ABSTRACT
Most engineers and other manufacturing personnel are used to thinking in terms of the factors that are under their control in a product, process, or other work- related activity. In electronics design, tighter component tolerances are usually obtained by inspection, and selection of those components that have a tighter range of outputs, which also involves extra expense. From the cost standpoint, then, tolerances are often an uncontrollable factor. Primarily for this reason, design evaluations are often conducted at only one point in the tolerance range for each design dimension or other value. The point could be made that the difference between success and failure is the way people deal with factors we cannot control. Swings in the economy are beyond the ability of economists to control, predict, or in many cases, to explain even after they have occurred, but successful businesses find ways to be successful any way.
