Client: 

Casting parts manufacturer supplying to Major OEMs.

Scope: 

To increase the capacity of the plant from the current perday capacity of 3 Tonnes to 5 Tonnes, by looking at layout optimization, automation of critical processes, process study and elimination of non-value added activities.

Visual Representation of Our Value Delivered

existing Layout

Proposed Layout

Existing process

  • Sand & Sodium Silicate mixing is done manually
  • The mixture is carried to the moulding area manually
  • 3 skilled, 7 semi-skilled & 3 unskilled manpower

Proposed process

  • Automatic mixing and tansfer of mixed sand to the moulding area with a shooter arrangement
  • Arrangement for storing fresh sand in a hooper

Advantages

  • Consistency of sand & Sodium silicate mixing ensured at the point-of-use
  • 7 semi-skilled and 3 unskilled operators moved out

Existing process

  • After curing the molds (after they received the molten metal) for 24 hours, the molds are transferred to the knock-out area manually.
  • The metal boxes are removed by hammering them.
  • The metal and the sand are separated by knocking them manually

Proposed process

  • The molds are transferred to the knock-out area by the conveyor system and placed on a knock-out/shake-out table. This is a vibrating table.
  • Due to the vibration, the metal box is easily separated from the mold. Also the solidified cast part is separated from the sand mold.

Advantages

  • The 24 hours waiting period is eliminated
  • Eleminated the manpower due to the automation

Existing process

  • The sand lumps are carried manually to a sand crushing area.
  • The sand lumps are crushed by moving a heavy roller on them
  • A potion (usually 20%)  of the used sand is then mixed with sodium silicate and reused as packing sand inside the mold.

Proposed process

  • The sand lumps are transferred to the sand crusher using a conveyor arrangement.
  • The crushed sand is separated and stored in overhead tanks.
  • As an when required, this crushed sand is mixed with sodium silicate and transferred to the mold line (to be used as a packing sand)

Advantages

  • Improved house keeping
  • Eleminated the manpower due to the automation

Existing process

  • It was difficult to move the "molded parts" to the "closing area" via "knockout".
  • Two overhead cranes were needed. One for handling the furnace and another one for moving the molds.

Proposed process

  • Kept the mold area nearby furnace.

Advantages

  • Eleminated the necessity of two overhead cranes and used the same overhead crane for both

Existing process

  • There was a criss-cross movement in material handling

Proposed process

  • Rotated the furnace orientation
  • Introduced sand reclamation equipment and transferred the sand lumps from the knockout stage using a belt conveyor
  • Placed all the stations as per the sequence of operations.

Advantages

  • The material handling time was reduced drastically.

Value delivered:

  • Reduced the manpower from 10 to 3 in mold making area and from 4 to 1 in knock out area.
  • Removed the criss-cross movements. So material handling time was reduced.
  • Used the same overhead crane for both furnace and closing area.
  • Better utilization of layout to accommodate more equipment.

The Benefit:

Overall, the net result was a 80% increase in foundry capacity, along with improved interdivisional efficiency, communication and cooperation.

   

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