Mollart Provides Exclusive Machine Tooling Solutions

MOLLART ENGINEERING LIMITED EXCLUSIVE PARTNERSHIP WITH STEINER TECHNOLOGIES INC. INCREASES TOOLING SOLUTION CAPABILITY

 

Mollart never underestimates the value exclusive partnerships can add to production processes and most importantly the benefits that can be passed on to our customers.

Our exclusive partnership with Steiner has enabled us to utilise their high quality, custom tooling solutions. This has resulted in significant savings in time and money, due to increased responsiveness and therefore faster turnaround times. These benefits not only give Mollart an advantage over competitors but are a necessity when meeting the increasing time sensitive demands  of the oil industry, who require quality parts and timely delivery. There’s also the added benefit, that we can pass on reduced processing costs as a price reduction to our customers.  More about our tooling solutions here

 

Tooling Solution

 

The Benefits Of Steiner Cutting Tools

The Steiner Autofacer® reduces cycle times through innovative processes, automated manufacturing and the elimination of secondary manual operations. When for example the Autofacer® is implemented for machining seat pockets on gate valves, cycle times can be reduced by 80%+. The provision of this Tooling solution to our customers has enabled benefits including containment of costs, sustained quality and improved customer relationships to be experienced directly by machining companies across various sectors.

 

Steiner Tooling Autofacer

 

 

Through incorporating Steiner machine components in the production of Christmas Tree Valves, machining times have reduced by 14 hours, which are supplied into the Oil and Gas sectors.

 

 Christmas Tree Valve

 

Case Study

Introducing and implementing The Steiner Autofacer® Back Counterbore Tool to precision subcontractor Lunn Engineering Co.

The Goal

We were approached by Lunn Engineering who were not new to producing machined cast iron flywheel housings for off-road vehicles. However they were aware of the need to improve the efficiency of production, in order to cut costs, reduce production time and maintain quality machined components. Our aim has always been to provide high quality tooling solutions to our customers and this is exactly what we did when we were asked to assess Lunn’s machining processes, in order to make recommendations with a view to implementation.

 

The Problem

Logistics and a disjointed production were significantly increasing lead times to the supply of complete parts. This was mainly due to a counterboring access problem and the design restraints of some of the features to be machined. Lunn had a horizontal, twin-pallet machining centre which was installed specifically to produce the castings. However because of the access problems a second operation had to be incorporated into the process. So once the castings were produced, the process moved to a horizontal borer that was installed in another bay in order that the three problematic counterbore features could be machined.  

 

Our Findings

  • Access to produce the counterbore features was restricted. The main flange partially covered each counterbore position that is set back inside the well of the housing.  

  • The steep draft angle around each of the counter bores meant the back counter boring tool had to cope with progressive material build-up. This created a variable interrupted cut.

  • Competitor tooling very often proved inadequate, due to poor tool life and chatter

  • Additional work handling

  • There was a negative effect on production by having processes in different places.

 

Mollart’s Solution

We recommend the  Steiner Autofacer® Back Counter Balancing Tool should be introduced due to its well proven track record in these type of applications. Working with engineers from Lunn we  then went about setting up the correct specifications, which resulted in the following:

 

  • Reduced operational routines and production lead time.

  • Automatic production cycle - resulting in reduced lead times, work handling, setting operator attention and inspection times.

  • Waste and material build up was reduced.

  • Tool life increased due to the correct Autofacer tool set up.

  • The Autofacer tool was more rigid than previous tools used.

  • Counterbore access problems were overcome due to the  Steiner Autofacer® being a Spotface Counterbore Tool.  

 

If you would like more information about Steiner Tooling or have a tooling project you would like to discuss then please get in touch here