optimas increases
productivity
for cancer diagnostic
eQuipment manufacturer
arly diagnosis of cancer
can greatly improve
survival rates, with health
centres utilising the latest
technology to ensure
identification of the condition is achieved
sooner. Cancer diagnosis machines
are at the forefront of this technology,
which emphasizes the importance of
smooth manufacturing operations when
producing such equipment. When one
leading manufacturer was experiencing
downtime due to fastener issues, they
contacted Optimas to help improve
productivity.
e
The manufacturer was suffering between
15-30 minutes of downtime on a daily
basis, with the entire production line
coming to a halt in such circumstances.
The fasteners were identified as the cause
of the stoppages: certain components
that were installed via airgun presented
multiple issues. Firstly, fasteners were
becoming jammed during installation into
the machine's sheet metal. Furthermore,
fasteners were becoming stripped of their
coating, and in more severe cases, the
applied torque was forcing the airgun out
of the operator's hands, causing health
and safety concerns.
Optimas was contacted by the
manufacturer due to a proven track record
of developing and supplying fastener
solutions globally to OEM manufacturers
of medical equipment. The business
operates a vast component portfolio,
backed by a highly efficient logistics
network that blends global capability with
local points of contact. Often consulted
at the initial design stage of projects,
Optimas was a logical choice to tackle the
challenges presented by this particular
component.
Working closely with the manufacturer's
engineering teams and the part supplier,
Optimas fastener experts started to assess
what aspect of the fastener was causing
issues. Dialogue between the teams at
this stage was key, and resulted in the
identification of the cause.
A section of the thread featured a nylon
coating, which is often referred to as
a 'patch'. The patch offered increased
integrity, ensuring that the fastener could
not back out from its aperture over a
prolonged service life. However, Optimas
engineers were able to identify that the
coating was too thick, which was causing
the jamming issues during the installation
of the component.
Having identified the root cause, Optimas
engineers worked in conjunction with
the supplier's engineering team to
deliver a solution. Leaning on experience
from originating custom parts for a
wide range of demanding applications,
Optimas and the supplier were able to
design and source a component where
the nylon coating was reduced by 50%.
The new component was introduced to
the production line, and trailed in the
manufacturing process.
The benefits were clear. Jamming,
stripping and associated injuries were
entirely eliminated, minimizing potential
risk to workers and greatly increasing
the efficiency of production. By the
introduction of this component alone,
the manufacturer was able to increase
productivity by 27%. The component
was such a success, that it has now been
accepted as an industry standard. Known
as the 'light patch' the new component
delivered the engineering performance
required but with the benefit of easy
installation.
Identifying highly specialized solutions
can reap huge efficiency rewards –
whether dealing in large systems or
individual components. By approaching
the problematic fastener methodically,
utilizing the existing engineering teams
at both the supplier and manufacturer,
Optimas was able to deliver tangible
productivity benefits across an entire
production process. It is proof that
focusing on the small details can deliver
big rewards.
www.optimas.com
Issue 29 PECM
33