Aerospace Airframes & Hydraulics, Electronics
| Before | After |
|---|
• Long Cycle Times
• Lots of handlings through process
• Significant WIP around the shop
• Occasional Unmanned Operation | Cycle Times – 20% reduction
• Handling Time – 35% reduction
• WIP – 50% reduction
Unmanned Operation – 50% increase |
Customer reports a cycle time reduction of 20%. Handling time was reduce by 35%. Number of setups are now down significantly. Throughput is increasing steadily. 50% reduction of WIP. 50% increase in unmanned operation. No increase in headcount. [...] Read more »
Industries: energy, wood products, marine electronics
| Before | After |
|---|
• Multiple Setups requiring many hours
• 25% On-time Delivery
• Inventory carried for quick customer response
• Moderate throughput | • Setup time - reduced 75%
• 85% On-time Delivery
• 50% reduction in inventory
• 300% improvement |
Customer reports their setup time was reduced by 75%. Revenue per man increased 3 to 1. Payback – 2.5 years. Work in Process – 100% improvement. Inventory – 50% reduction. Throughput (in revenue) – 300% increase. Customer Satisfaction – 400% increase in b [...] Read more »
Industry: Aerospace, Automotive, and IndustrialProcess: Turning and Milling
| Before | After |
|---|
| • Labor Intensive
• Multiple Machines per part
• Poor quality due to multiple set ups
| • One operator produces 10X as much
• Operations combined on one machine
• 60% reduction in part handling
|
The system allows 4 hours of unattended operation, increasing production capacity 4 hours per day. Part loading time was reduced to 15 seconds and setups were cut in half. Overall machining cycle times were reduced by 50%, and the combining of two machi [...] Read more »
Industry: Fire Arms: Recreational, military and law enforcement.
Process: Integrated Turning
| Before | After |
|---|
• Three operation process
• High component cost
• Order to delivery time 6 weeks
• Poor customer responsiveness | • 300% cycle time improvement
• 50% reduction in cost
• Order to delivery time 3 weeks
• 200% increase in on time deliveries
|
Olympic has completed the process of bringing outsourced components in house. A 50% reduction in component costs and 30% throughput gains are allowing them to accept orders they could not have taken in the past. Their ability to respond to customer needs [...] Read more »
Industry: Precision Machining Sub Contractor
Process: 5 Axis Machining
| Before | After |
|---|
• Low machining process yields
• Excessive Scrap
• High labor component
| • 30% reduction in cycle times
• 20 % reduction of labor
• Significant reductions in scrap
|
The enhanced performance capabilities of the Mori Seiki DuraCenter have strengthened Blue Chip Engineering’s high-quality, rapid-response strategy. Machine process repeatability has eliminated the need for process interruptions, freeing machine operators [...] Read more »
Industry: Defense contracting and Geophysical
Process: Multi-Process Machining
| Before | After |
|---|
• Multiple Operations
• Multiple Setups
• High cost at larger lot sizes
| • 25% increase in throughput
• 40% reduction in setups
• 20% reduction in part cost
|
The Mori Seiki lathe offered improved accuracy at higher feed rates and spindle speeds. The ability to perform both turning and milling operations in a single set-up improved labor efficiency and part quality. Exceptional size control, surface finish, co [...] Read more »
Industry: Precision Machining Sub Contractor
Process: Multi-Process Machining
| Before | After |
|---|
•Labor intensive process
•Low profit parts
•4 operations with 4 set ups
•Three week lead time
| •Unmanned cell operation
•Most profitable parts
•2 operations and 2 set ups
•93% reduction in lead time
|
The move to multi-process technology reduced machining cycle times by 75% and eliminated 90% of the labor requirement. It compressed manufacturing lead-time from 3 weeks to 1 ½ days, and eliminated 50% of the set ups and part touches. Together with the [...] Read more »
Industry: Heavy Truck, Medical, Aircraft & Recreational equipment manufacturers
Process: Multi-Axis Production Turning
| Before | After |
|---|
• 6 week delivery
• Labor intensive process
• Constrained by capacity
• High manufacturing costs
| • 4.5 day delivery
• 90% reduction in per-part labor costs
• 50% increase in throughput
• Operating margins doubled
|
The two-turret, two-spindle machines were capable of simultaneous part processing, supporting a 20% cycle time reduction. The ability to dual-tool each turret station allowed up to 48 tools to be incorporated into the machining process, allowing setup tim [...] Read more »
Industry: Mechanical Power Transmission
Process: Multi-Function Machining
| Before | After |
|---|
•One week lead time
•Multiple operations and setups
•High scrap
•Excessive WIP inventories
| •Machined complete in 14 minutes
•One operation, 60% setup reduction
•Scrap all but eliminated
•WIP between processes eliminated
|
Parts can be processes with a single machining operation. A raw casting, slug or bar stock is loaded in the left hand spindle, with parts ejected into the parts catcher from the right hand spindle complete. Operations were reduced from four to one and o [...] Read more »
Industry: Commercial Heating Appliances
Process: CNC Turning with robot load and unload
| Before | After |
|---|
•Labor Intensive
•Unreliable process results
•Costly Manufacturing Process
| •Allowed 10 operators to be redeployed
•Repeatable 1.67 CPK
•Exceeded ROI targets
|
Pre-installation run off in Japan confirmed cell capacity to run 4 hours of unattended machining with 2 operators per shift. This reduced the number of required operators by 10. To date, each machine has produced over 2 million parts with repeatable qual [...] Read more »
Industry: Aerospace, Medical
Process: Low Cost Automated Milling
| Before | After |
|---|
• Labor intensive
• Multiple setups
• Could not quote job | • Lights out machining
• Combined machining operations
• Acquisition of new customers |
Integrating the Mori Seiki NH200SY not only allowed Trillium to win the contract for the weapons component, it provided them with expanded capabilities with which to grow their customer base. The machine’s features allowed Trillium to exceed expectation [...] Read more »
Industry: Aerospace
Process: Vertical Milling with 4th Axis
| Before | After |
|---|
• Labor intensive process
• 25 minute cycle time
• Heavy quality control requirements
• Low process reliability
| • ROI of six months
• 80% reduction in cycle time
• 25% reduction in labor content
• Real-time automated process control
|
A horse-shoe cell configuration significantly reduced labor requirements. Probing allowed the machine to control and monitor process quality while intelligent fixturing minimized machine load and unload times. Engineers leveraged the advanced machining [...] Read more »
Industry: Job Shop – Diversified Industry Focus
Process: Shop Floor Optimization
| Before | After |
|---|
• Limited floor space
• High setup times
• Poor work flow
| • 10%+ increase in available floor space
• 50% setup time reduction
•Organized and standardized work areas
|
Management estimates that the impact of streamlining the setup process will reduce overall setup times by as much as 50%. Improved machine availability and workflow will have a substantial impact on product throughput. The 5S program increased available f [...] Read more »
Industry: plumbing, mechanical, fire protection, water, mining, and oil & gas.
Process: Turning Application
| Before | After |
|---|
• 12 hour set ups
• 12% scrap
• Rigid production process
• High labor content | • 30 minute set ups
• Less than 1% scrap
• Efficient short run production
• 25% reduction in labor content
|
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. Rap [...] Read more »