What are the arctic cat engineers thinking

[SledTL]

Did the production engineers not think about efficiency of their product line before producing 85 different models. Seriously it doesn't take an idiot to realize that with so many models to produce somewhere along the line they are going to overproduce one version of a sled. Am I wrong here?

 

[mtu_deltsig]

Engineers do not make those decisions. The marketing people say they need all these models to compete. Engineers provide the cost to make all the models and then there is a high level decision on if the business case makes sense to add models.

 

[SledTL]

I would think that is still an engineering decision. I want to go into systems engineering next year and most end up getting their MBA. Looking from the business side and production side I just don't see why they don't nail it down to like four models of the ZR instead of 20 different combinations.

 

[olsmann]

what you have is about 6-7 models with about 25 different configurations.

 

[Hoosier]

Nearly all their sleds are on the same chassis now, so I would assume the production planning process is much simpler than it was when they had several different chassis. I think all the variations is a good sign for how they view their business prospects. Plus, some of the variations are small differences from an assembly standpoint like shocks, etc.

 

[ranlam]

I like there line up but the prices are ridiculous. I dont see myself ever owning a new cat.

 

[SledTL]

I like there line up but the prices are ridiculous. I dont see myself ever owning a new cat.

Well they had to take something away from merging with Yamaha right? Lol

 

[highhertel]

Engineers do not make those decisions. The marketing people say they need all these models to compete. Engineers provide the cost to make all the models and then there is a high level decision on if the business case makes sense to add models.

In a typical new product launch engineering, sales/marketing and production should come to some type of consensus as to how many different models are need yet still making profit for the company without having a 'loss leader'. Some department dropped the ball here, I would guess the sales department convinced the other departments that this was a good thing. Companies that are run by the sales departments usually overproduce product lines and under perform on promises.

HH

 

[whitedust]

I would think that is still an engineering decision. I want to go into systems engineering next year and most end up getting their MBA. Looking from the business side and production side I just don't see why they don't nail it down to like four models of the ZR instead of 20 different combinations.

You have a lot to learn about biz interaction. Marketing tells Engineering what the customer wants via the voice of the customer thru the product manager. Engineering usually says they can"t do that for whatever reason & marketing keeps pushing for customer needs. Engineering & Marketing meet in the middle somewhere due to cost factors but Marketing is never happy wants more for less. Engineering driven companies are cash cows ,same old ,same old don't like to change & wants to refine & value engineer existing designs very comfortable with existing approach to designs. AC has always been inovative with sled design but most snowmobile compaines are following Doo. Look at all the the same but different MXZs longer tracks, shorter tracks, different shocks & engine size for 2s then a fat chassis for their 4s. AC doing the same thing & Poo has expanded Rush to Indy of choice no 4s worth talking about so has 1 section & 2 section proride chassis. Not sure whay your focus is on AC, Poo & Doo doing the same thing. Yamaha on other hand has purpose built sleds for 4s engines + the Viper so more difficult for Yamaha to focus on building 1 chassis & drop in any engine & color plastic. At some point Yamaha will go clean sheet at the top engineering will partner with marketing & move on to new design but many customers really like Apex & Vector so Yamaha keeps those sleds going. All OEMS use the same consolidation approach IMO excluding Yamaha which seems betwix & between right now but will consolidate when new designs are brought to market. Ac wants lots of sled models...sled for everyone approach but will eliminate models that don't sell.....just the build cycle they are in now same thing Doo went thru a few years ago.

 

[SledTL]

You have a lot to learn about biz interaction. Marketing tells Engineering what the customer wants via the voice of the customer thru the product manager. Engineering usually says they can"t do that for whatever reason & marketing keeps pushing for customer needs. Engineering & Marketing meet in the middle somewhere due to cost factors but Marketing is never happy wants more for less. Engineering driven companies are cash cows ,same old ,same old don't like to change & wants to refine & value engineer existing designs very comfortable with existing approach to designs. AC has always been inovative with sled design but most snowmobile compaines are following Doo. Look at all the the same but different MXZs longer tracks, shorter tracks, different shocks & engine size for 2s then a fat chassis for their 4s. AC doing the same thing & Poo has expanded Rush to Indy of choice no 4s worth talking about so has 1 section & 2 section proride chassis. Not sure whay your focus is on AC, Poo & Doo doing the same thing. Yamaha on other hand has purpose built sleds for 4s engines + the Viper so more difficult for Yamaha to focus on building 1 chassis & drop in any engine & color plastic. At some point Yamaha will go clean sheet at the top engineering will partner with marketing & move on to new design but many customers really like Apex & Vector so Yamaha keeps those sleds going. All OEMS use the same consolidation approach IMO excluding Yamaha which seems betwix & between right now but will consolidate when new designs are brought to market. Ac wants lots of sled models...sled for everyone approach but will eliminate models that don't sell.....just the build cycle they are in now same thing Doo went thru a few years ago.

I just said AC because it has so many different models all with different names and such. Sort of confusing. And maybe I was wrong that it was more a sales thing, but I just thought it was engineering because of product flow and production of the sleds are involved.

 

[highhertel]

Unfortunately sales people just want to sell the sizzle and not worry about the steak. That is how many companies get in trouble, gotta worry about the beast both pre and post cooked.

HH

 

[yamahauler]

Usually the engineering/marketing peeps will give their pitch to the higher ups in the food chain who will ultimately decide what gets done.
This plan does seem a bit excessive.

 

[xsledder]

I see Cat is bring back some of their old name plates. Hopefully they will start to thin the herd. However, back in the 70's and 80's Cat generally, if not always, had the El Tigre 5000 & 6000. The Jag 3000 & 4000. The Trail Cat 3000 & 4000. The Pantera 5000. The Panther 5000. The Lynx 2000...this is nothing new from Cat. However, back then 6000, 5000, 4000, 3000, & 2000 usually described the size of the motor.

 

[polarisrider1]

85 models? How's a dealer to know what to stock.

 

[whitedust]

85 models? How's a dealer to know what to stock.

Easy AC will shove so many of this & that up dealers butts Poo has been doing that for years to their dealers ...you need to talk biz with your dealer find out how it is done....don't have to take my word for it.lol

 

[bearrassler]

85 models? How's a dealer to know what to stock.

That can be a real problem, back in the 90's Polaris had around 40 models if I remember right, and we ordered sleds once a year in March, if we didn't stock it and someone wanted it you had to check with other dealers and it was not easy to find the one you needed, if you didn't find it the customer would be upset and that is not what we wanted. I don't know how availability is now and how the ordering system is but from a dealers standpoint I would think this could be a mess.

 

[whitedust]

I just said AC because it has so many different models all with different names and such. Sort of confusing. And maybe I was wrong that it was more a sales thing, but I just thought it was engineering because of product flow and production of the sleds are involved.

Keep studying you will find your niche after you are in real the world. Engineering & marketing always interesting discussions.lol Been thru soooooo many of those meetings & always fun to watch engineers squrim & bitch & marketing dragging engineers to new products kicking & screaming. It's like Scotty on Star Trek 1st reaction is "can't do that just not possible" but in the end engineering can do even more than they thought if pushed. LOL

 

[polarisrider1]

That can be a real problem, back in the 90's Polaris had around 40 models if I remember right, and we ordered sleds once a year in March, if we didn't stock it and someone wanted it you had to check with other dealers and it was not easy to find the one you needed, if you didn't find it the customer would be upset and that is not what we wanted. I don't know how availability is now and how the ordering system is but from a dealers standpoint I would think this could be a mess.

That was my thoughts.

 

[pistons]

Did the production engineers not think about efficiency of their product line before producing 85 different models. Seriously it doesn't take an idiot to realize that with so many models to produce somewhere along the line they are going to overproduce one version of a sled. Am I wrong here?

This is no different then the auto manufacturers.

 

[SledTL]

Keep studying you will find your niche after you are in real the world. Engineering & marketing always interesting discussions.lol Been thru soooooo many of those meetings & always fun to watch engineers squrim & bitch & marketing dragging engineers to new products kicking & screaming. It's like Scotty on Star Trek 1st reaction is "can't do that just not possible" but in the end engineering can do even more than they thought if pushed. LOL

A very true statement indeed...what did you used to do or still do. I can't remember if you are retired or not.