Manufacturing cell for Ford Lion Project gets OK

Collaboration and co-operation ensured the first of the new Heller installations at J L French has passed its PPAP (Part Production Approval Process) with flying colours

Collaboration between machine tool builders and users to achieve the best possible production solution to a manufacturing requirement is critical to the success of a project, according to David Ford at Witham-based J L French, first tier subcontractors to the automotive industry.

It is, the company says, collaboration and co-operation which ensured the first of the new Heller installations has passed its PPAP (Part Production Approval Process) with flying colours.

Created to make components for Jaguar, Landrover and Peugeot, it is the first of the fully automated manufacturing cells for the Ford Lion Project at J L French to be tested, and was designed by Heller working in conjunction with French to create a cell which would meet the required production parameters for the new project.

J L French, which had worked with Heller previously, requested Heller's assistance to win the Lion project order from Ford because they were confident Heller would deliver everything it promised and deliver on schedule - one machine for French was built, installed and commissioned within six weeks of order.

Heller engineers were involved from the outset to design the manufacturing cells for the project, to select and take responsibility for the other machines in the cell, to oversee the installation, commissioning and prove out of the cell.

Heller is also providing support for the project to French both in operation of the cell and in achieving the PPAP, a process by which Ford measures the performance of a manufacturing cell to ensure the process is sufficiently secure and supported for production to be maintained constantly at the required level.

The cell tested is phase I of the three-phase project and will be expanded to meet the mature production levels.

Heart of the cell is the Heller MC16.2 horizontal machining centre, for which Heller designed and supplied all the fixturing and tooling, and also includes a Mulhead specialist milling machine, Prestech leak testing equipment, a Mecwash washing and drying machine and a Schmidt dowel assembly machine.

Heller took responsibility for the process, the integration of all the machines, and all documentation.

The MC16.2 was selected for its fast acceleration, positioning accuracy and reduced cycle time.

Rapid traverse is 90,000mm/min, acceleration 12m/s2 and chip to chip time 1.8secs, the tool magazine takes 40 tools.

The fast cycle times are complemented by a rigid and robust bed and column design which enables very high tolerances to be met and maintained.

Commenting, MD of Heller Geoff Lloyd said "The PPAP assessment is stringent because it is the means by which Ford obtain a clear understanding that the manufacturing cell will perform as required.

It measures the performance of the cell in all respects, including documentation though greatest consideration is the process, which must be secure because Ford will not take any risk in production.

We operate in a way which ensures all our customers, not just Ford, can rest assured that our machines will perform at least to the level promised and that our engineers will assist them if necessary to ensure production is maintained as required.

We undertook responsibility for the entire turnkey project and have more than met our responsibilities.

Along with cell performance and support, both of which are measured within the PPAP, the documentation was deemed to be excellent.

We are delighted to be part of so successful an enterprise".

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