Case Study
Optimizing the Grind Process to Reduce Takt Times for Aerospace Blade Manufacturer
7 September 2022
Customer
Major manufacturer of aerospace blades for turbine engines.
Customer Challenge
The customer currently uses a grinding process to produce several features of the turbine engine blades. The customer was looking to purchase new grinders and update their processes.
One of their priorities was to reduce takt time by a minimum of 20%.
PSP Approach
A team of Norton experts including the Product Manager, Application Engineer, product engineer, the local sales representative and the OEM Technology Manager met with customers’ key stakeholders to review their needs and evaluate the current process, directly on the plant floor.
After the initial assessment, the team provided recommendations on wheel type, power and coolant required.
Solution
The application engineer performed testing on an Elb CDCF dual spindle grinding both sides of the root form of the engine blades to determine the best solution. After two iterations of testing and shared documentation, they were able to offer a solution which:
| 1 | Met reduced cycle target and produced high quality parts |
| 2 | Lowered overall costs due to lower cycle time, improved dress rates and better wheel life |
| 3 | Offered robust and safe wheels with proven and repeatable bond and grain combination |
| 4 | Allowed them to improve service to their customers with the lower takt times |
| 5 | Provided an overall annual cost savings of more than $70K |
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