Product category:
Turning tools
News Release from: Sandvik Coromant UK | Subject: Productivity improvement team at TWL
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 06 May 2008
Productivity anaysis on CNC machining
saves 2000h
By analysing machining productivity and tooling used, Sandvik Coromant was able to reduce machining times, increase tool life and save 7000h in the machining of automotive turbochargers.
Sandvik Coromant's expert productivity improvement team carried out productivity analyses at TWL Precision's turbocharger machining plant and showed how the company could save 7,000h/year and improve its competition in world markets By reducing processing times, increasing tool life and, in one case, replacing a high-cost cutting tool with a less costly, standard but equally effective alternative, Sandvik showed TWL how it could save up to GBP 250,000/year A member of the VTL group of companies, TWL Precision's purpose-built factory in Huddersfield, Yorkshire, UK, began operating in 2005
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 3 Apr 2002 at 8.00am (UK)
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The VTL group has invested about GBP 2 million in capital equipment at the Huddersfield manufacturing plant.
There is also a prototyping and research facility in an adjacent building.
There is another manufacturing facility in Halifax, Yorks, and a manufacturing operation in Charleston, USA, opened in 2007.
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TWL has plans to expand into India in 2009.
TWL Precision's engineering manager, Charles Ferry, said: "Working with Sandvik Coromant's productivity improvement team has been a great benefit.
He said that his colleagues focus on individual processes without disturbing production and apply their experience of other operations to TWL's.
Ferry said: "The cooperation has given us plenty of food for thought and ideas for future improvements".
VTL group sales director, Keith Robertshaw, said that the group, including TWL Precision, is actively working on business improvement processes and customer service improvement.
TWL Precision subcontracts mainly to the world's automotive industry.
Half of the products made in the Huddersfield facility and 100% of those made in the Halifax plant are for export, therefore, keeping costs low and maintaining efficient, productive manufacturing processes is essential.
* Machine tools - among the machines in the Huddersfield operation are machining and turning centres, manual machines and CNC lathes for processes that include turning, milling, grinding, trepanning, honing, lapping, boring, drilling and assembly.
Visitors to the factory see a safe, tidy and efficient machine shop.
Ferry runs an efficient and efficiency-conscious operation that includes recycling swarf, choosing manufacturing methods that reduce waste and enable resale of off cuts.
The factory also recycles used carbide materials via Sandvik Coromant's new onsite collection services.
During 2007, Ferry accepted an invitation from Sandvik Coromant's sales engineer to investigate some production processes and identify improvements that could save time or money.
When manufacturing 7,000 components each week, optimising manufacturing methods can make a sizable impact on plant profitability.
The first analysis performed at TWL Precision by the Sandvik Coromant productivity improvement team concentrated on a nozzle ring in 304L stainless steel, one of the components of a turbocharger made under contract for a customer.
The manufacturing operations were grooving and turning of the complete component on a Takisawa lathe using another tooling supplier's high specification and therefore high price insert.
After carefully 'benchmarking' the machining operations, the Sandvik productivity improvement team analysed the results, formulate and verify their suggestions.
Two weeks later they returned to present their proposals to TWL, which were as follows.
* Replace the special tool with a standard Sandvik Coromant insert, SNMG120412-PR, costing far less - TWL Precision agreed to order and try the recommended insert.
The trial demonstrated that productivity would increase while tool costs dramatically reduced - representing up to a 50% saving overall.
The result convinced Ferry and TWL Precision senior management that further cooperation was worthwhile.
TWL Precision ordered production quantities of the recommended insert, thereby saving GBP 65,000/year on tool costs alone.
Productivity investigations do not always recommend tool changes; sometimes they highlight possible machining process improvements.
Eight investigations undertaken during 2007 identified further possible improvements in nozzle ring and other high-volume component production.
In the second investigation, for example, the outcome was to recommend no changes.
This is a benefit to TWL Precision as its production processes had received independent verification.
Customers collaborating with Sandvik Coromant productivity improvement teams gain other advantages.
Productivity improvement team members apply their knowledge of Sandvik Coromant's product range and cutting data recommendations and share the experience with the customer's production staff.
From combining experiences, new ideas and possibilities can emerge.
The process is a cooperative one in which TWL Precision and Sandvik Coromant are partners seeking the same objective, savings and/or improvements.
Benefits could be savings in tool costs, as they were in the above example.
Frequently the outcomes are as follows.
* Increased cutting data.
* Fewer tool changes.
* Reduced tool setup times.
* Improved tool life.
* Improvements that improve cycle time, productivity or costs.
"Some of our processes are very complex and produce a lot of swarf, which is hard to manage," said Ferry, "Sandvik Coromant's involvement has helped us take a fresh look at our processes.
Another advantage is that we can test the suitability of new developments and products early.
It is a continuous process of collaboration to investigate and seek improvements".
Sandvik Coromant distributor support engineer, Rick Cowling, added: "In my view, the more contact between our companies, the better, and the more people involved too, because we generate more ideas and better angles and solutions to problems".
Ferry agreed: "Yes, we all contribute different knowledge to the process, and the result is we can maximise our efficiency".
He commented: "Another advantage is that the process undertaken by Keith MacDonald and his team is rigorous and the results are quantifiable.
We know that he will be in regular contact and will check with us that the recommendations are working and that our processes remain secure and productive".
Robertshaw said: "From the business' point of view, changes can only be made that maintains product reliability and a secure process, cost reductions and improvements must not damage these".
* Re-evaluation - an important advantage of Sandvik Coromant's productivity improvement activities is that each proposal undergoes re-evaluation after implementation to verify that changes have achieved the promised improvements, or that they will be achieved, and that processes remain secure and consistent.
During 2008, all the changes proposed by Sandvik Coromant that were implemented by TWL Precision in 2007 will be re-examined to verify and quantify the improvements.
Sandvik told manufacturingtalk that his is a valuable and valued part of the service offered by its productivity improvement teams.
Ferry thinks the next step may be to examine toolholding on some nozzle-ring turning operations to reduce tool change times that are probably currently excessive.
Modular toolholding, using the Coromant Capto, may be a solution here.
Other analyses may be on automating processes to maximise throughout further and minimise component costs.
Sandvik Coromant said that both companies gained from collaboration and expects more such ventures during the next two years.
* About VTL Group and TWL Precision - the VTL Group is a leading precision engineering and manufacturing company specialising in the design and manufacture of large volume high precision components and assemblies.
Spread across the globe, its manufacturing plants are located in Europe, USA and in 2008 will open a new factory in India.
The group hassales and technical offices in USA, Europe, India and Japan.
VTL and TWL specialise in the following.
* Precision manufacture.
* Small to medium sizes up to 300mm3 (12in3).
* High tech materials (alloys, stainless steels, etc).
* Tight tolerances.
* Machined from forgings or solid stock.
* Complex turning, milling, grinding, assembly.
* High volumes.
All VTL group companies hold TS16949 certification, as well as ISO14001 and OHSAS 18001.
Investment in the latest technology ensures that customers' targets for cost and quality are met.
Group companies include the following companies.
* VTL Automotive - a leader in supplying vehicle manual transmission components, with factories in the UK and India.
* TWL Engineering - rapid prototype development, low volumes, tooling solutions and CAD/CAM design.
* TWLE - is active in the industrial and automotive markets.
* TWL Precision - has factories in UK, USA and India and is a high volume precision machining company aimed at automotive and industrial customers.
VTL companies supply major OEM's and end users in the automotive, truck and industrial sectors and employs 260 people in five manufacturing plants across Europe, Asia and North America.
* About Sandvik Coromant - Sandvik Coromant, a product area within Sandvik Tooling, is a global leading name in cutting tools for turning, milling and drilling as well as modular tooling systems for lathes and machining centres.
With some 7,000 employees, Sandvik Coromant is represented by its own sales personnel and specialists in more than 60 countries.
In addition there is an established distributor network.
20 state-of-the art Productivity Centres located around the world provide customers and Coromant personnel with training in tooling solutions for increased productivity.
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