WDS QUICK
RELEASE PINS
SPECIFIED FOR
AUTOMOTIVE
PRODUCTION
LINE
The European new car market is currently in a period of
unprecedented growth – recently released figures show a rise of
11.2% in August, 2015. To keep up with demand, manufacturers
are making regular improvements to their production lines. The
autosport division for one German car manufacturer turned
to machine tool specialists, KMT Ltd., to develop tooling for
producing exhaust mufflers. KMT used WDS Component Parts
Ltd. quick release pins to affect fast swap over of jig assemblies.
ingle-Minute Exchange
of Dies (SMED) is one
of the buzzwords
that will be familiar
to anyone who
works within a Lean
manufacturing environment. Put simply,
it refers to the practice of simplifying and
speeding up the process of equipment
change overs on the production line.
With many manufacturers now using a
single production line to produce multiple
components, SMED is used to maximise
the efficiency of changing from one
assembly jig to another.
S
The key to a fast changeover lies in
specifying reliable yet simple fixturing
components. Overly complicated fixturing
will slow down the process and reduce
productivity, while un-reliable components
may allow the jig to slip, which will result
in wastage. KMT is a leading manufacturer
of precision machine tools and is all too
aware of the challenges presented. When
it was asked to design a machine tool for
manufacturing exhaust mufflers on high-
performance, executive cars it approached
WDS for a fixturing solution.
Adrian Degg, Technical Director at KMT,
comments: “An exhaust muffler is a far
more precise piece of engineering than
many people realise. It’s largely responsible
for the back pressure, which can affect the
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PECM Issue 26
car’s performance, efficiency and reliability.
It also has a role in creating the car’s
exhaust note, which is an important part of
the driving experience with performance
cars.
“Part of the design brief for the project
was that it must be able to quickly
accommodate different assembly jigs so
that mufflers for different cars could be
produced from the same line. We decided
to use WDS fixturing components because
of the reputation the company has for
product quality. I called the sales office to
explain what was needed and was directed
towards the quick release pins.”
The quick release pins feature an
ergonomic, cast aluminium T-handle with
a release button integrated into its head to
guard against accidental release. The body
is constructed from 17-4PH grade stainless
steel for long lasting, robust reliability.
When the jig is moved into position the
pins are simply dropped into place without
the need for any additional tooling. A hole
and ring is included on the handle for easy
attachment to a lanyard, preventing the
component from becoming lost during
changeover.
Adrian continues: “It’s a simple solution
to the application which negates the
need for spanners or screw drivers
while guaranteeing the accuracy of the
KMT used WDS Component Parts Ltd. quick release
pins to affect fast swap over of jig assemblies.
positioning without the risk of the pin
coming loose during operation due to
vibrations or knocks.
“Of course, it’s the customer service that’s
just as important in this case. Having
helped me to source the component
I needed, the sales person was able
to process the order and secure next
day delivery. Unlike most component
suppliers, there wasn’t a small order
surcharge which meant I was able to order
the precise quantity I needed there and
then, safe in the knowledge that should I
require more I could order them and have
them in my hand 24 hours later.”
Getting it right first time…
No engineer can be expected to have
the required expertise and knowledge
to source and specify each individual
component when designing a new
machine. Machine tools, process