Turbine parts ground precisely, no burning

Grinding wheel change increased camshaft production in 2005 by 40% to 1.4 million units without investing in extra machinery after its engineers undertook a detailed analysis.

Ford Motor Company's Bridgend, Wales, plant, which builds engines for Jaguars, Land Rovers and the Ford Fiesta and Focus, has enjoyed much success recently, prompting a decision last year to increase camshaft production in 2005 by 40% to 1.4 million units.

An avid exponent of lean manufacturing, the company wanted to achieve this without investing in extra machinery, so its engineers undertook a detailed analysis and identified cam lobe grinding as one area where improvements could be made.

Due to the complexity of the process, Ford called in Tyrolit, its long-term grinding wheel supplier, to recommend how to increase throughput and, at the same time, improve the quality and accuracy of the cam surfaces.

As part of its consultative approach, Tyrolit formed a working party with Ford engineers to define the project targets and amass data on the existing process for analysis.

The supplier then submitted a detailed cost reduction plan in which savings were broken down into cuts in consumable, set-up and machining costs.

Floor-to-floor time was reduced from 124 to 112s and the increase in grinding machine capacity was more than 12%, allowing production of 1.4 million camshafts during 2005 without any new plant.

Central to achieving the optimisation targets was the adoption of a newly developed Tyrolit CBN grinding wheel, which draws less spindle power as it is 60% lighter than conventional products.

Additionally, the new tool was better able to absorb vibration, allowing a harder bond to be used.

Together with improved dressing, it resulted in longer wheel life, leading to a significant reduction in cost per part.

Overall, the saving in cam lobe grinding was calculated at over GBP 300,000 per year over the lifetime of the project.

Said Ford Motor Company's senior manufacturing engineer, Mike Jones, "The structured approach to this project was key to its success, especially the teamwork between our engineers and experts from Tyrolit.

It is a good example of our philosophy of working closely with partners and suppliers.

The successful outcome proves how extraordinary results can be achieved when innovative minds and production tools are at work.