X-Transbots Savant (Masterpiece Skids)

Discussion in 'Transformers 3rd Party Discussion' started by TigerBlade, Sep 1, 2017.

  1. TigerBlade

    TigerBlade Prepare for extermination

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    Agreed. DX9 seem to be going through a major rough patch at the moment though.

    Edit - here's my copy with no shoulder issues:

    PicsArt_10-23-09.10.20.jpg

    He's got excellent balance too.
     
    Last edited: Oct 23, 2018
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  2. Ap0calypse

    Ap0calypse Well-Known Member

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    Red Alert was, apparently, on board the Ark from the start (where he was no-one knows), but only showed up in the comics when Brawn went haywire and had to subdue him. Inferno's first showing was in the story "Missing in Action" in one of the TF annuals. He just shows up.

    Both these characters were not shown amongst the original members of the Ark, so who knows where they came from, and when they appeared exactly. The comic continuity is as bad as the cartoon in a lot of places.
     
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  3. mikeszekely

    mikeszekely Not Pessimus Prime

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    A few products in a batch released with issues is pretty much par for the course across most companies, not just toy companies. It sucks if you get the dud, but if you're dealing with reputable companies they'll try to make it right. I've been pretty lucky this year, but it seems like I couldn't get a shipment last year without sending something back.

    I think the difference here is that it's XTB. If you see a busted figure in another thread it's "That sucks" or "I hope mine isn't like that," but because of XTB's rep two people (out of however many bought and have Savant) report a broken hinge and suddenly it's "typical XTB" even though their last couple figures have been pretty good actually.

    As far as Savant specifically goes, I don't have money in hand yet, but issues don't seem to be widespread enough that I'm worried about it. If I get mine and it does have problems maybe then I'll complain, but for now I'm still looking forward to getting mine.
     
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  4. CigarJackal

    CigarJackal Cy-gar smoking beast warrior

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    Basically, these are manufacturing and quality systems that have been in place since the 1970s to reduce defects and provide higher quality workpieces. Japan started using them early, the US extensively in the 1990s or so. Tamagotchi basically says that defects either positive or negative cost money, and can be reduced through various means . Six sigma is a formal quality system adopted throughout the world to bring defects to a fraction of a percentage (six standard deviations. It is based on the folowing ideas:

    • Focus on the customer.
    • Identify and understand how the work gets done (the value stream).
    • Manage, improve and smooth the process flow.
    • Remove Non-Value-Added steps and waste.
    • Manage by fact and reduce variation.
    • Involve and equip the people in the process.
    • Undertake improvement activity in a systematic way
     
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  5. ChromeMagnus

    ChromeMagnus Well-Known Member

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    Why do you think it is likely XTB/KFC has no such system in place?
     
  6. CigarJackal

    CigarJackal Cy-gar smoking beast warrior

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    Requires dedication and training (which does equate to up front expenses to save huge amounts downstream).

    Companies not using such tools are kind of Dinosaurs.

    It is akin to a company not having an internet presence; it may have worked in the 20th century, but in the 21st, they are falling behind.
     
  7. ProtectronPrime

    ProtectronPrime Subjectively Objective

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    Stop it, man. I'm getting cubicle flashbacks.

    Jokes aside, I do wonder what the 3P internal operating structure is sometimes, insofar as some products that come out are immediate error-infested fails. I mean, when it comes to monoliths like Hasbro you can sometimes expect it, but with such small production runs in comparison, you'd almost expect less.

    Then again, we're paying on average $100-$150 for transforming toys that on the whole have "accurate" robot and vehicle modes when 1/6th guys and other high-end figure collectors are paying just as much for way less sophisticated items, so I suppose something has to give.
     
  8. CigarJackal

    CigarJackal Cy-gar smoking beast warrior

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    One of the problems is that many of the 3P companies are contracting out to the cheapest factory. Having done a lot of business in China, corners get cut there all the time. For $100-$150 I think that we could hold them to a higher standard. for those price points, the manufacturing could be done in the US or other 1st world nation (but the bottom line would suffer). I can imagine the mark up on these toys is crazy high (confirmed by BSF in his interview with Hung Ngo of 215 toyz).
     
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  9. Mormolyce

    Mormolyce Throbbing Member

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    Reminds me of when I was in banking and everyone was trying to push the "principles of six sigma" on business processes completely unrelated to assembly lines or manufacture.

    Used to laugh my ass off at it - I worked with the data every day and I'd never seen them run a process that was one sigma.
     
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  10. Initial_G

    Initial_G Well-Known Member

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    Absolutely love those yellow headlights!
     
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  11. kmopotato

    kmopotato spends too much on this shit

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    REE IF ITS HEAVY THAT AUTOMATICALLY MAKES IT GOOD

    There's actually studies that have proven making things heavier gives the illusion of quality. Using diecast in high contact areas where it'll chip is stupid as fuck though.
     
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  12. ProtectronPrime

    ProtectronPrime Subjectively Objective

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    That's fair. Based on more information I have. So to that extent, would you think that the high prices on other premium figures are the result of crazy markup, too? Or is it just a 3p Transformers endemic?
     
  13. WyldeBill

    WyldeBill You will ride eternal. Shiny and chrome.

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    No advertising no licensing fees
     
  14. The Chippy Winger

    The Chippy Winger The Struggle is real

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    If this isn’t case of settling I don’t know what is. Wow.
     
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  15. worldsgreatest

    worldsgreatest Well-Known Member

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    You don't like it. Cool.
     
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  16. edgecrusher

    edgecrusher "She wanted nothin', and I delivered." TFW2005 Supporter

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    Correct. And fast feedback loops are a critical element to identifying and solving for defects in the value stream. This is why it can be argued that no longer sending test shots and production samples to reviewers and retailers is a tactical mistake. You and I understand why they want to protect their designs, but if it's that far along, they will have the time-to-market advantage over any competitors, and they'd be able to identify and fix a few of the least-good things about their products which should lead to fewer returns, more sales, more satisfied customers, increased brand reputation.

    The markup before the product reaches NA is significant, something I've stated many times and which "Hung" confirmed for us, however his perspective is limited and not the reality for the larger retailers. They aren't working from the China cost level, they're working from a much higher cost level set by the 3P or distributor. "Hung" had an acquaintance who was sending him product that was purchased at the local cost rate in China. Normal sellers, whether it's the 3P directly or a distributor they work through, charge a much higher cost rate to NA retailers. This was explained in previous posts a few months ago.

    It's not so much that they go with the cheapest factory, it's that they are selecting from several factors that reduce their options: Factories that have experience producing similar types of figures (for example, HasTak factories), then among those, factories that are willing to work in these type of smaller scale jobs, then among those, factories that have availability in the rough timeframe the 3P wants to get a given product produced, then among those, hopefully one with an acceptable quality level or defect rate. It helps when the person running the 3P is (or is partners with) someone who runs a factory. That makes factory selection easier, more likely to deliver an acceptable product, and deliver it on time. The top tier 3Ps have all solved that challenge one way or another.

    There are elements of six sigma that can be applied to any industry with a value stream. Which is basically every industry. Lean principals began in manufacturing, just like the Agile framework began in software development, but both have been bastardized into methods for improving any value stream or workflow process with deliverables.
     
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  17. kmopotato

    kmopotato spends too much on this shit

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    Back the fuck up

    The shoulders aren't locked in at all? That sounds incredibly stupid and easy to have been engineered in.
     
  18. ph4zed

    ph4zed Sarcasticon

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    They look like they fit together at the top, but no.
    fooled-you.jpg
     
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  19. edgecrusher

    edgecrusher "She wanted nothin', and I delivered." TFW2005 Supporter

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    Easy there, Fredro.
     
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  20. kmopotato

    kmopotato spends too much on this shit

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    Damn, maybe it's engineered like that so when the joints start breaking, the shoulders will sag down to the waist like the cartoon.