Production Archives - Bruschi

Bruschi selected for “Champions 2019” project among the 600 best Italian SMEs

admin — Thu, 28 Feb 2019 15:37:32 +0000

Bruschi has been selected among the 600 best Italian SMEs for the project “Champions 2019” by ItalyPost and on the 15th of March it will be attending the event organized by L’Economia, the economic voice of Corriere della Sera, at the head office of the Italian Stock Exchange.

The project “Champions 2019”

“Champions 2019” is a research on small and medium-sized enterprises conducted by ItalyPost in partnership with L’Economia, which analyzes the performance of Italian SMEs that in the last six years have achieved a turnover between 20 and 500 million euros, thus proving outstanding abilities of development and growth.

The study has been carried out by financial analysts of Credit Rating Agency ModeFinance and by financial advisors of Special Affairs, which have selected 600 Italian SMEs that have distinguished themselves for achieving excellent results as regards growth rate, profitability, capital strength and financial independence. Among these 600 companies, 500 of them have reached a 20-120 million turnover, while the remaining ones have accomplished a 120-500 million turnover: these enterprises together represent the main Italian manufacturing group, whose overall revenue is approximately 44 billion.

The research focused not only on financial analysis and profitability, but also on the governance and organizational structures of the SMEs. It also involved their ability to generate high employment levels and the implementation of a method based on commitment to investment and development. These companies have indeed been able to grow despite the difficulties of economic crisis in 2008, reaching a growth rate of 10,67% per year.

Bruschi case

As already mentioned, Bruschi is among the companies selected for the project “Champions 2019”. This is the outcome of an organic turnover growth, which is more than doubled from 2009 to 2018. Bruschi can be therefore considered a fast-growing company characterized by an international vocation (85% of production is intended for foreign markets), which has allowed it to acquire more and more multinational clients and important players of the manufacturing industry.

Paolo Rastelli, Bruschi President and CEO, declared:

“We are proud to have been selected for the project Champions 2019 that includes us among the 600 best Italian SMEs. This result originates from our approach to work: here in Bruschi we always accept new challenges and this has allowed us to grow over the years, developing new skills and establishing relationships with increasingly diversified entities. Our model is based on three key principles: result-oriented approach, willingness to change and inclination to collaboration. A winning model that allows us to compete on international markets and to reach our targets.”

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How automation helps improving the production process

admin — Mon, 04 Feb 2019 15:37:32 +0000

In this post we are going to examine a case study concerning a project for reducing manual operations through the introduction of automation, which has brought benefits to the whole production process.

The term automation defines the introduction in a manufacturing company of technical tools and processes aimed at reducing or even eliminating human operations. Indeed, the most relevant benefit of automation is the reduction of workload for the operators, which consequently leads to additional advantages such as reduced lead time, costs reduction and achievement of quality standards requested by clients. Automation can therefore contribute to production process improvement, enhancing accuracy, precision, productivity, robustness and consistency of outputs.

CASE STUDY

In Bruschi we are always seeking for innovative solutions that can help improving the productive process. In order to fulfill this aim, the production department has developed a project for reducing operators’ workload with the introduction of automation. This project concerned two specific components produced for a client of the sector of small appliances and has obtained excellent results in terms of reduction of manual activities of operators and increased productivity.
In order to define the two components to optimize among those available, engineers have conducted an analysis with the support of the Pareto chart, which has led to the following results:

• 20% output produced by 0,05% of components
• 60% output produced by 17% of components
• 20% output produced by 82,95% of components

Results show that 0,05% of components generates 20% of the output produced by the company: these components are known as runner products. The presence of few components that generate such a substantial output allow the introduction in the production department of a specific automation without reducing productive flexibility of the company.

Definition of project’s phases

After having selected the components, the different stages of the project can be defined. The iterative improvement process is indeed divided in four phases, with reference to PDCA cycle or Deming cycle:

• Phase 1 – PLAN
Definition of the problem, identification of the causes and hypothesis of corrective actions to reach expected objectives.

• Phase 2 – DO
Implementing corrective actions defined in phase 1.

• Phase 3 – CHECK
Collecting and checking data. Comparison between expected results and observed results.

• Phase 4 – ACT
Implementing corrective actions emerged from data analysis of phase 3.

The four phases of PDCA cycle have been planned using the following Gantt chart:

Phase 1 – PLAN

The first phase starts with the definition of the problem: a condition of misalignment between production capacity and client’s request, with hypothesis of producing both the components on the same die casting machine due to plant saturation. Therefore, the problem can not be solved producing the two components on two different die casting machines: it is in fact necessary to improve the production process of the components.
The identification of the root cause involves the study and the definition of the average duration of single activities, manual and automatic ones:

• Die casting – automated operation managed by the machine
• Pick up and lay down of the piece – automated operation managed by anthropomorphic robot
• Degating and reprocessing – manual operation managed by the operator
• Auxiliary activities – manual operation managed by the operator

Once average duration of every single activity has been calculated, improvement focuses on activities that can generate more benefits, so the ones that take up the most of the time of the operator. Manual activities that have been selected are reprocessing, raw-scrap division and die casting machine fueling: these activities take up 97% of the operator’s time.

The second step concerns the classification of operations on the basis of the added value they generate for the customer:

• VA = 0 % – Necessary Value Added activities: known, therefore paid by the client
• NVA = 3 % – Unnecessary Non-Value Added activities: unknown, therefore not paid by the client
• NNVA = 97% – Necessary Non-Value Added activities: unknown, therefore not paid by the client

First of all it is essential to work on NVA activities, in order to understand how to eliminate them. Secondly, NNVA must be analyzed and improved. Normally, VA activities can be improved but with little margin.

Phase 2 – DO

Phase 2 involves a cost-benefit analysis in order to identify the best solution between externalization and self-improvement through automation. Both the alternatives have been implemented:
• externalization of manual activities equal to 50%
• reduction of manual activities equal to 45%, through introduction of automation that operates automatic division of the pieces from the sprue runners and automatic recasting of the sprue runners

Phase 3 – CHECK

The third phase of the project involved collecting and checking data, with comparison between expected results and obtained results. Observation period after improvement actions have been implemented was of 240 working hours. Three numerical KPI (Key Performance Indicators) have been considered in order to evaluate the efficacy of improvement action:

1. OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness)
2. Average duration of manual activities
3. Tons of zamak recasted in the machine spot

The comparison of these indicators before and after improvement actions has highlighted +33% OEE and -95% manual activities, with a complete recasting of scrap material.

Phase 4 – ACT

Phase 4 has not concerned any action because after KPI analysis no anomalies were observed.

ACHIEVED BENEFITS

The project has led to several benefits for the production department, both direct and indirect ones.

Direct benefits:
• +33% OEE
• -95% manual activities
• Complete scrap recasting in the machine spot

Indirect benefits:
• Increase of client’s satisfaction. Met and reduced lead time thanks to productive capacity increase, improvement of superficial quality of the component and stabilization of degating and reworking processes
• Energy saving associated with immediate casting of raw material
• Reduction of waste due to handling associated with elimination of scrap transfer

This case study demonstrates the importance of automation in a productive system that is efficient and technologically advanced: through the introduction of automated systems it was indeed possible to meet qualitative and quantitative standards demanded by the client, meeting the requested deadline at the same time.

If you are interested in production process improvement, here are additional posts:
• Production process improvement in the die casting industry
• Casting process optimization: design of hot chamber injection system

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White goods: improving sales through sustainable choices

admin — Tue, 18 Dec 2018 15:37:32 +0000

White goods manufacturers are facing new challenges due to customers’ growing awareness on sustainability and recycling: taking into account these needs and defining the right practices can lead to sales improvement.

As the Journal of Industrial Engineering International reports, customers are more and more calling for environment-friendly products and this demand puts pressure on the whole supply chain, because it involves manufacturers, suppliers, retailers and customers. The latter are asking for a greener supply chain that promotes environmental protection and, at the same time, are also developing a well-defined purchasing behavior, which avoids unsustainable products and services. Businesses are therefore studying new methods in order to reach green supply chain management (GSCM), the integration of environmental issues and supply chain that results in reducing manufacturers’ impact on environment while enhancing an organization’s performance.

White goods recycling system

As far as white goods are concerned, emphasis is placed on their recycling cycle: manufacturers must therefore focus on materials. According to AHAM, the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, household appliances are increasingly being recycled: they are overtaken only by automotive industry as a source of recycled materials. The growing interest towards recycling has allowed to achieve significant results in the household appliances industry, also thanks to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, specifically with the Responsible Appliance Disposal (RAD) program, which in 2017 has recycled almost 70 million pounds of ferrous metals, 4 million pounds of nonferrous metals, 17 pounds of plastic and 3 million pounds of glass. As data highlight, consumers are increasingly aware of the importance of recycling and are more and more adopting a responsible and sustainable purchasing behavior: white goods industry is therefore continuously renovating and appliances’ manufacturers must face new challenges that environmental consciousness generates, developing products with recyclable materials through sustainable processes.

Metals recycling

White goods are characterized by a long life cycle, normally 10 to 18 years, and when they are no more usable they provide a consistent amount of recycled materials, specifically metals. As stated by The Global Metal Waste and Recycling Market report, the most recycled metals are iron, steel, aluminum, copper, lead and zinc; in addition to that, the report indicates the leading recycling industries, which are building, automotive, shipbuilding and consumer appliances. Metals are among the main materials that undergo a recycling process: they are perfectly suitable for recycling, indeed metals are valuable, can be easily transported thanks to their density and, furthermore, they present properties that allow them to be recycled repeatedly. In the U.S. metal recyclers manage thereabouts 120 million tons of recycled metal every year, with the metal recycling industry having registered nearly $27 billion in 2018.

Zinc recyclability

White goods are complex machines composed of several elements and different materials, among which zinc represents an intelligent and recyclable choice. As a matter of fact, zinc has exceptional metallurgical and chemical properties that remain unchanged also after recycling process, making zinc a suitable material for a wide range of modern products, such as white goods and small appliances.

To calculate zinc recycling rates experts rely on two main methods: the End of Life (EoL) recycling rate and the Recycled Content. Usually EoL is preferred because it measures the quantity of available zinc recovered at the end of product life and recycled, whereas the Recycled Content approach considers the amount of recycled material in a given product. Recent analyses report that around 45% of zinc at the end of life is estimated to be recovered and recycled; in developed regions, such as Europe and North America, this percentage reaches 50%.

Indicator	Description	Estimated Global Recycling Rate
Recycled Content (RC)	Fraction of zinc scrap (new and old) in the total metal use in fabrication and manufacturing	25%
End of Life (EoL)	Fraction of zinc recycled relative to the amount of zinc available at end of life	45%

Typical Recycling Rate Indices

What is more, zinc not only is itself recyclable, but also contains numerous substances that are recyclable: this quality certifies zinc as Cradle-to-Cradle (C2C), a concept inspired by nature that promotes circular economy. According to this approach a product is designed already considering future reuse and, at the end of its life, it is seen as a new source instead of waste: materials and elements that compose the product are thus recovered and again inserted into the processing cycle.

Zinc benefits in white goods manufacturing

Taking into consideration customers’ request for quality products manufactured with sustainable practices, zinc constitutes an ideal material for white goods components. Indeed, zinc presents high recycling rates and excellent aesthetical quality, combining two of the most demanded characteristics by end-users. Highlighting zinc properties can therefore be an efficient promoting strategy, thus meeting customers’ expectations, providing environmental-friendly solutions and improving selling rates.

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Product Design for Die Casting

admin — Tue, 11 Dec 2018 15:37:33 +0000

The term product design defines the process of designing a new product that has to be marketed in a specific business, taking into account not only its aesthetical characteristics but also its functions and its production cycle. Indeed, the product must meet the final user expectations while simultaneously be compliant with the production process.

Product design is a process that needs to be developed considering multiple aspects of the component and that consequently requires the integration of various activities, such as co-design service, compiling a DFM, mold design, simulation and analysis of further operations.

As a matter of fact, product design is strictly related to production process design: the two concepts deeply influence each other, indeed product design is developed considering production methods’ characteristics and vice versa. Product design represents a complex and multifaceted process, that not only has to consider product and production, but also choice of materials, aesthetical and functional requirements, mechanical operations, superficial treatments and requested quality of the component.

Co-design service

In order to achieve a balanced result in terms of aesthetics, functionality and feasibility, product design is often developed by a manufacturing company together with the customer. The cooperation of supplier and client is defined as co-design service: a collaboration that promotes information and know-how sharing, with the purpose of achieving a positive outcome of the project. Engineers can thus study mechanical and physical features of the product in order to find solutions to assure functionality and manufacturability, consequently meeting customers’ expectations.

Co-design service generates advantages not only in terms of process and design optimization, but also regarding the relationship between customer and supplier: a continuous exchange of information increases trust and reliance, not to mention that supplier and customer’s knowledge is enriched.

You can find further posts on co-design here:
• Die casting services: the power of Co-Design

• Co-design in zinc die casting: improving your idea or product

• Weight reduction: lightweight as a benefit of co-design

• How Zamak Die Casters can improve your product quality

• Involving your die casting supplier in the design process

DFM: a bridge between client and supplier

Client and supplier exchange information to define product design and its manufacture process through a document named DFM: Design For Manufacturability. The aim of a DFM is to describe the product and its connection with the productive process, to analyze technical feasibility of the project and suggest solutions in order to facilitate the manufacturing process. Through this document technicians can state if the design is in compliance with the technological systems of the production department, then they can advise on adjusting specific product characteristics or production stages.

When selecting die casting as production method it is necessary to conduct specific analysis regarding cored holes, closing lines and extraction points: product design is thus inextricably linked to mold design, and consequently to the productive process. The use of molds results beneficial because it allows the replicability of the component over time, but at the same time it involves complex studies and tests in order to obtain a mold suitable for the product: the DFM contains all the information needed to reach this objective.

If you would like to know more about DFM, click on the post below:

• Product design for die casting: how to speed up and optimize your DFM

Mold design

Considering die casting as a processing method, the very first aspect to examine is mold design: it is indeed the core element of the die casting process. Client and supplier collaborate to develop a system that is suitable both for mold and component, taking into account product’s aesthetical and functional requirements but also considering mechanical design of the mold: it must, indeed, be resistant, solid and functional for the production process.

First of all it is necessary to verify if the product can be produced with high pressure die casting methods, analyzing component’s dimensions and geometry. Once product’s geometry and characteristics are completely defined, the actual mold design process can start: this phase involves examination of product’s features, number of cavities, projection area, volume and shape of the mold. Two main elements that compose mold design are design of hot chamber injection system and simulation phase: modality of injection is indeed a core aspect to be analyzed when developing a mold, whereas simulation constitutes an advantageous tool for defining the most appropriate parameters before the component is produced.

Design of hot chamber injection system

In die casting industry, talking about mold design, a fundamental element that has to be considered is the design of hot chamber injection system. As a matter of fact, injection method constitutes a core aspect that impacts on production optimization and product’s characteristics. The feed and the runner are the two main elements that compose the injection system: the definition of their configuration and dimension results crucial for the final results of the casting process, because different shapes lead to different outputs and can also reduce potential defects on the die cast.

To know more on hot chamber injection system, here is a post on the subject:

• Casting process optimization: design of hot chamber injection system

Simulation

As already mentioned, a valuable tool for product and mold design is simulation: with simulation software, CAD programs and 3D software engineers examine technical properties of the product and define the best parameters to apply. These devices constitute an essential support in the analysis of physical features, in terms of resistance and structure, allowing engineers to previously detect potential critical issues on the product, thus reducing problems that could arise in retrospect. Indeed, already in the first stages of mold filling, it is possible to observe mistakes that can compromise product’s manufacture, such as a too rapid metal solidification: simulation helps avoiding these issues from the very beginning.

To have a look at case studies on simulation, here are some additional posts:

• Simulation for HPDC: scrap reduction case study
• Simulation for HPDC: shrinkage porosity case study
• Benefits of simulation in die casting design

For detailed information on mold design, click on the following post:

• How to optimize die casting mold design

• The correct shape of high pressure die casting products

Further operations

Product design also concerns the analysis of further operations that have to be processed after die casting phase. Indeed, when designing a product, it is essential to consider what type of subsequent operation it must undergo: further processing could be mechanical operations, superficial treatments, assembly operations or automation processes. Taking into account these operations already during product design phase allows engineers to operate specific actions and to set precise parameters in order to obtain a flawless result. Below are some examples of further operations:

Mechanical operations

Typical mechanical operations are reaming and threading: if the component has to be threaded, already during mold design phase engineers define specific parameters.

Superficial treatments

If the product must undergo superficial treatments, such as painting or chroming, it is essential to foresee potential defects that could arise after the treatment. For example, some superficial treatments are performed at very high temperatures that could potentially determine the formation of air entrapment in the component: during mold design process it is therefore necessary to foresee air evacuation.

Assembly

If the piece must be assembled with another component engineers have to consider tolerances that are functional to assembly. For example, if the piece has to be inserted into another one, like a hole and a pivot, it is essential to foresee the right interference between the two.

Automation

Automation represents a common factor to all further operations: automated operations for further treatments guarantee appropriate productivity and reduced costs, thus obtaining a product suitable to client’s requests.

If you are interested in processing techniques, here are additional posts on this topic:

• Processing techniques for metal finishing
• Coating, plating and other kind of surface treatments

Benefits of product design

Product design proves to be an indispensable phase in the production of a component, because it allows experts to identify the most performing processes and features in order to produce excellent results in terms of aesthetics, functionality and compliance with the productive process. Developing a well-structured product design process is therefore necessary to achieve relevant benefits, such as decreasing production costs, increasing customers’ trust, reaching clients’ satisfaction and producing a component that is aesthetically appealing, functional and compliant to mass production.

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Industrial machinery: Bruschi’s new die casting machines

admin — Tue, 20 Nov 2018 15:37:33 +0000

This year Bruschi has purchased new die casting machines to improve its industrial machinery in its foundry. Bruschi has always been aware of the importance of innovation and technology, the business philosophy is indeed based on three mainstays: mass-production, co-design and technology.

Die casting machines

Bruschi has purchased four new die casting machines: one of 50 tons, two of 125 tons and one of 200 tons. These industrial machinery are: Frech DAW50W, Frech DAW125W e Agrati HC200. An important investment that allowed Bruschi to further enhance its production department. The new machines are provided with specific functions, listed below:

Pieces check inside the mold

It is possible to connect the new die casting machines to a camera that allows the check of the pieces inside the mold. This results in decreasing cycle time and avoiding damages of the mold.

Pre-filling

Pre-filling function enables the movement of the injection piston up to a determined stroke with the mold open. This action reduces the air quantity inside the mold and the cycle time.

Safety system

The new industrial machinery have a safety system that protects the mold from potential damages.

Automated regulation of closing force

Automated regulation enables a more accurate control of the closing force.

Automated loading of ingots

Agrati HC200 has an automated loading system of zinc ingots. This system generates two advantages: energy saving thanks to pre-heating and reduction of workload of the operator.

Thermal deburring machine

The machine for thermal deburring is the Extrude Hone Thermal Deburring and it will be at Bruschi plant by the end of 2018. It is the first thermal deburring machine in Bruschi and it has been purchased because the presence of this machinery in the production department generates a quicker, constant and quality production. Furthermore, the machine produces an indirect advantage: reduction of non-compliance issues. As a matter of fact, components that undergo a thermal deburring process present a superior quality compared to pieces that undergo manual deburring.

Advantages of new die casting machines in the production department

This relevant investment allowed Bruschi to align itself to the performances demanded by clients: thanks to technological development of new industrial machinery production benefits from a decreased cycle time and this translates into a more efficient and rapid service. In addition to that, new safety systems of these new die casting machines also generate a decrease of production times, because they lead to a reduction of the number of actions needed for the restoration of the molds. Furthermore, the purchase of machines from different suppliers allows the company to have a wider and diversified point of view on current offer.

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