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rrmtopo

What is the ballpark manufacturing time for a parachute?

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Doing a little research for my last, final paper for my masters degree. The class is an Engineering Economy course, learning methods for design economics, alternative selection, risk & sensitivity analysis. Since this work is keeping me from the sky, might as well write my paper about something I'm passionate about.

Not looking for any sensitive information, would just like a good ballpark figure for the total construction time of an average non-crossbraced canopy (including the QA process).

Thanks

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I'd PM Brian Germain.
He has built canopies for testing, for sale, and also contracted with another company to build canopies for him.

ETA: His ID here is BrianSGermain.
"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

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rrmtopo

***I bet the mfg's websites or phone numbers would be a great place to start...



Spent a couple hours googleing this subject, although I could have missed it...thanks for the obvious brother.

I think what JM meant was: call the various manufacturers up and ask a real person. Otherwise, the info that you will be getting is what people remember the wait for theirs was two or five years ago.
lisa
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ryoder

I'd PM Brian Germain.
He has built canopies for testing, for sale, and also contracted with another company to build canopies for him.

ETA: His ID here is BrianSGermain.



:o who would have guessed :P

By the way, Lewbowski is my all time fav movie Dude.
I love you mang

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oldwomanc6

******I bet the mfg's websites or phone numbers would be a great place to start...



Spent a couple hours googleing this subject, although I could have missed it...thanks for the obvious brother.

I think what JM meant was: call the various manufacturers up and ask a real person. Otherwise, the info that you will be getting is what people remember the wait for theirs was two or five years ago.

LOL, I realize I can call manufacturers next week, just asking if anyone here on DZ,com "has a ballpark" knowledge of the process time.

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OK, I'll bite. I think the real answer is the age old cop-out "It depends".

I know a guy who had a canopy in a couple of days under some seriously unusual circumstances.... OK, he SAID he had one in a couple of days under seriously unusual circumstances... But I think it could have happened.

Realistically though I think it depends on how many canopies they have in production and how many people work on different aspects of a canopy and what kind of manufacturing facilities they have. Any snag in the process slows things down. If you factor in staff irregularities, maintenance, paperwork snafus, complicated color patterns, the two different 8 way teams that need matching canopies in different sizes for the next big event and issues with the materials, it's a miracle that they can get one out as efficiently as they do.

I'd guess, and this is totally guessing, that all of the different aspects of producing a canopy happen in about a week.


rrmtopo

*********I bet the mfg's websites or phone numbers would be a great place to start...



Spent a couple hours googleing this subject, although I could have missed it...thanks for the obvious brother.

I think what JM meant was: call the various manufacturers up and ask a real person. Otherwise, the info that you will be getting is what people remember the wait for theirs was two or five years ago.

LOL, I realize I can call manufacturers next week, just asking if anyone here on DZ,com "has a ballpark" knowledge of the process time.

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Thanks for the guesses, but that's why I specifically asked for an "average" process time. Once all the nylon is cut, "on average" how long does the processes take. :)

ctrph8

OK, I'll bite. I think the real answer is the age old cop-out "It depends".

I know a guy who had a canopy in a couple of days under some seriously unusual circumstances.... OK, he SAID he had one in a couple of days under seriously unusual circumstances... But I think it could have happened.

Realistically though I think it depends on how many canopies they have in production and how many people work on different aspects of a canopy and what kind of manufacturing facilities they have. Any snag in the process slows things down. If you factor in staff irregularities, maintenance, paperwork snafus, complicated color patterns, the two different 8 way teams that need matching canopies in different sizes for the next big event and issues with the materials, it's a miracle that they can get one out as efficiently as they do.

I'd guess, and this is totally guessing, that all of the different aspects of producing a canopy happen in about a week.


************I bet the mfg's websites or phone numbers would be a great place to start...



Spent a couple hours googleing this subject, although I could have missed it...thanks for the obvious brother.

I think what JM meant was: call the various manufacturers up and ask a real person. Otherwise, the info that you will be getting is what people remember the wait for theirs was two or five years ago.

LOL, I realize I can call manufacturers next week, just asking if anyone here on DZ,com "has a ballpark" knowledge of the process time.

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My recomendation is ask various manufacturers how many canopies they produce in a year vs. number of working days/shifts in a year

That will give you a nice average that is not dependent on canopy models, schedualling, material availablity etc. that may exist which causes delays that should be factored into an average

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Thanks for the reply's y'all, I asked for specific value(s) based on the focus of my report. Everything else, while interesting, is beyond the scope of my paper (and holy crap, I had not thought of the manufacturing time for a wingsuit. Wow, thanks). I did receive via PM some very good information that fits my needs, so thanks again for y'all's help! Blue skies

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I have built several dozen canopies from scratch. Assuming the patterns are made, starting from fabric and suspension line on their respective rolls, I could make a rectangular 7-cell canopy in 12 hours of actual labor. Need a double needle machine and a zig-zag machine. I cut the fabric by hand, panel by panel with a hot knife.

-- Jeff
My Skydiving History

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darkwing

I have built several dozen canopies from scratch. Assuming the patterns are made, starting from fabric and suspension line on their respective rolls, I could make a rectangular 7-cell canopy in 12 hours of actual labor. Need a double needle machine and a zig-zag machine. I cut the fabric by hand, panel by panel with a hot knife.



That's pretty damn impressive!

Would probably take me 30-40 hours, but I haven't gotten nearly as much experience as you, I'm sure.
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I appreciate the applause, but I really don't think I deserve it. With the right setup, experience, and tools it isn't demanding. Lots of long, simple seams, and a little detail work.

An elliptical canopy would be tougher, and the tolerances on smaller, high performance canopies are tighter.

-- Jeff
My Skydiving History

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Hi Jeff,

Quote

With the right setup, experience, and tools it isn't demanding.



Back in the 60's, when work would take me into the San Francisco area, I would often stop by Security Parachute Co.

I remember this one woman who was doing the long radial seams on a round canopy. She had lots of fabric on both sides of her, a double-needle machine, fabric folders, etc. She would lean way back in her chair, put her hands way over her head with fabric in both hands, and then hit the treadle. She could sew about 2-3 yards in one second. It was fascinating to watch her.

When I built my canopy, it was fold everything, sew about 6", repeat, repeat, etc.

JerryBaumchen

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