Menon and Menon - Kagal Plant

menonarchives

15 Sept 201410:02

Summary

TLDRThe script outlines the establishment of a state-of-the-art foundry in India, designed to produce high-quality, cost-effective cylinder blocks and heads for automotive OEMs. A cross-functional team visited leading foundries globally to select top-tier equipment and an optimized layout. The plant features advanced machinery, including an automatic core center, high-speed sand mixer, and casting simulation software, ensuring precision and quality. It also adheres to stringent ISO standards and incorporates pollution control measures. Men and Men Limited, with decades of experience, is set to further enhance its capabilities with a modern CNC-based fettling shop.

Takeaways

🚗 The automotive OEM industry in India was previously reliant on costly imports for cylinder blocks and heads.
🌟 A world-class foundry was envisioned to meet the requirements of intricate cylinder blocks and heads locally.
🌐 A cross-functional team visited leading foundries globally, including in Japan, Thailand, Germany, Spain, and China.
🏭 State-of-the-art equipment and an optimized lean layout were selected to produce castings cost-effectively.
🔧 The foundry is capable of producing thin-wall, low-weight, low-variation castings in large numbers.
🌍 It caters to overseas Auto Giants establishing plants in India.
🤖 Automation is a key feature, with robotic handling of cores and palletized core assembly.
🔥 A continuous core oven with dual fuel and PLC-controlled burner ensures fuel efficiency and core drying.
🔬 Quality assurance is emphasized with high-end casting simulation software and ISO certified quality management systems.
🌱 The foundry is committed to environmental sustainability with pollution control equipment like dusting systems and fume extraction.
🔩 Men and Men Limited, with over four decades of experience, is known for its engine engineering expertise and now operates a high-pressure casting line.

Q & A

What was the initial problem the automotive OEM industry in India faced that led to the establishment of a new foundry?
-The automotive OEM industry in India was facing the issue of relying on costly imports to meet their requirements for new generation cylinder blocks and cylinder heads.
What was the vision behind the creation of this new foundry?
-The vision was to establish a world-class foundry capable of meeting the intricate requirements of cylinder blocks and cylinder heads in a cost-effective manner.
Which international foundries did the cross-functional team visit to gather insights for their project?
-The team visited the Toyota Foundry in Japan, the Kubota Foundry in Thailand, and other foundries in Germany, Spain, and China.
What type of equipment was selected for the new foundry to ensure world-class production?
-The foundry selected world-class equipment based on the inputs and insights gathered from the visits to leading foundries worldwide.
What is special about the core shop in this new foundry?
-The core shop is equipped with a fully automatic core center, cold-box, high-speed core sand mixer, online core cleaning facility, and robotic handling throughout assembly, making, and painting.
How does the continuous core oven in the foundry contribute to fuel efficiency and core drying?
-The continuous core oven features a dual fuel PLC-controlled burner for fuel efficiency and interlocks with the painting robot to ensure core drying at set temperatures.
What is the role of the sand plant in the foundry's production process?
-The sand plant, equipped with a high-speed intensive sand mixer, ensures uniform mixing of green sand and online control of sand compatibility for the right quality sand to be released to molding.
What are the key features of the molding line in the foundry?
-The molding line features multi-piston squeezing for uniform mold hardness, quick pattern change within the cycle time, automatic sprew cutting, mold venting, and automatic core setting.
What is the capacity of the melting furnace and how does it ensure constant pouring rate and temperature?
-The melting furnace has an induction capacity of 6 metric tons per hour, with a double-acting fume hood and load cell for crucibles, ensuring a constant pouring rate and temperature for each box.
How does the foundry ensure the quality and consistency of the metallurgical properties of its products?
-The foundry has a chemical lab and a spectro lab with trained and experienced quality assurance engineers, and uses high-end casting simulation software for proper simulation before actual processing.
What are the environmental pollution control measures implemented in the foundry?
-The foundry has pollution control equipment such as dusting systems, fume extraction systems, and an ammonia scrubber to maintain the quality of the environment in and around the factory.
What certifications does the foundry's quality management system hold?
-The quality management systems are certified to ISO TS 16949 and ISO 9001:2008 standards by UL DQS Incorporated.
What future plans does the foundry have for expanding its capabilities?
-The foundry plans to set up a modern CNC-based fettling shop with equipment like MAWS and SiC, and a machine shop capable of fully finishing cylinder blocks and cylinder heads.

Outlines

00:00

🏭 Foundry Innovation and Global Benchmarking

The script introduces a state-of-the-art foundry in India, designed to meet the automotive OEM industry's demand for new generation cylinder blocks and heads, reducing reliance on costly imports. A cross-functional team was formed to visit leading foundries worldwide, including those in Japan, Thailand, Germany, Spain, and China, to select world-class equipment and design an optimized layout for cost-effective production. The plant is equipped to produce thin-wall, low-weight castings in large numbers for overseas auto giants expanding in India. The core shop features an automatic core center with cold-box technology, robotic handling, and a continuous core oven for efficient core production. The sand plant by Quenel Wagner India ensures uniform mixing and quality sand for molding, while the molding line by Kel Wagner Germany maintains uniform mold hardness and quick setup changes.

05:01

🔧 Advanced Casting Technologies and Quality Assurance

This paragraph delves into the technical aspects of the foundry's operations, highlighting the use of advanced casting technologies for the production of cylinder blocks and heads. The melting furnace by AB induction has a capacity of 6 metric tons per hour, ensuring a constant pouring rate and temperature. The press pour system by ABP India includes automatic inoculation and a feeding program for quality control. The foundry also features a high-precision molding line with automatic core setting to prevent mold crush and ensure parallel core placement. Post-casting, the castings undergo a cooling process on a 390m conveyor before reaching the fettling shop. The foundry is equipped with a chemical lab and a spectro lab, staffed by experienced quality assurance engineers who ensure the consistency of metallurgical properties. High-end casting simulation software is utilized for design validation before production. The quality management systems are certified to ISO standards, and pollution control equipment is in place to maintain environmental quality. The foundry is committed to producing high-quality gray iron and compacted iron products, with Men and Men Limited's four decades of experience in engine engineering serving the global auto industry.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Automotive OEM industry

The term 'Automotive OEM industry' refers to the original equipment manufacturer sector within the automotive industry, which involves companies that produce vehicles, engines, and major components. In the context of the video, the script discusses how this industry in India was previously reliant on costly imports for cylinder blocks, highlighting a gap that the new foundry aims to fill.

💡Cylinder blocks

Cylinder blocks are the main component of an internal combustion engine, housing the engine's cylinders. The script emphasizes the need for a foundry capable of producing new generation cylinder blocks, which are intricate and require high-quality manufacturing processes.

💡Cross-functional team

A cross-functional team is a group composed of individuals from different areas of expertise within an organization, working together to achieve a common goal. In the video, such a team visited leading foundries worldwide to gather insights that informed the design and setup of their own foundry.

💡State-of-the-art

The term 'state-of-the-art' describes something that incorporates the latest technology or techniques. The video script uses this term to describe the new foundry, indicating that it is equipped with the most advanced machinery and processes available.

💡Thin wall castings

Thin wall castings refer to castings with walls thinner than those typically found in traditional castings. The script mentions the foundry's ability to produce such castings, which are in demand by overseas auto giants for their lightweight and precision characteristics.

💡Core shop

A core shop is a part of a foundry where cores, which are the internal parts of a mold, are made. The video describes a fully automatic core shop equipped with advanced machinery, emphasizing the importance of core quality in the casting process.

💡PLC controlled

PLC, or Programmable Logic Controller, is a digital computer used for automation of electromechanical processes. The script mentions PLC-controlled burners and transfer systems, indicating the level of automation and precision in the foundry's operations.

💡Molding line

A molding line is the production line in a foundry where molds for casting are made. The script describes a molding line with high-speed mixers and multi-piston squeezers, which ensure uniform mold hardness and quick pattern changes.

💡Melting Furnace

A melting furnace is used to melt metal in a foundry. The script specifies a melting furnace with a 6-metric-ton-per-hour capacity, indicating the foundry's ability to handle large volumes of metal for casting.

💡Quality assurance

Quality assurance refers to the process of ensuring that products meet certain standards of quality. The video mentions trained and experienced engineers who ensure the quality and consistency of the metallurgical properties of the foundry's inputs and outputs.

💡High-pressure casting line

A high-pressure casting line is a production line that uses high pressure to inject molten metal into molds, resulting in precise and complex castings. The script announces the commissioning of a new Greenfield high-pressure casting line, showcasing the foundry's commitment to advanced manufacturing techniques.

💡Fettling shop

A fettling shop is where castings are cleaned, trimmed, and finished after they have been removed from the molds. The script mentions plans to set up a modern CNC-based fettling shop, indicating the foundry's focus on post-casting processes for high-quality end products.

💡ISO certification

ISO certification refers to the standards set by the International Organization for Standardization. The script mentions that the foundry's quality management systems are certified to ISO TS 16949 and ISO 9001:2008, demonstrating the company's adherence to international quality standards.

💡Pollution Control

Pollution control refers to the measures taken to reduce or prevent pollution. The script describes various pollution control equipment, such as dusting systems and fume extraction systems, which ensure the maintenance of environmental quality around the factory.

Highlights

Recognized the need for a world-class foundry to meet the demand for new generation cylinder blocks and heads in India.

Formed a cross-functional team to visit leading foundries worldwide for insights and best practices.

Selected world-class equipment and designed an optimized lean layout for cost-effective production.

Unveiled a new state-of-the-art foundry for producing thin wall, low weight, low variation castings.

Designed to cater to overseas auto giants setting up plants in India with large-scale casting production.

Core shop equipped with fully automatic cold-box and high-speed core sand mixer for consistent quality.

Utilized robotic core handling throughout assembly, making, and painting processes.

Implemented a continuous core oven with dual fuel and PLC-controlled burners for fuel efficiency.

Palletized core handling ensures no manual damage and maintains FIFO system for core supply.

Sand plant features high-speed intensive mixer and online control for uniform green sand quality.

Molding line from Kel Wagner, Germany, ensures uniform mold hardness and quick pattern change.

Melting furnace by ABP India with a 6-metric-ton induction capacity per hour for constant pouring.

Casting cooling conveyor of 390 meters in length for sufficient cooling time before fettling.

Chemical and spectro labs for quality assurance and consistency of metallurgical properties.

Engineers use high-end casting simulation software for proper simulation before processing.

Quality management systems certified to ISO TS 16949 and ISO 9001:2008 standards.

Plans to set up a modern CNC-based fettling shop with advanced equipment.

Committed to matching the modern foundry with a fully finishing machine shop.

Men and Mendoza Limited, with over four decades of experience, serves the global auto industry.

New Greenfield high-pressure casting line represents the company's commitment to world-class technology.

Pollution control equipment ensures the maintenance of environmental quality around the factory.