Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
Liberty Printer Company, Liberty is a new genreation of Lexmark printer -…
Liberty Printer Company
Problems
-
-
Product price is sensitive, must kept low cost
-
-
-
-
Supplier Selection
-
The suppier must have the frame, cartridge and the electrical interconnections
Joe Walden would be in charge to talk with suppliers, he had alreaady mentally selected the key vendors for frame and cartridge
-
-
-
Discussion Results
Minco
Minco would be responsible for various tasks like tool design, molding, and managing costs.
-
Minco offered a project manager, Steve, to work on-site for free in exchange for production rights. But not on full-time basis
Molex
Molex sent Jeff, an engineer, to work full-time and free at Lexmark's site.
Unsure about having someone on-site for more than a few weeks, but they accepted Molex's offer
-
-
-
Joe wanted contracts to protect suppliers if he or Mike left, but creating such contracts was too complicated, so they didn't sign any further documents.
Meeting for Selection
The team aimed to create an affordable, high-quality printer
They found that a one-piece frame provided benefits by ensuring consistent and predictable production.
-
This success boosted the team approach and showed that the partnering experiment at Lexmark started well.
Progress at Lexmark
-
-
-
Lexmark hired contract designers from the downsizing aerospace industry, but unfamiliar with the printer industry
However, the Pugh Concept helped simplify manufacturing specifications
-
Progress with Molex
Jeff took on a leadership role. Involving him from the beginning saved Lexmark $70,000 in tooling costs and $2 per part on a printhead connector, avoiding expensive custom designs.
Project with Minco
The frame, made by Minco, using plastic for the first time and replacing over two dozen steel parts. This saved costs and assembly time.
Minco's representative, Steve Ponscheck, attended all meetings.
They ensured no extra costs were added for the low-price product. Joe sometimes visited Minco,They worked closely with contract designers, making changes as needed.
When a paper tray redesign led to potential frame changes, Joe reminded everyone that the frame couldn't be altered, as it was the "heart" of the printer.
However, Joe felt stretched thin and worried about the mold's progress.
Lexmark wanted to shorten the mold-making process for the complex part by working on part and tool design simultaneously.
Issues
Joe visited Minco and gave them Lexmark's final design changes, promising no more changes.
When he asked about tool design progress, Steve said it would take eight more weeks. Joe got angry at Minco's slow progress
-
Joe found 14 more design change requests for the frame from Lexmark. Frustrated, he talked to Greg, as the changes seemed planned before his Minco visit.
-