Anvil International

Automatic multi-spindle cam driven machines were used to manufacture forged fittings, a primary product produced at the Longview facility. Nearing the end of their economic life, these machines were unable to hold increasing tolerances requirements and necessitated lengthy set ups, hindering Anvil’s ability to meet quality specifications and market demands for production flexibility. To remain competitive, Anvil needed to identify a cost effective and flexible machining platform and process.

Assessment
The forged fittings required heavy metal removal and exacting tolerances in threading and wall thickness due to high-pressure applications. Existing scrap rates were as high as 12% of production. 12-hour set ups limited Anvil’s production flexibility, complicated by excessive equipment down time, which consumed valuable production time and labor capacity. One operator was dedicated to every two multi-spindle machines.

Solution
The company had considered specialized machines designed and built for the sole purpose of machining forged fittings. Expensive and inflexible, these machines carried their own production challenges. Ellison engineers designed the most cost effective solution for meeting Anvil’s current production requirements while providing flexibility to adapt to future production demands. Ellison designed and integrated a solution using Mori Seiki SL-403B/800 and SL-603B/1000 turning centers equipped with automatic indexing chucks and automatic doors.

End Result
Improved machining capability eliminated quality escapes, reducing the scrap rate to less than 1% of production. Leveraging machine up time and cutter options, Ellison and Anvil engineers were able to realize a 30% improvement in product throughput. Rapid change over time resulted in 30 minute set ups, allowing Anvil tremendous flexibility in producing shorter runs of varying product configurations.