Business Case: Advanced Engineering for Forged Component in JCB 50-Ton Excavator
A leading heavy equipment manufacturer required a T-shaped, 20 KG forged component for their JCB 50-ton excavator. The project involved complex engineering challenges, stringent quality standards, and the need for cost-effective, high-precision manufacturing. Given the operational stress and wear this component would endure, Qualicom had to ensure durability, manufacturability, and precision while optimizing costs and lead time.
Key Challenges
1. Material and Metallurgical Challenges: The component required high-strength alloy forging, ensuring it could withstand extreme stress, vibration, and dynamic loads without failure. Material selection was critical to achieving both machinability and durability while maintaining strict mechanical properties.
2. Weight and Structural Integrity Constraints: The 20 KG weight limit required precise control over forging and machining tolerances to prevent excess material usage, while ensuring the part retained its designed structural integrity under heavy load conditions.
3. Complex T-Shaped Geometry: The T-shaped designposed significant difficulties in forging uniform grain flow and machining intricate features without compromising part strength. Ensuring consistent mechanical properties across varied cross-sections added another layer of complexity.
4. Precision CNC Machining with Minimal Margin for Error: The project required high-accuracy turning and milling, demanding specialized multi-axis CNC operations and high-rigidity tooling to maintain tolerances under dynamic cutting forces.
5. Custom High-Precision Fixture Development: The machining complexity necessitated a rigid, vibration-free fixture capable of handling multiple orientations during machining to reduce setup time and ensure repeatability.
6. Production Efficiency and Manpower Utilization:Estimated project effort was 25 days, with 5 people working 8-hour shifts daily. Optimizing the machining sequence, tool selection, and inspection process was critical to meeting this timeline without cost overruns.
7. Quality and Post-Machining Inspection: The final component had to pass rigorous dimensional, metallurgical, and surface finish quality tests, requiring precise CMM (Coordinate Measuring Machine) inspections and non-destructive testing (NDT) methods.
Qualicom’s Engineering and Manufacturing Solution
1. Advanced Fixture Design and In-House Development:
A custom multi-stage precision fixture was developed internally to handle complex part orientations, reducing re-clamping errors and cycle time.
o The fixture incorporated hydraulic clamping to enhance stability, minimizing vibration-induced errors during machining.
2. High-Precision CNC Machining:
o Employed CNC turning and milling with optimized tool paths to ensure minimal repositioning and optimal material removal strategy.
o Used adaptive machining techniques to control tool wear, ensuring consistent part quality across production batches.
o Advanced coolant and chip evacuation mechanismswere integrated to prevent material warping and maintain optimal cutting temperatures.
3. Process Optimization and Quality Control:
o Implemented real-time in-process monitoring using sensors to detect any deviations, preventing defects before they occurred.
o Automated tool wear compensation was utilized to maintain cutting precision and extend tool life.
o Final components underwent ultrasonic testing (UT) and dye penetrant inspection (DPI) to identify any hidden defects before dispatch.
Outcome & Customer Impact
✅ Exceptional Strength and Durability: The forged component passed all load-bearing and fatigue life tests, ensuring optimal performance in the JCB 50-ton excavator.
✅ Precision Engineering Excellence: Multi-axis machining and advanced fixture design led to dimensional accuracy within ±10 microns, exceeding industry standards.
✅ Efficient Production Process: The project was delivered within the 25-day deadline, optimizing production scheduling and reducing excess labor hours.
✅ Significant Cost Reduction: Smart fixture development, optimized tool paths, and reduced machining cycle time resulted in a 15% cost savings for the customer
. ✅ Improved Surface Finish and Quality Assurance: The final product met all surface roughness and dimensional tolerances, with an inspection pass rate of 99.5%.
Conclusion
By employing cutting-edge fixture design, high-precision CNC machining, and real-time process monitoring, Qualicom delivered a highly complex, performance-critical forged component that exceeded customer expectations. This project highlights Qualicom’s ability to tackle highly engineered manufacturing challenges, ensuring robust, efficient, and cost-effective solutions for the heavy equipment industry.