The Engineering Education Scheme
(with JCB)The project involved the use of a computer package called DFMA (Design For Manual Assembly). Each step used to assemble a component, in our case the whole gear turret, is timed and input into the package. Such steps included 'apply grease', 'fit circlip' etc. Then, using the software, different methods of assembling the turret could be tried. By replacing the sub-components with newly designed ones, new assembly times could be accurately estimated and price cuts calculated. Our huge savings came from good component redesign and replacement (original parts cost £18.09 and redesigned parts cost £10.37) and time saving assembly changes. With an estimated 4,500 components being produced each year, every second counts.