Mountz Torque was approached by a loyal Aerospace client seeking to enhance their productivity. The aerospace company employed light assembly electric torque screwdrivers in its assembly operation to construct power modules situated beneath the middle seat in each plane row, facilitating passenger device charging. With 64 boxes needed per aircraft, retrofitting an entire fleet demanded swift delivery of substantial cage volumes. Simultaneously, maintaining quality was paramount, with cross-threading posing a genuine risk. Any box failure could ground an aircraft, underscoring the necessity of prioritizing assembly product quality.
CASE STUDY AERONAUTICS
ACHIEVING NEW HEIGHTS IN PRODUCTIVITY Large Scale Aerospace Parts Manufacturer The airline industry is in a constant state of evolution. For this Mountz customer, a large scale aerospace parts manufacturer, change is big business. As a provider of innovative power, connectivity, lighting, interior, and test solutions, leading airlines depend on them to efficiently deliver upgrades. The company is always looking for ways to improve productivity to ensure they can keep up with demand when re-fits happen. When they had a multimillion-dollar project to install in-flight passenger power modules on a leading airline’s 737-800 and -900 models, they had to be able to deliver quickly and with precision. That’s where Mountz came in. Challenges MAXIMIZING PRODUCTIVITY WHILE MAINTAINING QUALITY In its assembly operation, the company was using light assembly electric torque screwdrivers to build the power modules that sit under the middle seat in each row of the plane to enable passengers to charge their devices. With each airplane requiring 64 boxes, re-fitting a full fleet required fast delivery of significant volumes of cages. At the same time, quality is a key concern and cross-threading a real risk. If any of the boxes have a failure, that plane could be grounded, so they always had to ensure that the quality of the assembled product is the highest priority.
AT A GLANCE
CHALLENGES • Productively scaling for growth • Cross threading issues could ground planes SOLUTIONS • Electric screw driver with adjustable RPM and soft-start tech • Screw counter eliminating the risk of improperly seated or missing fasteners RESULTS • Increased capacity with existing infrastructure • Electro-static discharge-safe feature reducing the risk of a latent or catastrophic failure
CASE STUDY LARGE SCALE AEROSPACE PARTS MANUFACTURER
When Mountz approached the company, the primary question Rob Ralph, Mountz sales manager asked was, “What if you could work faster and smarter by increasing your screwdriver RPM and reducing the risk of cross- threading?” For any assembly operation, when you’re approached with opportunities to boost productivity and improve quality, you have to investigate. Solutions ADJUSTABLE RPM ELECTRIC SCREWDRIVERS WITH SOFT START TECHNOLOGY Previously, they were using a 750RPM driver. Mountz proposed transitioning to the E-DRIV® NF-220 Brushless Electric Screwdriver that offers adjustable speeds ranging from 700 to 1,200 RPM. With 40% higher RPM capacity, assembly speed could be increased, while reducing the risk of cross-threading in the first few turns by using the device’s soft start feature. With soft start, the tool is powered at 30% operating RPM during the first .2-.6 milliseconds until the first 2-3 threads are engaged. This helps reduce or eliminate the risk of cross-threading. The tool also gave them the flexibility to adjust RPM in 50RPM increments to fine tune the operations. Additionally, the company decided to add the Scout II Screw Counter to the NF-220 to eliminate the risk of improperly seated or missing fasteners, as well as a dynamic rotary torque sensor for inline torque testing. This allowed them to capture torque data over time to better apply quality control procedures
“ When you think about productivity and quality you have to look at the full picture to find the right tool. A smart investment upfront can help you maximize the capacity of your existing lines, respond to spikes in demand more effectively, and reduce waste or
rework. ” Rob Ralph, Mountz Sales Manager
CASE STUDY LARGE SCALE AEROSPACE PARTS MANUFACTURER
Results INCREASED CAPACITY WITH EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE
After testing the tool for 30 days, it was projected that the higher throughput and fewer reworks enabled by the NF-220 could result in a 30% improvement in capacity through the company’s existing lines. To fully test the potential, they initially ordered enough units to outfit a single line. Over the course of the next two years, the company replaced all of the previous electronic screwdrivers with the NF-220. In addition to the increased productivity, the NF-220’s brushless design required less maintenance, which reduced costs and improved accuracy and repeatability throughout the line. The projected savings enabled by additional capacity, less rework and scrap, and reduced maintenance was $130,000 per year. Likewise, they could sustain an additional 30% production demand without having to expand their space. As an added benefit the NF-220 screwdrivers are also electro-static discharge (ESD)-safe, an important consideration because of the electrical nature of the product they were being used to manufacture. This reduced the risk of a latent or catastrophic failure later, a critical consideration for equipment in an environment where passenger safety is always a concern.
APPLY THESE IDEAS • Calculate line productivity at various tool RPMs to optimize productivity • To prevent cross-threading, consider a tool with soft start capabilities • Consider ESD-safe tools when working with electronics • For enhanced quality control add a screw counter for error proofing production • Evaluate the need for static vs. dynamic torque testing based on the precision tolerance in your assembly process
To find out how Mountz can help your company optimize productivity and improve quality, contact us today.
ABOUT MOUNTZ Mountz, The Torque Tool Specialists ® , has been a leader in the torque tool industry for more than 50 years. Engineered in the Silicon Valley and serving the globe, Mountz focuses on delivering high quality torque products, services and solutions to ensure customers can always proceed with confidence. We are committed to forging a safer world through precision and accuracy, and by innovating every day.
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