Around now, Mr. McNeill (who was sleeping fitfully) and Mr. Stryker began to discuss contingency plans. ''One plan,'' Mr. Stryker said, ''was to go to the distributors' conference and make a shadow puppet on the wall and say, 'I know this looks like a duck, but it's really a grinder.' ''
Yet, as lamps burned longer during the final push, the first grinder model, dubbed the Cyclone, came to life. At the conference in Scottsdale, Ariz., some 25 grinders were handed out to great delight. In June 1989 the tool was put on sale, and it has been selling briskly. Even with just one size available, Ingersoll-Rand said sales are running some 20 percent ahead of previous levels.
By now, no problem seems insuperable. The grinder has earned an award from the Industrial Design Society of America. And several other Ingersoll teams have embraced the Strykeforce process.
One dusky day recently, Mr. McNeill clinked diet drinks with the Strykeforce during a somnolent moment. ''And so we have this little grinder,'' Mr. McNeill said. ''But we also have a process that can be applied to anything from power tools to pantyhose. It will live on way beyond our grinder. Of that we can be proud.''
THE COMMONPLACE GRINDER
Just about anywhere things are made, air grinders are apt to be involved. They are one of the most commonplace tools workers handle, every bit as familiar as drills.
Sales of air grinders, which run off compressed air shot through a hose connected to the tool (there are also grinders powered by electric motors), are closely linked to the level of manufacturing in the country.
In recent years there has been skimpy growth in demand for them. Makers put the market in America at between $50 million and $80 million a year. Roughly 30 companies compete in it, and price their tools from $30, for ones that get thrown away when they break, to $1,000. Ingersoll-Rand's new Cyclone family sells for $225 to about $500.
Cooper Air Tools is generally agreed to have the largest market share, with Ingersoll-Rand, Chicago Pneumatic (a part of Atlas- Copco) and the Cleco division of Dresser Industries close behind. Though companies from Japan and Taiwan compete, they have not wrested large footholds in this country. The most prominent Japanese firm is Uryu.
Ingersoll-Rand hopes its new Cyclone grinders will propel it into first place. Not surprisingly, competitors are muted in their comments. ''It's a good series of grinders,'' said Jack DeMao, vice president of marketing and sales at Chicago Pneumatic. ''But I don't see it as revolutionary.''
WHAT'S AHEAD FOR THE TEAM
Though the first grinder size is now out and selling, the work of the Lightning team is far from done. It has been working on the second size, due next month, and on a promotional campaign to be unveiled in the fall when the final size is due.
On a crisp, bright day last month, team members were at the Somerset Hills Hotel again, this time huddling with distributors. Some displeasure was voiced that the next size was coming out late, but the team forged ahead to talk about the marketing campaign.
One distributor said to offer a money-back guarantee. Another said to stress the performance. Another pushed the durability angle.
One man wanted to play up the ergonomics, but someone else chipped in: ''I know this is designed to help with people's hands. But the main goal is to sell tools and make us all a lot of money. That won't do it.''
