Spring Balance
Key Issues
| Company |
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| Product |
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Suspended/base mounted spring balance
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| Objectives |
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Reduce product cost
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Simplify assembly
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Improve appearance
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Rationalisation of two similar products
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| Approach |
Application of Design For Assembly & Manufacturing Analysis
tools on the current products to generate a new improved common design
which can satisfy all the variations.
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The two current designs of this product were so similar
in most respects that it is hard to imagine how they ever evolved into
two catalogue items. Added to this, the mechanisms within the products
were quite different in design but both carrying out the same function.
Given this, key activities were to select a multi purpose case design with
good appearance and easy access for the internal parts, then simplify and
commonise the mechanism.
This sounds simple in theory but when the multitude of customer applications
and product requirements are taken into account, this was no easy task.
New Design
Clever design of the case has enabled single and dual dial options to
be made from a single tool. In addition, the new case tool design
incorporates ‘knockout’ sections which enable easy integration of a bracket
for base mounted options. An investigation revealed that a front/rear
lens from another product was ideal for this application and has been utilised
in the new design saving yet another tool.
It was suspected that the overrun function built into the mechanism
rack was unnecessary for function in any event and trials proved this to
be so. A new material surface treatment process has enabled a much
simplified mechanism to function without the overrun. This and simplification
of other components in the product has reduced the parts count considerably.
Benefits
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Rationalised into a single product
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Parts count reduced by 50%
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Assembly reduced by 45%
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Improved appearance
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rights reserved.
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