Benefits of automation
are demonstrated by
this Kuka extrusion die
change cell
Billet cell - another
example of ongoing
transformation, area by
area
january 2008
some of the fruit of that; but there’s a lot more in the
pipeline. We’ve just ordered a new bar mill which is a
$19million investment; and we are not just looking at
machinery - we’re spending on the roof and other
infrastructure projects, so there’s a lot of money going
in, breathing fresh life into the company. We’ve taken
these decisions because the whole factory was in the
doldrums’.
Robust equipment needed
The transformation clearly hasn’t been easy; it never is
on a existing site with ‘heritage’ issues. ‘There was no
flow; work was taking far too long to transfer around
the site. But that’s changing and where we’ve been
investing you can see the difference. We’ve put machines
into cellular layouts and looked at staffing and so there
are pockets of good performance and best practice; but
it’s disjointed as it’s a work in progress, and we’ve still
got a long way to go.’ The new cells being created are a
mix of ‘heavy’ processes such as extrusion and forging,
and specialist cells where extrusions are cleaned up (eg
by shotblasting) inspected and cut to size.
This then is the context for investment, for example
in the latest sawing technology installations which
include two Kastotec AC4 carbide machines and four
large Kastotec AC5 and AC7 machines with automatic
marking and autoconveyors. The Kasto machines fit
into the chain of raw material supply, preparing forged
bar destined - via bar peeling and ultrasonic testing - for
the extrusion presses (or for customers, hence the need
for integrated marking). ‘We can program them for
particular alloys, and some are incredibly hard’ observes
McGowan; ‘and one of our problems is finding
equipment that is robust enough’ he adds,
acknowledging the company’s traditional penchant for
materials supply subcon scene
over-engineered machines. Evidently there has in the
past been some difficulty cutting these alloys. ‘But
Kasto did a lot of development work with us, trying out
blades, techniques, machines etc, and one of the things
they like about working with our alloys is that it really
pushes their machinery - and their ambition is to be the
best.’ The saws also incorporate changeover tables;
introduction of automation and unmanned running
are seen to some extent as elements of cultural change.
Other investments around the factory, actual or
impending, include new bar peeler equipment to
enhance productivity at the early stages of processing
(bar peelers are much faster than lathes at ‘cleaning up’
the surface of forged bar); and Kuka robot-assisted
cells, one of which which undertakes die change on the
extrusion press. Since the dies must be changed after
every extrusion, the two minute time saving on
changeover is a significant boost to productivity.
McGowan admits that this installation did generate
some unanticipated teething problems - but it’s
accepted that such experiences are always possible when
implementing a step change.
Add to these developments plans for new cells for
grinding and special sections and a new rod mill (to
replace the still-operating cross-country mill) and it’s
clear that a radical transformation is under way. ‘We’ve
been clearing the site over the past 18 months, and we
must have taken out over 1000 tonnes of old equipment,
and filled in factory floors to accommodate new
equipment’ McGowan continues. ‘Our pet hate is
replacing like for like - you’ve got to step up as high as
you can.’
Importantly the changes also encompass
environmental controls, and waste and energy
management and monitoring. ‘There isn’t anything we
aren’t spending money on to give the factory a long
term future. We’ve spent over a million dollars this year
just getting rid of of trichloroethylene; we’ve replaced it
with a solvent called 702. It’s still a batch process but it’s
safe, environmentally friendly, includes better
filtration, and is more energy efficient.
‘We’ve tried, as we’ve created each cell, to do all the
things we want to do on energy and the environment,
layout, 5S and so on as a part of that cell, to give the
employees what they need and to transform that
particular area.’ To emphasise the changes SMW has
changed the standard colours of its plant. ‘All the old
equipment was green, all the new is blue - so it becomes
transparent as part of an ongoing way of showing
people what we are doing. And already if you talk to the
shopfloor people they’ll tell you they have seen more
change in the last few years than in decades.
‘We’ve taken out costs, and re-engineered processes.
Scrap rates are down, we have higher productivity, and
lower risks and liabilities. But the best is yet to come’
says Robert McGowan. We have reliability issues with
some of our key plant but these are being overcome.
Again these areas will be subject to capital investment,
but there’s only so much you can do at a time. At the
moment we are focusing on the growth opportunities
and increasing profitability that will give us the long
term future, as well as strategic investment in the key
areas of infrastructure and reliability.’
www.specialmetals.com
ww.kasto.uk.com
MWP
75
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