Customer Challenge: Our challenge was to improve this product, which had multiple failure modes along with a very high material cost. Our goals were to correct the failure problems and to fix the operating cost for the manufacturing of this part.
Stalcop’s Solution: This component started as an assembly of two machined and formed parts bonded with a special brazing compound. This process generated an estimated weekly fixed cost of $5,000 and a very high assembly failure rate.
Focusing on the material cost, the original process used copper tubing material, which coupled with the brazing compound, was generating a material cost of $12.27 at today’s copper costs.
Stalcop redesigned the product as a one piece specialty cold formed part with some machining for special features. The new material cost is only $3.10 at today’s copper cost.
Original Two-Piece Part:
Material Cost = $12.27
Stalcop One-Piece Part:
Material Cost = $3.10
Benefits: The benefits were two-fold. First, we generated a material cost reduction of 74.7% (the reduction from $12.27 to $3.10). Secondly, we eliminated the assembly failure that was common with the two-piece design.
Conclusion: Many multi-piece components can be made in one piece through cold forming, which eliminate assembly and operating failures, while reducing costs, sometimes dramatically. We look forward to demonstrating our ingenuity in helping you accomplish your cost savings.