Configurable components cut costs and time

Dial Tool Industries reckons it can reduce design time on a particular section of a machine from 20 hours to 20 minutes by using configurable components from Misumi.

According to Misumi USA, customers have benefited by using Misumi configurable components and confirm they are experiencing time savings of up to 60% on machined parts and cost reductions of up to 50%.

Traditionally, designers would draw up the proposed machine, then spec out as many standard parts as possible, before proceeding to the design and production of the custom parts needed.

Whether produced in their machine shop or outsourced to a local shop or component supplier for custom, low-volume production, this process had attendant expense, time and higher associated machine maintenance cost, plus less modularity in the utilisation of custom parts on other machine builds.

According to Abco Automation's Senior Mechanical Engineer, Dan Pescariu: "We found that by reducing the amount of custom components per machine we are able to not only save time and money but are also able to produce machines that are more modular and offer better performance".

Additional benefits of replacing custom components with configurable components are that configurable components typically translates to less design compromises and allows machines to be designed more modular.

Not only do configurable components offer high-quality fit, but each part has its own part number that can be listed on the bill of materials so that when a machine needs maintenance, it is much easier and faster to change out the part, thereby reducing machine down-time.

Time is a critical factor and tight deadlines are common in the machine building industry, any means taken that can reduce design and build time, without sacrificing quality, is a definite benefit not only to the machine builder, but to their customer as well.

According to Sean Fraser, Director of Dial Tool Industries Automation Division: "We're finding we often can reduce our design time on a particular section of a machine from 20 hours to 20 minutes by using configurable components from Misumi".

"The time savings for our engineers, plus the machine shop time and expense savings we realise are simply outstanding".

Furthermore, according to Fraser: "We can source configurable components from Misumi with no minimum order quantities and no setup charges".

Additionally, the Misumi online CAD configurator allows engineers to download native CAD files and insert these files directly into their assembly drawings.

All this time savings add up to higher productivity, reduced build time and dramatic component cost reduction.

The current challenging economic climate has increased competition and put cost pressures on manufacturers who in turn place pressure on suppliers, including the machine builders, to reduce costs without sacrificing quality, service and delivery.

Take as example, MeadWestvaco, who has earned the confidence of many of the world's most trusted brands and is admired as a leader and pioneer in the packaging industry.

Designing and building machines can be a challenging project especially when the suppliers and internal processes are not properly aligned.

Aligning these resources is a challenge in itself, but become increasingly challenging when trying to keep large projects within budget.

MeadWestvaco achieved aligning its supplier and internal processes by utilising Misumi configurable components that offer greater design, build flexibilities and cost savings than the typical custom component suppliers.

According to Michael F Flagg, PE, Senior Design Engineer for the Consumer Solutions Group: "We found that we could improve the performance, modularity and repeatability of our machines all while lowering costs".

Flagg decided to try Misumi by retrofitting one of MeadWestvaco's most popular machines with configurable mechanical components.

The machine chosen was the Duodozen 1250 series machine.

As part of its systems approach, MeadWestvaco created the 1250M series to offer customers a flexible and affordable solution for running large multiples in an end-load solution.

Flagg explained that using Misumi configurable mechanical factory automation components has reduced the component cost by 50%.

"This is huge", exclaimed Flagg: "We not only cut cost for one of our most popular machines, but using Misumi has opened up new design possibilities as we can now have a reliable supplier providing top quality machined components quickly and at a very low cost and enables us to configure them to our specifications - amazing".

Using Misumi configurable components allow machine builders to consolidate suppliers, reduce design time and custom machining of components and produce machines that are more modular and easier to maintain.

Misumi never requires a minimum order quantity or set up charge on a product portfolio of 500,000 metric and inch components.

Misumi has a 99.95% on-time delivery rating on all its products as well as a website that allows engineers to download native CAD files as well as place orders for its entire product offering.

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