ISSN No: 2309-4893
International Journal of Advanced Engineering and Global Technology
ii
Vol-2, Issue-12, December 2014
Low Cost Automation(LCA): A Case Study
Sameer S. Gajmal1 , Prof. Sudhir.G Bhatwadekar2
1
Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Gharda Institute of
Technology, Lavel
2
Associate Professor, Department of Production Engineering, K.I. T.’s college of
Engineering, Kolhapur.
1
Email: [email protected]
ABSTRACT
Automation is the creation and application of technology to monitor and control the
production and delivery of products and services. In today’s world for any industry to survive
in the competitive market, must go for automation. Automation demands huge capital
investment which requires mass production for quick return on investment. Hence Large
Scale Industries can afforded and opt the option of automation, whereas medium and small
scale industries find it very difficult adopt automation. Low cost automation (LCA) is one
solution especially for medium and small scale industries. Automation demands replacement
of conventional machines by CNC, VMC, SPM’s, etc, manual material handling by
conveyor’s, AGV’s and many more things. In the present paper a case study is discussed
which includes application of Low cost automation concept by replacing conventional Radial
Drilling Machine by Special Purpose Horizontal Multi Spindle Drilling Machine. This SPM
was in-house designed and developed by using the spare parts of old machines which were
declared as scrap by other industries. Due this there was a huge saving in the manufacturing
cost of this SPM. This newly developed SPM not only increased the production rate by about
85% but also made it possible the machine operator to operate another machine along with it
with no compromise in quality requirements.
Keywords: Automation, SPM, LCA.
1.INTRODUCTION:
Automation is a set of technologies that results in
operation of machines and systems without
significant human intervention and achieves
performance superior to manual operation. In
today’s world for any industry to survive in the
competitive market, must go for automation.
Automation demands huge capital investment for
replacing the conventional machines by CNC,
VMC, SPM’s, etc, manual material handling by
automated material handling systems like
conveyor’s, AGV’s and many more things. Large
Scale industries which do have huge production
afford to go for huge capital investment and opt
automation at various levels. But medium and
small scale industries mostly do not go for
automation due to huge capital investment. That
means even though medium and small scale
industries desires to go for automation are unable
adopt it. Low cost Automation (LCA) is one
solution to medium and small scale industries.
Various Special Purpose Machines, Jigs, Fixtures,
material handling systems can be designed and
developed by using the concept of LCA.
As per the design requirement choose the spare
parts from the old , unutilized and scrapped
machines, mechanisms. Inspect those spare parts
for the requirements and use them for developing
new SPM’s , Jigs. Fixtures, etc. This will reduce
down the manufacturing cost to almost 50 -70%.
Thus medium and small scale industries can also
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afford to have automation in their organization at
low cost.
2.LOW COST AUTOMATION (LCA):
Automation is a very vast topic which can be
briefly defined as ‘Automation is using set of all
measures aiming at replacing human work
through machines and using technology for this
purpose
This includes automation in Storage Systems,
Handling Systems, Assembly Lines ,Production
Lines, Production Cells, Machines, Computers,
Controllers, Software,etc.
This requires huge capital investment. Only
national and multinational companies can afford
to opt automation. These companies do have mass
production which balance the huge capital
investment and provide quick return on
investment.
On the other hand small & medium scale
industries do not afford such huge capital
investment and generally avoid automation. But
this leads to lower growth of such industries. Low
Cost Automation is a concept of developing new
3. CASE STUDY:
The Case Study discussed is from a Company
named ‘Menon and Menon Pvt. Ltd.’
Vikaramnagar, Kolhapur manufacturing 2, 3 & 4
cylinders Engine Block for SAME Tractors, Italy.
The component under consideration was 4
cylinders Engine Block for SAME Tractors, Italy.
Actual demand for this component from SAME
was 600 blocks per month (i.e. @ 25 blocks per
day). But the supply was only about 264 blocks
per month (i.e. @ 11 blocks per day). Therefore
increasing the rate of production of this particular
block was the problem.
Out of total 17 Nos. of operations one operation
was MOG Hole Drilling Operation. The Details of
MOG drilling bare as follows:
automated machines, mechanisms, systems, etc by
making use of parts, sub-assemblies, etc of old
unutilized machines, mechanisms, systems which
are available free or at very lower cost.
1. Design the machine, system, mechanism
as per the requirement.
2. Decide upon the parts, sub-assemblies,
sub-systems required.
3. Check for the above requirements from old
unutilized
machines,
mechanisms,
systems, if they are available.
4. Inspect the parts, sub-assemblies, subsystems available and see that they meet
the design requirements.
5. Use them for developing new machine,
system, mechanism.
6. Due to use of parts of old unutilized
machines, mechanisms, systems which are
available free or at very lower cost , there
is no need to purchase new parts, systems
and hence ,the overall cost of development
new machines, systems will be very low.
Thus automation is possible at lower cost.
Component under consideration:
TABLE- I
Sr.
No.
Name of Component
Designation
of
Component
1
SAME 2-Cylinder
Engine Block
Job – I
2
SAME 3-Cylinder
Engine Block
Job – II
3
SAME 4-Cylinder
Engine Block
Job –III
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Hole - A
Diameter of Hole
Length of Hole
TABLE-II
Component
Job-I
Ø15.00 mm
330 mm(Thro)
Hole - B
Diameter of Hole
Length of Hole
Ø11.40 mm
330 mm(Thro)
Specification
Diameter of Hole --Length of Hole
--The block was having one operation of Main Oil
Gallery (MOG) Hole Drilling.
 (MOG) hole drilling (3 Nos.) which are
through & 592 mm long.
 Machine used is Radial Drilling with
Drilling Jig.
 For getting these holes produced half of
the drilling length is achieved by drilling
from one (Rear) side & remaining by
drilling from opposite (Front) side.
Hole - C




Job-II
Ø15.00 mm
462 mm(Thro)
Job-III
Ø15.00 mm
592 mm (Thro)
Ø11.40 mm
462 mm(Thro)
Ø11.40 mm
592 mm(Thro)
--Ø15.00 mm
--372 mm (Blind)
Drills used are extra long (450 mm),
H.S.S., taper shank, twist drills.
Clamping of the job is done manually; &
location is by using dowel pins.
Presently the number of jobs (4Cylinder)
produced per shift is 11(very less).
Reason: drilling very long length holes
(592mm) with wood pecking action in two
set-ups.
Frequent problem of drill breakage.
Fig.1 SAME 4-Cylinder Engine Block
TABLE-III
Total Time Required To Complete MOG Hole Drilling Operation On One Job = 29.0 + 14
Total Time available per shift = 8 x 60 = 480 minutes
= 43 minutes
Production Rate per Shift = 480/ 43 = 11.16 ≈ 11 Jobs.
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As mentioned above by using radial drilling
machine the production rate was only11 Jobs/
shifts.
Other problems which were frequently observed
were:
 High Tooling Cost: As the drills used were
extra long drills, frequent breakage of
drills was resulting into high tooling cost.
 High Fatigue to the Operators: Due to
frequent change of drills, drilling speeds,
spindle (drill) positions, loading unloading
of jig plates the operator was feeling high
amount of fatigue. Also due to manual
wood pecking action.
 Expected Production Rate: As per the
demand from SAME TRACTORS,
ITALY, the production rate expected was
600 Jobs/ month i.e. about 25 Jobs/ day.
 Quality: As far as quality was concerned,
the present set up was capable enough to
satisfy the quality requirements in the
MOG drilling operation. As the holes
being drilled were used just to carry the
lubricating oil (as per the name; Main Oil
Gallery Hole) 1.5 mm drill-shift was
allowed and the present set-up was giving
acceptable results (About 0-1% rejection)
 5 - 10 % rework during the final
inspection was one of the major problem
being observed.
3.1 COMPANY’S REQUIREMENT:
1. Increased
Production
Rate:
As
mentioned above company’s requirement
was to satisfy the demand of 600
Jobs/Month i.e. about 25 Jobs/ day.
2. Consistent Quality: As far as quality was
concerned the company’s expectation was
to achieve the same quality level as that of
the present set-up i.e. with radial drilling
machine with 0% rejection combined with
0% rework.
3. Low Cost Automation: To achieve the
above two targets it was clear that the
modified new set-up was going to be very
costly. Company’s expectation was to
Enhance Quality as well as Production rate
with low cost automation.
Therefore increasing the rate of production of this
particular block was the Company’s Requirement
being identified.
3.2 BRIEF ABOUT DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF SPM
TABLE-IV List of Operations
OP.NO. OPERATION
MACHINE
01
Top- Bottom Milling
SPM
02
Front- Rear side Milling
SPM
03
Dowel Hole Drilling
Radial Drilling M/c
04
LH-RH Side Pad Milling
SPM
05
FIP Pad Milling
Vertical Milling M/c
06
Cap seat Milling
Vertical Milling M/c
07
MOG Hole Drilling
Radial Drilling M/c
08
Front & Rear Side Drilling
SPM
09
Front & Rear Side Tapping
Radial Drilling M/c
10
Top Drilling
Radial Drilling M/c
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TOOLING
Milling Fixture
Milling Fixture
Drilling Jig
Milling Fixture
Milling Fixture
Milling Fixture
Drilling Jigs
Drilling Jig
-Drilling Jig
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ISSN No: 2309-4893
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11
12
13
14
15
16
17
Bottom Drilling & Tapping
LH-RH Drilling & Tapping
Cap seat Drilling & Tapping
15 D9 hole Drilling
Cam Boring
Linear Boring
Top- Bottom Finish Milling
After studying the entire operations and the MOG
hole drilling operation sheet in detail it was
decided to design & manufacture a Horizontal
Multi-Spindle Drilling SPM for SAME 2,3 & 4
cylinder engine block. Also another engine block
i.e. TATA 4 SP engine block was having similar
kind of MOG hole (14.25 X Thro). It was
decided to design and manufacture SPM to cover
the MOG hole drilling operation of TATA 4 SP.
Only additional requirement was:
 Extra spindle in the gear box (front & rear
both) & the necessary gearing, bearings,
drills, bushes, etc.
 In the drilling jig one more pair of dowel
pins at the positions corresponding to the
positions of dowel holes of TATA 4 SP
block.
3.3 DEVELOPMENT OF SPM:
Once it was finalized to develop a multi-spindle
drilling SPM we started working on it. First of all
we set our objectives discussed earlier and then
studied the requirements and constraints in the
development of the SPM. One of the important
consideration was to manufacture the SPM by
using Low Cost Automation Concept i.e. by
making use of the old (scrapped) machine so as to
bring down the manufacturing cost as low as
possible.
The constraint was that the SPM should be
capable of performing the drilling operation on
SAME 2,3 & 4 cylinder block and also another
block i.e. TATA 4 SP cylinder block.
Another important consideration was to increase
the production rate.
Time Study:
Radial Drilling M/c
Radial Drilling M/c
Radial Drilling M/c
Radial Drilling M/c
Horizontal Boring
Vertical Boring
CNC
Drilling Jig
Drilling Jig
Drilling Jig
Drilling Jig
Boring Fixture
Boring Fixture
Milling Fixture
Requirements of Multi-Spindle Drilling SPM: Following are the various arrangements to be
designed to satisfy various requirements of the
multi- spindle drilling SPM.
 Job Holding Arrangement:
 Tool Holding Arrangements:
a) For SAME 2 & 3 cylinder there are
2 holes (15 & 11.40) from both
sides.
b) For SAME 4 cylinder engine block
there are 3 holes (15, 2 Nos. &
11.40 1 No.) from rear side and 2
holes (15 & 11.40) from front side.
c) For TATA 4 SP engine block there is
only one hole (14.25) from both
sides.
So there are total 4 holes on one side & 3 holes
on the other to be drilled, seven spindles are
required to be designed and manufactured.
Adjustable adaptors were decided to be used.
Use of Adjustable Adaptors: As per the name
they used to alter the length of hole being drilled
as per the requirement. Due to continuous usage
the length of the drill gets reduced, hence the
length of drilled hole becomes less to that much
amount of length. If adaptors are used the length
of drilled hole can be maintained constant by
operating the Adjustable Nut of the Adjustable
Adaptor.
 Guiding Elements:
 Bed Structure:
 Drives:
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Vol-2, Issue-12, December 2014
The total time required to complete MOG hole drilling operation with conventional Radial Drilling
Machine is actually determined and tabulated as:
TABLE-V Time Study with conventional Radial Drilling Machine
Particular
Action
Loading + Clamping
For Front side drilling Drilling Time
Declamping +Unloading
Loading + Clamping
For Rear side drilling Drilling Time
Declamping +Unloading
Total time in Minutes
Time required in minutes
Job 1
Job 2 Job 3 Average
4.5
5.0
5
12
11.5
12.0
3.0
3.0
3.5
3.0
2.5
2.5
42.83
17.5
18
17
3
3
3
minutes
42.5
43
43
Total Time for MOG hole drilling on Radial drilling Machine = 42.83 Min. ≈ 43minutes
Similarly the time study was also conducted for 5 samples jobs by using newly developed SPM. The
sequence of operation is as follows:
i)
Machine cleaning
ii)
Component loading.
iii)
Cycle starts i.e. locating + clamping + drilling from both LH & RH side simultaneously.
iv)
Unloading the component.
The total time required in drilling the MOG holes by using Newly developed SPM is tabulated as
follows:
TABLE-VI Time Study with MOG SPM
Particular Action
Time required in seconds
Job1
Job2
Job3
Job4
Job5
Loading
30
32
30
31
31
Front and Drilling
240
240
241
242
241
Rear side Unloading
30
30
28
30
29
Drilling
Total time
300
302
299
303
301
Average
4.995 minutes
(5 min)
(5.03min) (4.9 min) (5.05min) (5.01min)
time
It is seen that the total drilling time for MOG hole drilling operation with radial drilling machine is 43
minutes, whereas the time required for MOG hole drilling operation with newly developed SPM is equal
to 5 minutes which is considerably lowered. Hence the % saving in machining time is as follows:
Saving in machining time = [(43 - 5)/ 43] x 100 = 88%
Hence with the newly developed drilling SPM, the machining time can be saved as much as by 88%.
The next testing was for the accuracy of the holes drilled in the component by using the newly
developed SPM.
.
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3.4 INSPECTION REPORT
Job4
Job5
Front Side
In mm
Ø15.20
Ø11.40
TABLE-VII Inspection Report
Dimensions from Bottom Side
Dim.
As
Job1
Job2
Job3
per control
Plan in mm
172.5 ±0.25 172.55 172.48 172.48
277.5 ±0.25 277.50 277.55 277.49
172.71
277.69
172.70
277.68
Rear Side
Ø15.20
Ø11.40
172.5 ±0.25
277.5 ±0.25
172.60
277.50
172.57
277.69
Job4
Job5
Front Side
In mm
Ø15.20
Ø11.40
TABLE-VIII Inspection Report
Dimensions from Dowel Holes
Dim. as per
Job1
Job2
Job3
control
Plan in mm
234 ±0.25
233.81 234.21 234.20
180.2 ±0.25 180.02 180.15 180.30
233.85
180.15
233.90
180.19
Rear Side
Ø15.20
Ø11.40
234 ±0.25
180.2 ±0.25
233.89
180.30
234.02
180.25
Particular
Side
Hole Size
Particular
Side
Hole Size
172.49
277.53
234.00
180.12
172.52
277.54
234.10
180.15
172.73
277.45
233.80
180.32
This drilling accuracy was checked by using Digital Height Gauge ‘TRIMOS’.
It was very glad to found that the positional accuracy of all the three holes was within the accuracy
limits of ±0.25 and with consistency.
4. RESULTS AND FINDINGS:
The important findings with the use of this newly
developed multi-spindle drilling SPM are:
 Productivity is increased by reducing the
handling and machining (drilling) time as
all the three holes are drilled at a time.
This reduction in production time leads to
reduction in the cost of production.
 As all the spindles are already fixed in
position; the positional accuracy of these
holes is ensured. This certainly reduces
the inspection timing and percentages
rejection, which leads to better quality
production.
 The length of the ф15 X 327 blind hole
can be very well controlled by means of
adjustable adaptor.
 It is observed from the time study that
there is substantial saving in production
cycle time by 88%.
 The overall design of the SPM is such that
it provides full rigidity and sufficient
space for easy movements of the jobs and
of the operator.
 The old scrapped machine was very
effectively utilized. This SPM is a very
good example of productivity and quality
improvement by using. A SPM
manufactured at very low cost.
The other side is that ergonomic deals with
operator’s comfort reduction in the undue strain
and fatigue through proper design of machine,
location of controls and ease of operation, etc.
Following are the finding in this regard:178
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I) Elimination of jig plate handling during the
operation: In the earlier procedure, the operator
has to lift the drilling jig plate and place it on the
face of the engine block to be drilled. Then do the
locating and clamping. This is a tedious work as
he has handle approximately 20-25 kg load every
time for loading and unloading the jig plate on the
engine block.
In the newly developed SPM, the operator only
has to push the job into the fixture base and
position it properly (Dowel hole exactly above the
locating pins) from the roller conveyor.
Hence it becomes easier for the operator to load
and unload the component and not necessary to
handle the jig plates as they are fixed on the
fixture column.
II) Comfort during operation: As the SPM is
hydraulically operated the operator has to load the
job in the fixture base and start the cycle ON. So
there is no other work. After the drilling is
completed, Declamping is also automatic.
Operator has to pull the job out of the fixture base.
III) Lesser hand movements and reduced handling
time: In the earlier case, the drilling jig plate was
TABLE-IX Time Saving
Machine Used
Radial
Drill MOG-SPM
(old Method)
Cycle Time
42.83 minutes
Saving in
Manufacturing 88%
time.
4.995
minutes
fixed on the face of the block. Here the worker
was required to position the spindle of radial
drilling machine above the particular drilling bush
and then start the feed motion of the drill. Also
when one side drilling length was completed, the
job was required to be changed it’s position, so
that drilling can be done from the opposite face so
as to produce through holes. This certainly has
increased handling time which increase the
production cycle time.
The new SPM is designed in such a way that the
spindles are already positioned and the job is
resting on bottom face, hence the drilling proceeds
from both (LH and RH) side simultaneously.
Hence not necessary to change the position of
block or change the jig plates. Operator has to just
load and unload the block and start the switch ON.
Thus definitely reduces the hand motion of the
operator and the unproductive handling time.
IV) Increase in production rate: In the previous
case production rate of (SAME 4 Cylinder) block
was 11 jobs/shift and in case of newly developed
SPM it is 96 jobs/ shift.
TABLE-X Increase in Production Rate
Machine Used Radial Drill
MOG-SPM
(old Method)
Production Rate 11 jobs/ Shift 96 jobs/
shifts
Increase in
Production rate 96 – 11 = 85 jobs/ shift
VII) Cost of development of MOG- SPM = 4.5 Lakhs.
TABLE-XI Cost of Manufacturing
Sr.
Amount in
Item/Part Name
Remark
No.
Rupees
Casting + Machining (Both-In1
Front side (Right) gear box
35,000/house)
2.
Rear side (left) gear box
35,000/Casting + Machining
3.
Fixture base
40,000/Casting + Machining
(Both-Inhouse)
Fixture column along with LH. And RH.
Fabrication, Casting +
4.
25,000/(Both-Inhouse)
Side Jig plates
Machining+ Purchase
5.
Hydraulic power Pack
40,000/Bought Out
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6.
7.
8.
Machine Base
Guideways
Spindles, shafts
9.
LH and RH side Hydraulic Feed Cylinders
10.
Three clamping Cylinders
11.
12.
Assembly Cost
40,000/Labour cost (5 persons)
Electric connection
85,0000/On contract basis.
TOTAL COST OF DEVELOPMENT Rs.4.5/- Lakhs
TABLE-XII Saving in Cost
Purchasing Cost
Rs.7 Lakhs
In-house
Manufacturing Rs.4.5 Lakhs
Cost
Total Saving in Cost
Rs.2.5 Lakhs
5. CONCLUSION:
Interpretations of the results obtained, leads to
know the important achievement and performance
of the developed multiple spindle drilling SPM
are:
a) Increase in productivity with same quality
standards.
b) Reduction in production time.
c) Reduction in cost of production.
d) Operator (unskilled) can operate two more
machines along with MOG SPM with Comfort
and without Helper.
e) Tremendous saving in the operational time of
machining, with the newly developed multispindle drilling SPM.
f) Saving in unproductive time.
g) It can be seen that the loading and unloading
time is also reduced.
h) Proper arrangements for loading the job,
location of machine controls and ease of operation
reduces excessive strain on the operator and
results into comfortable working conditions.
i) Elimination of problems such as rejection,
rework in MOG Hole Drilling operation
Components already available
in the company.
1,50,000/(Spare parts of Old machine
purchased from SAME Italy)
Thus by adopting the concept of Low Cost
Automation, the overall benefits of automation are
achieved by replacing conventional Radial
Drilling Machine by hydraulically operated
automatic Horizontal Special Purpose Machine
Multi Spindle Drilling Machine at lower cost.
Total saving in the cost is Rs.2.5 Lakhs.
6. REFERENCES:
[1] P.M. Singru & Anish Alias, “Computer Aided
Design of Machine(CADOM)”, Proceeding of
International Conference on : “Intelligent Flexible
Autonomous Manufacturing Systems” , IFAMS-2000,
Institute of Technology, Coimbatore, 10 Jan.2000,PP
164-171.
[2] V.B. Bhandari, “ Design of Machine Elements”
Tata McGraw- Hill Publishing Co. Ltd. New Delhi,
25th Reprint, PP 234-246.
[3] N.K. Metha, “ Machine Tool Design and
Numerical Control”, Tata McGraw- Hill Publishing
Co. Ltd. New Delhi, Second Edition, PP 179-219.
[4] Tsung-Ming Lo and Jieh-Shian Young,
“Improvements of Productivity for PCB Drilling by
Laser Driller Machine”, International Journal of
Precision Engineering and Manufacturing vol. 15, no. 8,
August 2014, pp. 1575-1581.
[5] Biman Das & Uday Venkatadri & Pankajkumar Pandey,
“Applying lean manufacturing system to improving
productivity of air-conditioning coil manufacturing”,
International Journal of
Advanced Manufacturing
Technology,
24
November
2013,PP307–323.
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