Rathburn Customer Solution #47
No mold?
No problem!
A long-time customer wanted to re-source several machined castings but did not have access to the molds, which were controlled by a different supplier they worked with. Having established a proven track record of helping this customer solve challenging problems, they turned to Rathburn to provide a better product at a lower cost.
Design assistance when a part’s history is a mystery.
The current supplier had long history with these parts (as a casting), including knowing the nuances of the mating part not reflected on the print, and having specialty gauges to measure the components. Our Engineering Manager and Senior Engineer worked closely with the customer’s quality engineers to reconcile this history and ensure a smooth supplier transition.
A new approach.
Using the Design for Manufacturing (DFM) process, Rathburn offered material selection and design recommendations that allowed for the part to be efficiently produced with a completely new machining approach and material (castings vs. bar stock) to provide the same functionality and durability at a competitive price. We were also able to provide competitive costs for the new part by utilizing our new twin spindle twin turret lathe with bar feeder.
Impact.
As a result of our design assist, the customer was able to re-source the parts without having to invest in a new mold. And with less than one month from assisting in design modifications to producing the first sample pieces, they were able to smoothly transition the part to Rathburn as the new supplier without any interruption to their customer.