Rathburn Customer Solution #9
BEARING HOUSING REDESIGNED.
For a number of years we produced a bearing housing for heavy trucks. After our customer redesigned the part to combine two components into one, it ultimately saved the customer money but became more complicated to produce. The new design called for a completely different process flow that included machining using complex datums, followed by induction heat treatment.
We thought hard about process and sequence.
We worked closely with a number of heat treating suppliers to identify an alternative heat treat process, and found ways to resolve issues with tolerances that allowed us to consistently and accurately run production parts. It took some time and collaboration with our suppliers and customer but we improved the machining process and the overall manufacturability of the part.
Partners in better parts.
A unique machining and heat treating process, along with implementation of robotics and custom automation, allowed us to make quality parts that would meet our customer’s specification. In the end, our customer got a better part and we got a better process. That’s what it’s like to partner with Rathburn.