Layout Improvement and Tool Change Optimization at Primetals

The objective of this Major Qualifying Project (MQP) was: to reduce setup and tool changeover times for products machined at Horizontal Machining Center 6 (HMC6), and to evaluate and improve the layout and flow of the Manufacturing Assembly Area 71 (A71M). The methods used include observations and interviews, axiomatic design, lean manufacturing, and linear programming. The team concluded that Primetals Technologies (Primetals) could more efficiently change tools on HMC6 and can save time on part assemblies at A71M. A financial analysis of the report showed that lean implementation can save Primetals roughly $12,000 - $22,000 annually, and an optimized tool changeover process can save Primetals $57,000 - $126,000 per year