The client had asked the manufacturer to increase component production from 15,000 to 25,000 units per month.
An employee from the Production Engineering Department recalls:
“After heat treatment, the components would undergo an internal bore surface finishing process performed using electrodeposition that took 60 seconds per unit. That time needed to be reduced to boost production. Also, as the electrodeposited abrasive surfaces became worn, internal bore diameters would get smaller, and surface roughness and cylindricality would get worse, requiring adjustments by an operator. As things stood, we were unable to increase production.”
While the Production Engineering Department had planned to increase automation to boost efficiency, it was not going well. The team subsequently held several discussions with the aim of improving the process, but no useful suggestions were made.
