| Project Scope
In an effort to improve the staking process of the companies’ roller finger followers, GT Technology wantsto modify
the system in which this staking process is performed. The current design is a linkage heavy system that has
a high initial cost and requires constant maintenance and down time for repair. The method currently being
used on all roller finger follower machines is to be stripped away and modifications to an existing staking
process must be made to fit on a variety of the companies current production lines. The new design must implement
an existing staking chuck design, as well as the existing staking tools. It must also prove to be more efficient,
as well as reduce the companies start up cost.
The new design will implement the existing staking method which GT currently uses on its LX machines for the Chrysler line.
The main mechanism for this process will be modified to properly align and stake a different engine component than the
one it is currently design to handle. GT was also explicit in that the new design must not diminish in anyway the efficiency
of the entire production line to which it is being modified to replace. If anything the new design should improve the
productivity of the company by reducing overall operating cost as well as maintenance and downtime of the product line.
There are several challenges with remodeling the old design. The space available on the new machines is very limited.
Every component needed to perform the task must be contained within the width of the chuck. If any component is located
outside the width of the chuck it would interfere with the process of the neighboring station. The speed of production
and the time allotted to each assembly and testing station is well set. Neither of these variables can be changed, nor
can our design influence either. The old staking method required heavy maintenance, and long periods of down time were
required for repair. The new design must vastly diminish or exclude most of these delays.
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