A cylinder assembler once asked why a batch of chrome plated rod that measured perfectly round and perfectly straight still produced seals that leaked slightly more than the previous batch from the same supplier. Both batches carried the same nominal diameter and the same chrome thickness. The diffe
A distributor once split a single container of honed tube across four customers, cutting a long mill length into the sizes each customer had ordered. Three cylinders went together without a hitch. The fourth came back: the piston rod bottomed out slightly short of full stroke, and the shop blamed th
A stockist once forwarded me a photo from an angry customer: a chrome plated rod with rust spots scattered along one side and a note that said simply, "Your rod is rubbish." The stockist was ready to credit the customer and send the claim back to us. Before he did, we asked three questions. Where ha