The challenge
Our customer, an air conditioning manufacturer, had a difficult HVAC gas valve application that relied heavily on operator judgment, due to the type of tooling being used.
As a result, the customer was experiencing frequent gas valve alignment errors, costing the plant tens of thousands in rework, quality inspections, and warranty claims. It was clear that this customer required an innovative HVAC gas valve solution that would solve their realignment issues and ensure long-term sustainability.
The solution
Atlas Copco worked directly with the customer to identify the cause of the frequent realignments and overall production inefficiencies in this HVAC application. It was determined that, due to the tooling being used (a generic click wrench), the operators were relying on their best judgment as to the alignment of the gas valve cut. If the gas valve was not in a very specific orientation, Rework Technicians were required to realign.
Atlas Copco collaborated with our customer and distributor to innovate a fixtured solution that would mount both the tool and valve and remove operator influence. The customer replaced their click wrenches with an Atlas Copco electric nutrunner that is pre-programmed to a target minimum torque and rotates until the socket position aligns with a proximity switch, ensuring the proper orientation every single time.
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21,250$
Annual Rework Savings:
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22,950$
Annual Rework Cost:
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36,000$
Annual Quality Inspection Cost:
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18,000$
Annual Quality Inspections Savings:
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8Months
Payback Period:
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63,860$
Projected Annual ROI after Payback Period:
The impact
Annually, the ROI for our customer is $63,000.
Upon implementation of this solution, we were able to significantly reduce the customer’s overall operating cost in the first year. The fixtured solution, which was installed in mid-2020, has been hugely successful in this plant. The customer has not experienced a single warranty claim since implementation. In addition, quality inspections have been cut in half, which saved the customer thousands in quality inspection costs.
Atlas Copco’s HVAC gas valve mounting fixture was able to solve the complex realignment issue and ensured a projected annual savings of $29,644 USD in the first year after the payback period.
For more on how Atlas Copco can help you save money and become more competitive, be sure to Contact Us today.