AS 9100 D, ISO 9001:2015 , ISO 45001:2018, ISO 14001:2015, ISO 9001, IATF 16949 Certified Company
Case Study:
Process: Secondary operations (Value Added Services)
Challenge
Help a large automotive tier-one supplier reduce costs for producing an important cover for Car door lock and ignition key lock. The major performance criteria for the cover – car door lock and ignition key lock was Aesthetics. The components were being supplied by another supplier but the rejections due to surface defects were high – 15%; hence customer was not able to meet the demand of a major OEM.
Solution
Our value-added/value-engineering team studied the part and developed an alternative manufacturing process. Instead of having three operations stamping-cleaning-inspection we re-engineered the process; stamping-cleaning-centrifugal tumbling-ultrasonic cleaning– inspection. Stamped parts were exposed to special media in centrifugal tumbling for optimum duration (30 minutes) followed by ultrasonic cleaning; ensuring removal of scratches, dirt and chips – significantly reducing surface defects. With the alternative process in place the rejections came down significantly from 15% to 1.5%.
Result
Eigen’s alternative process successfully reduced rejections and provided better quality control; customer was able to improve deliveries to OEM. Because Eigen was responsible for alternative process; customer approved Eigen for Direct Line Supply; helping reduce costs and ensuring more incremental business with improved customer satisfaction.