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Waiting for 27" Quad to SHIP thread
- Thread starter dwd3885
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YEs spc you are probably correct. Truth be known, there probably never has been a truly BTO iMac. They have always had very few options available, which limits the number of configurations possible. They are not built to order, but rather a certain percentage is built with 2t's, and 1t's, 4 gb 8gb and so on. All sitting on a shelf in some warehouse waiting to be ordered.
It is ridiculous to think that a company the size of Apple would alter a mass assembly operation, just to satisfy the needs of Joe Bob Bubba from Muleshoe Texas.
Actually that is exactly what "Just in time" manufacturing is. Almost everything is built this way now.
Why store them in some isolated warehouse in the US if they are already built? Why not ship them on to the stores? Apple doesn't pile up inventory. In fact they generally have under a week of inventory on hand.
Over here in AUS we have the Holden Commodore. Until recently when you bought a Commodore you had to order AirConditioning as an Extra. The default advertised price was exclusive of Airconditioning. This was across the range as far as i know (not that i have ever ordered a statesman or anything).
I'd take a stab in the dark to suggest that in a country like Australia where it is bloody hot outside and our pet wallabies (with sharp claws) get angry in hot cars, very few cars ever rolled off the producion line without airconditioning.
AirCon was a built to order option, but they were allways in stock with aircond, so in fact if you didnt want aircond, you had to order that and wait for one to be built.
Im not a ILS dude by any means, but wouldnt it make sence to do runs of similar imacs rather than individual ones? There are not that many combinations really?
Just in time manufacturing is also a good option, back on the car analogy, every car might have airconditioning, but different models have different features, and trim levels and they seem to be able to manage that quite well with seats and dashboards arriving at the fitting station jsut in time.
Either way, i hope an i5 with my name on it comes down that air-condtioned production line soon!
How long can it take to move from "prepared for shipping", to get an actual shipping notice/email/tracking number?
My 2 I7's, ordered October 30th, finally moved to "prepared for shipping" late Friday night, and, there was some temp postings to my credit card, but nothing "permanent"..Its now late Sunday night, outside of Chicago, and there is still no tracking info, or actual credit card charges..
Is this normal, or should I call Apple Monday morning?
thanks!
My 2 I7's, ordered October 30th, finally moved to "prepared for shipping" late Friday night, and, there was some temp postings to my credit card, but nothing "permanent"..Its now late Sunday night, outside of Chicago, and there is still no tracking info, or actual credit card charges..
Is this normal, or should I call Apple Monday morning?
thanks!
Havign read this thread from the start i gather that you only get billed for your goods when they are about to leave the warehouse. They then goto to airport where they can sit from anywhere between an hour to 4 days. It depends when the next flight is going, and if the courier made it in time. You are in the states, so it should be 24hours max. It will then go out, maybe via one more remote destination, then to the US. It will go through a customs broker somewhere along the line. Chicago seems to have a fairly quick delivery time, others get the 'milk run' via every other state
Either way, you should be getting updates to your manifest very soon
Just watch for the email with the couriers details and you can follow it along Enjoy!
Yep for your sanity i hope so too. I believe "Prepared to ship" means that it is prepared to ship from the manufacturing plant. It gets grouped with other orders and a courier takes them to the airport to the UPS (or FedEX, whatever) receiving dock. You will see on your online tracking when it makes a move, there are a few internal shuffles through the airport (Sometimes with the dreaded "Missed FedEX cutoff time" caused by Krispy Kreme having a sale on). Then up up and away it goes intot the blue yonder.. you can track the palne too, if you hae nothing better to do, there is a link about 6-8 pages back i think..
I read this from the beginning also, as although I have been holding out for a matte screen (like on the powerbook) my video card is dying and since i have a PPC that SL wont support, I was ready to make the move ( although unwillingly, I am a graphics guy and the GLOSSY SCREEN IS HORRIBLE!!!!))).
http://macmatte.wordpress.com/
http://blogs.zdnet.com/Apple/?p=2417
http://macmatte.wordpress.com/anti-glossy-articles/
Since there is all this speculation maybe you guys can bet on my delivery I ordered on Oct 28 fro a local authorized dealer. If you follow the theory that online store gets them first, then resellers where am I, oh yes i ordered the 1t, 4x2G ram and the wired numeric keyboard and office????
Rob
who waits quietly in a small dark room waiting for his glossy screen to transport him back to the 1980's when all screens were glossy before the invention of the MATTE SCREEN!!!!
http://macmatte.wordpress.com/
http://blogs.zdnet.com/Apple/?p=2417
http://macmatte.wordpress.com/anti-glossy-articles/
Since there is all this speculation maybe you guys can bet on my delivery I ordered on Oct 28 fro a local authorized dealer. If you follow the theory that online store gets them first, then resellers where am I, oh yes i ordered the 1t, 4x2G ram and the wired numeric keyboard and office????
Rob
who waits quietly in a small dark room waiting for his glossy screen to transport him back to the 1980's when all screens were glossy before the invention of the MATTE SCREEN!!!!
I have the same situation as you. PFS Saturday AM but no movement since. I will call tomorrow bc the rep I talked to said it WOULD ship in a day or two. Tomorrow is three. I'm running out of time here as I leave town late this week and won't be back for over 9 days. I'll get it and leave. Sad. Or just miss the shipment all together. Mine is expedited so it should only take 2 days.
I'm in the same situation but who knows if packages get loaded on the weekends. They don't in the USA. Its the AM in China now so I suspect when we get up tmo morning in the US we will have a tracking number.
Yes, in the United States we received both the Commodore and the Monaro as rebadged Pontiacs. From what US reviewers have said about these cars, Australian engineering is... unique.
Yes, in the United States we received both the Commodore and the Monaro as rebadged Pontiacs. From what US reviewers have said about these cars, Australian engineering is... unique.
You should see some of the people who put them together on the production line! Not all of them, just some of them they are unique
I dont drive one as they remind me of taxi's and Adelaide Taxis remind me of vomit, but there is something about a V8 directly connected to a gearbox, directly connected to a live axle that is scarey. Who cares if all the doors fall off while you are going sideways around a corner..
If the iMacs were made here is Aus they
a. Wouldnt be shipped out overseas until next year due to smoko regulations,
b. They would all have meat pie or prawn shells in the keyboard
c. The built in screen saver would feature something beer related, and something naked related.
d. The logon sound would either say G'day, or something i cant type here, and
e. I would have one by now...
Back OT, no return call from the Apple rep makes dronus a sad (yet not surprised) boy
Imagine how much extra business this iMac has given the couriers!
Shipped
Order placed on 11/05/2009, 27" i7, 2TB, 8gb ram, Has shipped shows to arrive 11/18/2009. Paid for 2-3 day ship. And I'm working the night shift all next week, should be home for the FedEx man,
Order placed on 11/05/2009, 27" i7, 2TB, 8gb ram, Has shipped shows to arrive 11/18/2009. Paid for 2-3 day ship. And I'm working the night shift all next week, should be home for the FedEx man,
I would actually imagine that the factories employ real people to assemble the computers using pre manufactured components as opposed to robotic assembly lines.
Looking at how Leica assemble many of their cameras, and how Canon makes their lenses, and even how I used to mass assemble computers for bulk orders, you can quite quickly reconfigure an manufacturing line for build to order jobs.
I'd imagine that there would be a number of workstations that configure various components in the chassis, before it moves on to the next, complete with the order with it to tell each operator/workstation what the configuration is.
For the truly mass jobs like the base config i5's and Core 2 Duo units, a simple continuous assembly line working on the same setup is very possible, allowing other manufacturing lines to work on BTO's.
I highly doubt the factories are filled with robotics other than for warehousing, picking parts, palletizing, and goods in/goods out.
This kind of setup suits a JIT manufacturing plant and inventory system quite well as the production is easy to schedule, and once you've got enough sales, predict demand for, and then order parts in.
An update on my progress... first thing (6am) no change, other than delivery now scheduled for the 17th, the package still at East Mids airport. Took a shower, getting ready for work, checked just for the hell of it before leaving.... and.... those magic three words "Out for Delivery". So folks, for those waiting in the UK, here is the full lifecycle of my order:
SHEFFIELD, GB 16/11/2009 6:04 OUT FOR DELIVERY
16/11/2009 6:02 ARRIVAL SCAN
EAST MIDLANDS AIRPOR, GB 16/11/2009 6:00 DEPARTURE SCAN
EAST MIDLANDS AIRPOR, GB 15/11/2009 23:42 ARRIVAL SCAN
KOELN (COLOGNE), DE 15/11/2009 23:22 DEPARTURE SCAN
15/11/2009 23:14 DEPARTURE SCAN
15/11/2009 22:06 PACKAGE DATA PROCESSED BY BROKERAGE. WAITING FOR CLEARANCE / RELEASED BY CLEARING AGENCY. NOW IN-TRANSIT FOR DELIVERY
15/11/2009 20:46 IMPORT SCAN
15/11/2009 20:32 IMPORT SCAN
15/11/2009 18:25 ARRIVAL SCAN
15/11/2009 15:09 PACKAGE DATA PROCESSED BY BROKERAGE. WAITING FOR CLEARANCE
INCHEON, KR 15/11/2009 10:14 DEPARTURE SCAN
15/11/2009 9:02 ARRIVAL SCAN
SHANGHAI, CN 15/11/2009 7:00 DEPARTURE SCAN
15/11/2009 5:20 DEPARTURE SCAN
15/11/2009 3:51 EXPORT SCAN
SHANGHAI, CN 14/11/2009 11:41 ORIGIN SCAN
CN 14/11/2009 3:38 BILLING INFORMATION RECEIVED
Some duplicate arrival and departure scans, but otherwise looking much more logical than some others I've seen.
Not had much to do with Apple or UPS before, but Friday my order went 'Prepared for Shipment' and I then get an estimate of the 20th. To get it later today will be awesome!! I am stunned by the speed it has travelled from Shanghai (and yes, I've been with it in spirit, every step/flap of the way).
Cheers
Moo
SHEFFIELD, GB 16/11/2009 6:04 OUT FOR DELIVERY
16/11/2009 6:02 ARRIVAL SCAN
EAST MIDLANDS AIRPOR, GB 16/11/2009 6:00 DEPARTURE SCAN
EAST MIDLANDS AIRPOR, GB 15/11/2009 23:42 ARRIVAL SCAN
KOELN (COLOGNE), DE 15/11/2009 23:22 DEPARTURE SCAN
15/11/2009 23:14 DEPARTURE SCAN
15/11/2009 22:06 PACKAGE DATA PROCESSED BY BROKERAGE. WAITING FOR CLEARANCE / RELEASED BY CLEARING AGENCY. NOW IN-TRANSIT FOR DELIVERY
15/11/2009 20:46 IMPORT SCAN
15/11/2009 20:32 IMPORT SCAN
15/11/2009 18:25 ARRIVAL SCAN
15/11/2009 15:09 PACKAGE DATA PROCESSED BY BROKERAGE. WAITING FOR CLEARANCE
INCHEON, KR 15/11/2009 10:14 DEPARTURE SCAN
15/11/2009 9:02 ARRIVAL SCAN
SHANGHAI, CN 15/11/2009 7:00 DEPARTURE SCAN
15/11/2009 5:20 DEPARTURE SCAN
15/11/2009 3:51 EXPORT SCAN
SHANGHAI, CN 14/11/2009 11:41 ORIGIN SCAN
CN 14/11/2009 3:38 BILLING INFORMATION RECEIVED
Some duplicate arrival and departure scans, but otherwise looking much more logical than some others I've seen.
Not had much to do with Apple or UPS before, but Friday my order went 'Prepared for Shipment' and I then get an estimate of the 20th. To get it later today will be awesome!! I am stunned by the speed it has travelled from Shanghai (and yes, I've been with it in spirit, every step/flap of the way).
Cheers
Moo
Well done! At least you could track your order....
My order was shipped on 11/11/09 and I have no tracking info like alot of people in the UK. I had my invoice emailed on Saturday but thats it. I dont mind which day it gets here, but I would like to know so that I can make sure im home to accept it...
Less than impressed with the delivery tracking esp when you spend over £2000...
I have: Shipped to London GB 14 November.
Current delivery status: Shipment dispatched 15 November
Estimated delivery: 27 November. Subject to change.
That's the benefit of having so few available options, you don't have to deal with "BTO's".
A single assembly line can be quickly reconfigured to produce a couple of hundred i7's with 2TB hd's and 16GB ram. You do not need a separate assemblyman sitting alone at a bench removing screws and installing extra ram, or removing and replacing a hd. That's just wasted time. Stack them on the shelf when supply dwindles, then go back to kicking out base model i5's.
Built to order implies that the order comes first, then a component, or group of partially assembled components are removed from an assembly line, taken to a separate work area, and configured differently than everything else on the line. That's not likely the was it is done since there are so few configurations available. If you had a thousand options, it would be necessary, or otherwise, take a completed unit, disassemble it, and reconfigure it to match the order.
I will agree though that it is probably done with very little robotics. Labor is cheaper than machinery in China.
Apple has one of the best records in the industry in keeping on hand stock very low. Part of the reason for that is the fact that they have so few options available, and all of those options require very little adjustment in the assembly process.