is not because we don't want to make hardware and exchange your money for it. ;-) When the delays are this long, its usually because they happen at the worst possible times. When that happens, there are always other smaller fires to put out alongside the big one. Often times while your biggest fire is raging out of control, you have to take the time to put out the smaller fires before they turn into raging infernos as well, as so the big one rages on a little longer. I have many outstanding orders waiting to be filled for 38mm hardware and while each week races by, the time to get those orders filled seems like an eternity. In the meantime, I have to try and stay on top of everything else as well. It is all a great deal of work.
Speaking on both of our behalfs, I hope customers can understand and appreciate the problems smaller manufacturers sometimes face and they understand that even with the best of intentions, things dont always go as we plan. I would like to ask that customers continue to be patient with us, and when we are ready to deliver, please be ready to help us quickly and smoothly get those orders delivered to their new homes.
Sincerely,
