How They Make LEGO Bricks

harajukboy writes "Businessweek.com shows us how the famous LEGO bricks are made. Among the new facts I picked up was that LEGO is the largest tire manufacturer in the world, and that the process is so air tight that only 18 of 1 million pieces are considered defective." I knew I was getting old when I first realized that these kids today with their modern legos have it too easy, what with all those crazy custom pieces. Why, when I was a kid, we had to use our imagination to build stuff.

Comments

Where do they all go

[loftwyr]

The article says they make 18 billion a year! Since they've been building bricks since 1958, that means there's a HELL of a lot of bricks somewhere.

I think a recycle your Lego campaign should start and you should send all your old Lego to me.

This is not just a grab to make sure I have more Lego than you.

Re:Where do they all go

[LordSnooty]

Where do they go? The bottom of my foot, normally, then straight into the bin after I let out a squeal of pain.

Tires

[Himring]

LEGO is the largest tire manufacturer in the world

Yet, when making a car, you are hard-pressed to find four of the same set in a very huge bucket filled with Legos....

Yes, I play legos with my kids....

Ouch

[tttonyyy]

I just love the way the factory floor has all sorts of bits of Lego scattered across it (the Lego that escaped!)

I bet they don't walk around with bare feet there. :)

Re:How many times do we have to say it?

[n9891q]

The word Lego is a trademark and must be used as an adjective. Thus the "plural of Lego[sic]" is "Lego plastic doodads".
-----
IANAL but I play one on Slashdot.

Re:Still Not Six Sigma

[muffel]

Dude, didn't you read the relevant Dilbert?

Re:How many times do we have to say it?

[teh kurisu]

Like sheep. You can have a box of sheep, you can build things out of sheep bricks, but there are no such things as sheeps.

Why else?

[Kadin2048]

Yes, I play legos with my kids....

Well, I'd hope so. It's the best reason for having kids, really.

Re:Studies on developmental outcome?

[bdonalds]

Has there been any research studying the effects of playing with Legos on mental development in children? It seems intuitive to me and probably others here that there is some positive correlation if not outright causality between these types of toys and intelligence.

Well, I played with Legos (sorry...Lego brand brick-type plastic blocks), and I'm fucking brilliant!

:)

Re:Translation

[hswerdfe]

would that word be six or sigma?

Re:Studies on developmental outcome?

[tehcyder]

Well, I played with Legos (sorry...Lego brand brick-type plastic blocks), and I'm fucking brilliant!

Unfortunately, as a counter-anecdote, I also played with Lego as a child, and I'm as dumb as a sackful of hammer handles.

Re:Studies on developmental outcome?

[Ingolfke]

I just bought my kids a DVD of other kids playing with legos and creating really neat toys. It's cheaper then buying all of those expensive legos and the kids on the DVD are far more creative than my kids. It's kind of like New Yankee Workshop for little children.

Re:How many times do we have to say it?

[3TimeLoser]

Oh yes there is. Sheeps are the sounds drunk birds make.

Difficulty

[Dirtside]

Why, when I was a kid, we had to use our imagination to build stuff.

Wow, that sounds difficult. Why didn't you use your hands?