Challenge: Reduce an Automobile’s Weight and Cost
Through the use of high strength and ultra-high strength steels, we have been able to reduce both weight and cost. By converting components that have historically been produced by forging or casting methods to metal stampings, we have provided cost savings on such products as control arms, engine cradles, and suspension links.
The results are:
- Reduced complexity
- Fewer opportunities for quality issues
- Less WIP
- Lower cost
- Weight savings
Challenge: Reduce Customer’s Part Costs by 30%
A major automotive stamping operation was challenged by Total Cost Management to reduce costs for their customer. They solicited our assistance in achieving a portion of their cost savings objective.
Our approach was to establish a cross-functional “Value Engineering” team to re-engineer the part used on an automotive lift gate. By re-engineering the part, we were able to remove an entire operation.
The result was innovative problem solving and team-oriented engineering and a cost reduction of 30% for our customer.
Challenge: Provide a $2 million Cost Savings Over the Life of a Program
One of the top 10 automotive suppliers in the world came to us with a request to decrease costs on a component they were buying offshore.
Our approach was to design a die that would allow the components to be tapped in-line, eliminating a secondary process.
The result was the requested $2 million in savings and localization of the component.
Challenge: Emergency Re-source Opportunity
A major automotive component assembly operation was being constantly shut down by inconsistent vendor performance (late deliveries, unacceptable product quality, and inability to resolve problems).
The automotive component customer provided six dies to our team, all of which needed modification. Delivery of finished stampings was required in three days (over a weekend.)
Our in-house tooling team assessed the faulty design; modified the tooling to address the quality issue; organized a work team to build tooling through the weekend; and coordinated production startup.
The result was our customer had components on their production floor by 7 am. Monday morning. Operations have not been interrupted since we became the supplier for this part.
