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Cost Reduction For Manufacturing A Product By Improvisation Of Process

Kuldeep S Pawar*, Mechanical Dept., Mumbai University, email – p.kuldeep3@gmail.com

Reena Pant, Mechanical Dept., Mumbai University, email – reenapant7@gmail.com
Sachin Chavan, Mechanical Dept., Bharati Vidyapeeth University, email address

Abstract -
This work is based on improvisation of process carried out on a product development from an
engineering perspective to identify the possibilities of cost reduction in existing process used
product development by the organization. Cost assertiveness and efficiency improvement are two
perspective from a company’s point of view. Hence in this work cost reduction is given the
priority.

Therefore, a heterogeneous landscape of models describing the existing process is formulated. A

comparative framework illustrating the emphasis and the scope of product development process
models from different perspectives has been derived for the approach. This framework will help
in the development for identifying suitable procedures for their specific perspective.
Accordingly, three areas: product development management, simultaneous development and
information management are recognized. These areasare so far underrepresented in product
development process models. By studying three areas various alternatives are recognized. The
best alternative is found to be the forging method is better than investment casting and
machining.

It is found that the best result will be obtained by changing the manufacturing process to upset
forging process without compromising the quality standards. The additional benefit are lead time
reduction and low cost of manufacturing. The organization has also successfully implemented
the change of manufacturing process with success.
Keywords - Product Development, Process Development, Product Costing, Road Map.
Research Paper

1. Introduction
Design is what we do when we solve a problem. Design and engineering are linked together in
most of projects. When designers solve a problem or satisfy a need, they often use appropriate
engineering technology. Appropriate technology can be low or high technology. It is any type of
technology that suits the way it is being used. Therefore design evaluation plays an important
role in determining the situation and in choosing better design solution.
Industrial designers and engineering designers have different educational backgrounds. Industrial
designers tend to be subjective in their judgment of concepts, whereas engineering designers tend
to implement systematic approaches. Sometimes the weak communication link between the two
fields causes misunderstanding during the product renovation process. The common process in
product redesigning is shown as follows:
1. Think about the problem
2. Collect information, think of possible solutions
3. Choose the best solution
4. Plan and make the prototype solution
5. Test the prototype solution

When the designer or engineers do not have a consistent perception of the problem or the
possible solutions, the contradiction appears.
This can easily happen during the above steps 1 to 3. For instance;
Which idea is the best? Which idea solves the problem best?
Which one can be made easily and within the time limit?
If cost were important, which would be the cheapest?
Are the designs safe? Will people like it and pay for it?

These questions are difficult to answer for both designer and engineer. In this study, the Value
engineering approach is selected as a communication platform between industrial designers and
engineering designers. Expanding on the meaning of value, the product needs to be not only
mechanically efficient but also to satisfy human needs, which are often irrational. Value
engineering is based on function analysis and customer information to optimize design related
factors in particular situations, and has been utilized in the construction industry for many years.
In the engineering industry products are often developed in teams. A clearly defined and
documented development process helps to coordinate involved individuals and to structure their
activities by regulating participation and exchange of information and material. Additionally,
product quality is ensured by the adherence to certain stages, which are specified by the PDP. A
dynamic and non-deterministic successful product development in team scenarios requires
consistent planning of processes and their coordination. Planning and compliance to milestones
along the development process supports proper scheduling of the entire product development
project. Consequently, designing PDP in a way to ensure quality as well as to reduce
development complexity and efforts grows increasingly important.

2. Brief Literature review

Most of the Authors determined that product development models give a simplified overview of
the complete process which enables a detailed analysis of the individual activities a company
carries out to develop and commercialize a product.
Most of the literatures present work on different casting defects, causes and their
remedies which help to quality control department of casting industries for analysis of casting
defect and helpful in improving the productivity and yield of the casting. Rejections of the
casting on the basis of the casting defect should be as minimized and all the above research is
heading in the same direction.
A.M. Gokhale and G.R.Patel[2001],S.G.Lee, G.R.Patel, A.M. Gokhale, A.
Sreeranganathan, and M.F. Horstemeyer [2005] In general, increased porosity in castings
leads to decreased strength and ductility. The decreases in mechanical properties do not correlate
to the overall average porosity in the alloy but, rather, the behavior depends on the porosity
measured on the fracture surface i.e., the local extremes in porosity.

B. Tomov [2007] presents an overview of the hot close-die- forging (HCDF) and aims at
drawing up some new ideas and conclusions about future development of
the HCDF. The HCDF technology is on the threshold of a new period of positive development.
However some problems as intermediate impressions, for example blockers, are exhausted, there
are plenty others which require additional investigation. Dies design seems to be the most
interesting and creative realm of the process planning. A lot of efforts is to be put in connections
between economical and technical aspects of the forging process. Ideas as combining operations
and exploitation factors realizing the forging process will play essential role in process design.

Ricardo W. Gregorutti et al.[2015] States that the electrochemical tests indicated that corrosion
rate is higher in porous AISI 316L respect to the dense material. Regarding the influence of the
type of porosity, it could be established that there is a significant effect of open porosity and the
total porosity on the corrosion rate. The smaller open porosity implies lower corrosion rate. This
behavior can be related to the lower exposed surface area produced when open porosity
decreases.

Rajesh Rajkolhe, J. G. Khan [2014] stated that foundry industries in developing countries
suffer from poor quality and productivity due to involvement of number of process parameter.
Even in completely controlled process, defect in casting are observed and hence casting process
is also known as process of uncertainty which challenges explanation about the cause of casting
defects. This study aims to finding different defects in casting, analysis of defect and providing
their remedies with their causes. In this paper an attempt has been made to list different types of
casting defects and their root causes of occurrence. This paper also aims to provide correct
guideline to quality control department to find casting defects and will help them to analyze
defects which are not desired.
3. Methodology
Explain your methodology for research which include data collection, data analysis model
formulation etc.
3.1. Research design
By studying core literature on product development we first investigated the role of PDP models
in the development process. Subsequently we conducted a further literature review to identify
relevant models and developed a comparison framework for model assessment.
Onsite visit of the company and case study approach has been used to solve the problem
a) To minimize rejection rate

b) To reduce manufacturing lead time

c) To reduce manufacturing cost

d) To develop quality supplier

e) To improve existing process

3.1.1. Proposed Model

Problem Literature
Role of PDP
Statement survey

Implementation Comparison &

Analysis of PDP & Identification of
in actual
practices Finalize gap of Proposed
PDP

Final Result
 Fig – 1 Road Map
4. Results

4.1 Bright bar Machining Process

The steps of bright bar machining process are shown in following fig. – 2
For machining process use a bright bar. Initially company refer this process for manufacturing
seat valve shaft, because this process is less time consuming, less delivery time, zero rejection
rate.
Steps

• Raw Material
1
• Turning
2
• Milling
3
• Surface finish
4
• Inspection
5
• Dispatch
6

Fig –2 Bright bar machining process steps

A costing of seat valve shaft machining process as shown in Table – 1
Raw material used for seat valve shaft is stainless steel bright bar- 316L.
The rate of material is 280 / KG
Raw Material Size – dia70mm*215mm long Bright Bar
Finished size of seat valve shaft is 66.5mm * 210mm long
Rejection rate of machining process is – 0%
Table –1 Detail of seat valve shaft machining cost
material Raw Raw Final cost Delive
sr. Part machining process cost
size material material finishing additional ry
no name
Dia long weight cost cutting turning milling (10% Time
350/h Profit/
350/hr r unit)
Seat
Valve
1 Shaft 70 215 6.53328 1698.65 15 204 60 165 2356.92/- 5 days
(Brigh
t bar)
35 min 10min

Every Month Production - 500 Nos/Month

Total Cost – Rs.11, 78,460/-

4.2 Investment casting process

Properties and Considerations of Manufacturing by Investment Casting

 Investment casting is a manufacturing process that allows the casting of extremely

complex parts, with good surface finish.
 Very thin sections can be produced by this process. Metal castings with sections as
narrow as .015in (.4mm) have been manufactured using investment casting.
 Investment casting also allows for high dimensional accuracy. Tolerances as low as
.003in (.076mm) have been claimed.
 Practically any metal can be investment cast. Parts manufactured by this process are
generally small, but parts weighing up to 75lbs have been found suitable for this
technique.
 Parts of the investment process may be automated.
 Investment casting is a complicated process and is relatively expensive.
 Steps

1 • Tooling and pattern Making

2 • Pattern Assembly

3 • Dipping and coating – Zircon solution(raw ceramic)

4 • De - waxing and firing

5 • Casting - Melton metal pouring

6 • Knockout – Remove shell

7 • Finishing

8 • Testing and Inspection

9 • Turning

10 • Milling

11 • Surface Finish

12 • Testing And Inspection

Fig – 3 Investment casting process steps

 Raw material required for seat valve shaft is stainless steel - 316L.
 Raw material rate (stainless steel bright bar) is Rs. 280/KG.
 Aluminum die required for wax pattern making and its cost is – 25000/-
 With scrap material required for investment casting is 2.15 KG.
 Finished sizes of seat valve shaft are - 66.5mm * 210mm long.
 Total Rejection Rate of Investment Casting process is – 16%
Table –2 Detail of seat valve shaft Investment casting process cost

Sr. Part Die Cost of Machining Process Finishing Final Cost Delivery
No Name Cost Casting additional Time
/Part (10% Profit
/Unit)

580/kg Turning Milling Buffing

350/hr 350/hr

1 Shaft 5 1247 70 60 165 1701.70/- 15 days

2.15 KG 12 min 10min

Every Month Production of seat valve shaft is 500 Nos.

 There for total cost of seat valve shaft per month is – Rs.8, 50,850/-
 Delivery time required for investment casting process is 15 days

4.3 Forging process

Steps

1 • Raw Material

2 • Heating

3 • Forging and trimming

4 • Heat treatment

5 • Shot blasting

6 • Final Inspection

7 • Turning And Milling

8 • Surface Finish

9 • Testing and Inspection

 Fig – 4 forging process steps

 Raw material required for seat valve manufacturing shaft is stainless steel - 316L
 Upset forging Die Cost is 15000/-
 The die use for production is 1000 Parts only after that it required to alter or it should be
changed. Material required for forging is 2 KG.
 For forging pe stroke rate is Rs.30/-
 Finished size of seat valve shaft is dia. 66.5mm X 210mm long.
 Rejection Rate by forging method is 1%

Table – 3 Detail of seat valve shaft forging process cost

Sr. Part Die Cost of Machining Process Finishing Final Cost Delivery
No. Name Cost/ Forging Buffing, Additional Time
Unit Ultra sonic (10%
cleaning, Profit/
unit)
30/strk cutting Turning Milling Marking

280/KG 350/hr 350/hr

1 Shaft 15 560+ 60 15 90 60 120+45 950/- 5 days

2 KG 15 min

Every Month Production of seat valve shaft is 500 Nos.

 There for total cost of seat valve shaft per month is Rs.4,75,000/-
 Delivery time required for investment casting process is 5 days
Table - 4 Comparison & Identification of gap of Proposed PDP

Bright Bar machining Investment casting Forging

 High material cost  Low material cost  Low material cost

 Wt – 6.53 Kg  Wt – 2.15 Kg  Wt – 2 kg

 Low process lead  High process lead  low process lead time
time time

 No die cost  Moderate pattern cost  High die cost

 High wastage [scrap]  Low wastage  Low wastage

 High machining cost  Low machining cost  Low machining cost

 Low inventory cost  High inventory cost  High inventory cost

 No defect  porosity defect  No defect

5. Discussion
By reference of table 3.1, table 3.2, table 3.3 seat valve shaft cost/ processes is:
 Machining - Rs.2356.92/-
 Investment Casting - Rs.1701.70/-
 Forging - Rs. 950/-
Every Month Production 500 Nos.
 Total Cost by Machining Process – Rs.11,78,460/-
 Total Cost by Investment Casting Process – Rs.8,50,850/-
 Total Cost By Forging Process – Rs.4,75,000/-

By calculation 27.79% cost saving in investment casting process as compared to Machining

process and 44.17% cost saving in forging process as compare to Investment casting process.
On comparing cost analysis of processes lowest cost is governed by forging process so we develop
forging part supplier.
6. Conclusions

Initially bright bar machining process used for seat valve shaft was very costly and time
consuming so company shifted it to investment casting process which shows reduction in cost
but reduce quality level because of pin porosity of casting. By the observation it is decided to
change the process and after analyzing we shifted to forging process. It is less time consuming,
lower rejection rate and minimum cost.
 Increase in productivity
By shifting the process from machining to casting and casting to forging which increase
the production rate with minimum input.
 Reduce lead time
Manufacturing lead time also reduce by using forging process as compared to previous
process.
 Reduce cost
Manufacturing cost per unit also reduced as compared to previous processes which
increase in profitability of the company.
 Improve quality
By using forging process quality of the product reduce rejection rate, increase customer
satisfaction.
 Increase profitability
Because of changing process increase performance of the product and increase market
share of the company so it will be affect on profitability of company.
 Develop quality supplier

Quality supplier selection is important for increase the quality of product, on time delivery. Evaluation of
supplier also helps the continuous improvement product quality and cost effectiveness and increase
performance of supplier
Figures, Tables and Illustrations
Figure
• Fig – 1 Road Map
• Fig –2 Bright bar machining process steps
• Fig – 3 Investment casting process steps
• Fig – 4 forging process steps

Table
• Table –1 Detail of seat valve shaft machining cost
• Table –2 Detail of seat valve shaft Investment casting process cost
• Table – 3 Detail of seat valve shaft forging process cost
• Table - 4 Comparison & Identification of gap of Proposed PDP

References

• A.M. Gokhale and G.R. Patel, Origins of Variability in the Mechanical Properties of AM60 Magnesium Alloy
Castings, Magnesium Technology 2001.
• B. Tomov, Journal of Achievements in materials of manufacturing engineering volume 24, Issue 1, Saptember 2007.
• Ricardo W. Gregorutti et al. / Procedia Materials Science 9 ( 2015 ) 279 – 284
• Rajesh Rajkolhe, J. G. Khan, International Journal of Research in Advent Technology, Vol.2, No.3, March 2014.