Medical Supply Manufacturer, Cleveland, Ohio

Problem: Short production runs and frequent changeover of parts was causing this manufacturer to experience low utilization rates for its machining centers due to the frequent fixture changeovers.  The plant operates three machining centers, three shifts a day, with each machine making an average of six fixture changes a day at 20 minutes per change.  Average downtime per machine was 120 minutes a day or 8.3% of available machine time. Solution: Jergens Quick Change Ball Lock System Results: Average fixture changeover time has been reduced to 5 minutes per change saving 90 minutes per machine per day.  Using an average of $75 per machine hour, this company has increased its production by over $84,000 annually. (3 Machining Centers X 1.5 Hours/Day X $75/Hour X 250 Days)

Aerospace Parts Supplier, Akron, Ohio

Problem: A slow economy and increasing competition required this company to reduce its manufacturing costs.  The company has an application in which it produces 30,000 parts requiring a .217 hole drilled 1" deep.  The original method used a high speed steel jobber drill costing $1.50 with life expectancy of 300 holes and a cycle time of 24.6 seconds per part.  Using a machine time of $60 per hour, total machining costs were $12,900 to produce the 30,000 holes. Solution: Titex Coolant Fed Carbide Drill Results: Cycle time has been reduced to 3.6 seconds per part; life expectancy increased to 1,125 holes per drill and the overall machining costs for the 30,000 holes has decreased to $3,300, by using this $56.78 Titex coolant fed solid carbide drill.  Overall cost savings are $9,600 annually on this application.