07.19.06
Corporate Life
Update 9:50am the next day
I’ve been trying to make this stupid fucking coil this morning and the fucking god damned bobbin they gave me doesn’t meet my fucking spec. Fuck fuck fuck fuckfuck….
I’m an electrical engineer. I manage the production of medical devices for a large corporation. Sometimes emergencies happen and I can take care of them quickly. Sometimes I choose to make people sweat for poor planning. Sometimes it comes to bite me in the ass.
10:09am
Program Manager
What is the status of the flat coil? When John can get one and start testing? IN my opinion, the planned single request to Insight for them to make the final modification to the ID is currently dependant on this.
10:20am
Lead Mechanical Designer
The coil size was determined in yesterdays 8:30am meeting with Brian using .0065” wire, three layers high and eleven raps with a total outside diameter of 1.65” (42mm).
Lee- when could you have one of these coils done for us?
11:00am
Lead Mechanical Designer calls me.
Him: Lee what do you need to make this.
Me: Um a miracle and a bobbin the size of a penny.
Him: Can you draw that up for me?
Me: Um, sure but you are the mechanical dude.
Him: Here is my fax number, sketch something and I will get the machine shop to do it.
Me: Ok but do you know how hard that thing will be to make?
Him: No idea, good luck.
3:00pm
Bobbin is in hand. I stare at this thing. There will be the toughest coil to wind ever. Mind you I MANAGE a production line. They COULD get a co-op to make this…
5:45pm
Email from program manager above program manager.
Is this something we need ASAP, or can we get and test it later? I can call Lee if necessary.
5:56pm
Lead Mechanical Designer
We handed the bobbin to make the coil to Lee this afternoon.
Lee- How soon do you think you get this turned around?
6:15pm
I have left work already and wasn’t planning on being in that office tomorrow. I was planning to be at our HQ which is 25 miles away.
I got a call from the program manager asking me to drop what I’m doing tomorrow and make this coil. I said he could have it Friday morning. He said that was unacceptable. I said, I’m sorry, why didn’t you tell me sooner. He said oops. So I said Friday it is.
6:20pm
Email from program manager
The coil needs to be obtained ASAP for testing so as to define the accurate spec for the rubber plate. I called Lee and he said he could only deliver the coil (he has to manually wind the coil) either late tomorrow afternoon or Friday morning.
I thought this was the end…
10:45pm
Email from program manager above program manager
Lee –
I don’t have visibility into your priorities, but if this is impacting our ability to complete the industrial design or mechanical stack-up, then I suggest you make time to do this tomorrow (Thursday).
11:03pm
My response to the program manager of the program manager, I CCed my boss (which is none of the people listed above, mind you).
My continual highest priority is to make sure the Savacor production line is in working order. Tomorrow was supposed to be a day where Werner and I sat down and went over every detail of whole production line. This includes our issues with our new valsalva meter, manufacturing of extra PAM 1.0 TIM boards, yield of modules in production and under test, and sterile packs that are under test. This was all to be done at Savacor HQ in West LA.
I’m going to put this all aside and head up to Sylmar and make this coil tomorrow. I see how many people this is affecting. In the future I would prefer that poor planning on Yongning’s part not constitute emergency on my part. This was all thrust upon me this afternoon and has put me in a tight spot.
When we are finally moved into the new building I do not forsee problems like this occuring in the future.
Thanks,
Lee
So I caved. I was pissed at first but its better to show that you are the bigger man rather than to get into petty arguments of a STUPID FREAKING COIL.