The manufacturer performed bore finishing of multiple product types using a single horizontal honing machine, with a skilled operator performing dimensional adjustments during the bore finishing. This job required instinct and skills that took many years to acquire. However, the sole employee with the relevant skills was about to retire, and nothing had been done towards passing down his skills.
The head of the production engineering division described the issues with the process:
“The process consists of repeatedly processing workpieces and then measuring them (checking their dimensions). It was therefore necessary for the operator to be stationed at the machine constantly during the bore finishing.”
The operator also needed to hold the workpiece with the hands while processing, and the task was very time-consuming. This placed a significant burden on the operator, and there was also a danger that the workpiece could start rotating. The ageing of the staff as a whole meant that there was no-one to whom this demanding task could be passed on to after the current operator retired. It was therefore necessary to pass on the operator’s skills, and otherwise ensure consistent accuracy could be maintained, as soon as possible.
The head production engineer along with the other employees in his division went about gathering a wide range of information on other bore finishing machines and case studies from other factories hoping to implement a solution that would solve their problems.
