The day a $12,000 part turned into scrap because of a decimal point

We were running a big titanium aerospace bracket on the 5-axis, and the setup guy, Mark, put in a Z-offset of -1.250 instead of -0.1250. The tool just plowed right into the block. The sound was awful, and the shop floor went quiet. Who else has a story about a tiny mistake that cost a ton of money?

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3 Comments

finley_flores286mo ago

Blame the system, not the guy.

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river1906mo ago

I used to get so mad at people for making bad choices, like my old boss who cut everyone's hours. But then I saw how the company rules pushed him to do it just to keep the store open. Honestly, @finley_flores28, your post really hits home now. It made me see we're all stuck in these bigger setups that force our hand. Tbh, I don't blame individuals as much anymore once you see how the game is rigged. It's the whole structure that needs to change.

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diana_foster5mo ago

Right? It's like we're all just Sims characters and someone keeps deleting the pool ladder. Good point from @finley_flores28 too.

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