This Case Studies Special Advertising Section features manufacturing companies with real-world challenges using quality equipment, software and services to solve their problems and improve their processes. These problem-solving stories describe myriad manufacturing challenges and how the correct application of a supplier’s product or service made the difference, providing quantitative benefits to quality and manufacturing issues.
The suppliers in this special section present these real-world problems and solutions to help Quality Magazine subscribers who may have similar experiences.
Case Studies
— Special Advertising Section —
Borromini Accelerates 3D Mold Inspections for the Automotive Industry
Discover how Borromini S.r.l. transformed its quality inspection workflow and unlocked new levels of productivity with PolyWorks|Inspector™.
Precision Meets Agility in Mold Design
Borromini S.r.l., a member of the VR Group, is a dynamic SME based in Veneto, Italy, with 60 employees. The company specializes in designing complex molds for automotive lighting and small home appliances, serving renowned brands such as Alfa Romeo, Toyota, BMW, and Mercedes.
For years, Borromini has relied on 3D metrology to ensure manufacturing precision. The team manages intricate measurement projects— often involving up to 400 data points per part— using a mix of automated and manual equipment supported by various software tools. But as mold complexity increased, so did the need for a more flexible and intuitive solution.
Breaking Through Software Limitations
Borromini’s previous 3D measurement software, while functional, began to show its age. Its rigid interface and inefficient workflows made it difficult to adapt to evolving projects.
“Our old software worked well,” says Manuel Sofia, Quality Assurance Manager at Borromini, “but we realized that we could not really optimize our measurement process and that it no longer met our constantly evolving needs.”
A Game-Changer: PolyWorks|Inspector
The turning point came with the adoption of PolyWorks|Inspector, a powerful metrology software that revolutionized Borromini’s quality control workflow. Key benefits included:
- Accelerated measurement workflows
- Integrated reporting accessible across departments
- Seamless compatibility with Hexagon CMM equipment
- Automatic path generation for faster, more reliable inspections
Achieving reliable, accurate tool setting for Standard Tool & Mold
When Standard Tool & Mold Inc needed support with its on-machine tool measurement technology, it turned to global engineering technologies company Renishaw, who supplied the new NC4+ Blue tool setter, a high-accuracy blue laser system.
During machining processes, dimensional accuracy is dependent on several variables including: tool size deviation, tool run out, and tool breakage. Renishaw’s NC4 systems allow users to control these variables, enabling the measurement of tools at production feeds and speeds, and minimizing the risk of excessive tool wear or breakage, which is an important consideration for small and fragile tools.
“The machine that it’s installed on gets both coolant chips and debris, and the NC4+ Blue has stood up well to this challenging environment and been very accurate and repeatable” Standard Tool & Mold (Canada)
Manufacturer Saves over $1,000,000/yr. with QI Macros
One aluminum manufacturer was having trouble with excess scrap. While there was significant, unavoidable startup scrap, other opportunities to reduce scrap became obvious after some analysis.
While many pounds of finished material were inspected and found wanting before shipment, roughly 40,000 pounds of finished metal was returned each month. Shipping and return costs ate into profitability. Finished metal cost about one dollar per pound. Returned metal had to be chopped up and fed back into the furnace for remanufacture.
Using QI Macros for Excel, it was possible to use PivotTables to analyze and chart ongoing scrap. Control charts showed a stable process producing consistent levels of monthly scrap. Drilling down into the data, Pareto charts showed that one machine out of many was producing most of the scrap. A few hours of root cause analysis with operators of that machine identified simple ways to reduce scrap just by changing the setup and ongoing adjustment process.
Annual savings amounted to over $1,000,000 after only a few hours of analysis.
Million-dollar opportunities lay hidden in data about defects, mistakes, errors, scrap, waste and rework. Using Excel and QI Macros it is possible to mine and find those opportunities—the invisible low-hanging fruit in any company. QI Macros Improvement Project Wizard automates this analysis, creating improvement projects in just minutes.
This analysis works in manufacturing, healthcare, telephony, banking and any industry that tracks waste and rework. Haven’t you waited long enough to find your hidden, low-hanging fruit?
