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Michigan Manufacturing Insight : November/December 2006

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Feature Articles

Case Study — Serapid U.S.A., Inc.: Need to Get Lean After the Holidays?

By Kellie Garrett

Everyone is talking about getting lean — and I don’t mean diets. Lean manufacturing, the management philosophy focusing on the reduction of seven wastes: over-production, waiting time, transportation, processing, inventory, motion and scrap, has become a staple in the manufacturing lexicon. By eliminating waste, quality is improved and production time and costs are reduced.

Photo courtesy of Serapid U.S.A., Inc. Serapid’s quick die change solution for Aisin Manufacturing Corporation.

Serapid U.S.A., Inc., a manufacturer in Sterling Heights, helps other manufacturers get lean with its lifting and push-pull products and its quick die change (QDC) solutions, which are designed to increase press-related up-time.

Serapid provides die-moving and positioning equipment, from press-mounted loading systems to rail-guided die carriers. Die transportation is completed using Serapid’s original rigid-chain drives, a technology the company has implemented and refined for more than 30 years.

The firm recently received a contract to provide QDC solutions to Aisin Manufacturing Corporation, a Japanese automotive supplier that is tripling the size of its Seymour, Indiana plant.

According to Ann Marie Fortunate, a Serapid spokesperson, Aisin realized it would need to implement a system to maximize the efficiency of its press and to speed up production. The plant averaged two die changes per shift and had utilized automated die change components but had experienced several problems with the original equipment.

“Serapid carts are more durable than past units we had installed,” said Mike Fish, manufacturing engineer for Aisin. “We saw immediate benefits after the installation of the first die cart.”

“Serapid’s QDC systems can save its clients up to half a day in the die-change process, increasing press up-time,” said Fortunate.

Other factors that contribute to the value of QDC systems include, lower labor costs, improved product quality, reduced inventory costs, improved customer service, better efficiency and deferred costs.

Labor costs are reduced because set-up personnel are not spending as much time exchanging tools, staging tools and, in some cases, finding tools.

Product quality is improved using QDC systems as they provide a more systematic approach to the tool changing process, making it easier to control the positioning variables. When a tool is aligned correctly in a press, the quality of the end product is improved.

“Correcting quality issues can be expensive, especially in automotive applications,” said Thomas F. Tinetti, Serapid QDC sales manager. “If too many parts are sent to an automotive customer out of specification, they will require that each part be checked before it’s sent the following month. Considering labor costs, this can be very costly.”

QDC also helps to decrease the amount of raw material and work-in-progress inventory a manufacturer stores. With QDC, manufacturers can run shorter batch jobs and not have a lot of finished product on hand, reducing the amount of floor space and capital spent on inventory.

Customer service is improved because delivery times are more accurate.

The QDC process involves an overall review of tool handling, which can identify additional efficiency enhancements in the operation. Cost avoidance is another benefit of a QDC system as new equipment acquisitions or plant additions can be deferred as the plant becomes more efficient. The systems also eliminate human errors that lead to tool or machine damage and reduce the chance of worker injury.

Michigan’s slow economy and the highly competitive global arena have affected many manufacturers. Within the QDC arena, Serapid works with metal forming companies to help them find efficiencies in the tool process and get a head start on getting lean.

Kellie Garrett is media and member relations coordinator for the Michigan Manufacturers Association. She may be reached at 517-487-8542.

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