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[OM] Re: A cautionary tale

Subject: [OM] Re: A cautionary tale
From: Moose <olymoose@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Tue, 03 May 2005 20:55:56 -0700
John Hermanson wrote:

>Digital parts prices are outlandishly high for , imo, mutiple reasons.  1) 
>to discourage outside repair and keep independent shops from making a profit
>(hence the attempts of some manufacturers to keep digital repair manuals out
>of the hands of those who need them.)  2) a vast majority of repairs (95% +)
>brought into the manufacturers and left there by customers paying for and 
>expecting "factory service"are never touched by the manufacturer technicians.
>Instead, they are outsourced to subcontractors.
>  
>
I don't know about DSLRs, but I can't imagine the big, high volume DC 
makers don't use the same repair model as other electronics 
manufacturers. Products are designed modularly and repair station repair 
is simply module replacement. This is simple, quick and requires only 
limited training and expertise on the part of the "techs", who really 
follow a tightly scripted  process. With a proper testing protocol, it 
also minimizes the possibilities of other hidden defects getting through 
or being caused by the repair it came in for. This is clearly what 
happened with the Can*n S110 I sent in for warranty repair.

Depending on many factors, the replaced modules may be simply thrown 
away* or sent to the one real repair center. There, higher level techs 
with more complex, expensive equipment and the one full detail parts 
stock needed do real repairs. The repaired modules are then put back 
into the process. Far more economically efficient for high volume, world 
wide repairs than full repair in many locations. Properly run, it also 
gives better turn around for customers and better QC.

Moose

* if there are any real repair people around, they will end up with 
secret stores of replaced modules for spares when a real repair may be 
called for. When my Adcom CD player developed a broken tooth in the 
anti-lash mechanism and I called support, the nice woman said they only 
sold the entire mechanical drive mechanism, for lots of money. When I 
got specific about the one little nylon gear with a problem, she went 
and asked a tech. He took a the gear and the one that mates to it off a 
junk module and had her send it on for free. Whee! Guess who is at the 
top of my list for my next audio equipment need?


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