Suzuki Mold and Die Production Process

Summary

This video highlights the critical role molds and dies play in manufacturing car components, focusing on Suzuki's advanced production process. It explores the precision and expertise required to create molds for exterior, plastic, and engine components. The process involves digital technology for accurate design reproduction, followed by meticulous machining and adjustments by skilled craftsmen. The fusion of digital technology and human intuition ensures high-quality, precise molds and dies, which are essential for producing reliable, high-performance vehicles. The craftsmanship and technological innovation at Suzuki are key to creating cars that satisfy customers worldwide.

Takeaways

• 😀 Molds and dyes are crucial tools used in car manufacturing to create components with consistent shapes and precision.
• 😀 These tools are used for mass production and ensure parts are made with high quality and uniformity.
• 😀 The creation of molds and dyes requires advanced technology and expertise to ensure accuracy in car component production.
• 😀 There are three main types of molds and dyes used at Suzuki: press dies for exterior components, injection molds for plastic components, and casting molds for engine parts.
• 😀 The manufacturing process begins with detailed modeling, followed by simulations to ensure the design can be replicated accurately in the mold.
• 😀 Structural designing is a key part of the process, considering factors like strength, productivity, and maintainability during mass production.
• 😀 Digital technology plays a vital role in machining the molds, with cutting machines operating with precision down to a hundredth of a millimeter.
• 😀 Molds and dyes are assembled with great precision and tested for distortions using advanced measuring devices, both contact and non-contact.
• 😀 Even subtle distortions that can’t be adjusted through machines are refined by skilled craftsmen using human intuition and vision.
• 😀 The final molds and dyes undergo repeated trial runs and adjustments to ensure they meet the required quality for use in production lines worldwide.

Q & A

What role do molds and dyes play in car manufacturing?

Molds and dyes are special tools used to shape metals and plastics into car components. They are crucial for mass production and for ensuring consistency in parts across multiple vehicles.

What types of molds and dyes are used at Suzuki's plant?

At Suzuki's plant, three types of molds and dyes are used: the press die, injection mold, and casting mold. The press die is used for exterior components, the injection mold for plastic components, and the casting mold for engine components.

How is the quality of molds and dyes ensured at Suzuki?

The quality of molds and dyes at Suzuki is ensured through meticulous design, simulations, precise machining, fine-tuning, and detailed manual adjustments. Testing is done repeatedly to verify their accuracy and reliability.

What is the importance of simulation before making the actual mold or die?

Simulations are critical to verify whether components can be bent or tapered according to design without causing deformations. This step ensures that the mold or die will function correctly in mass production.

How does Suzuki incorporate digital technology into its mold and die manufacturing process?

Suzuki uses digital technology to create precise design data for molds and dyes. Cutting machines are operated with programs that allow for precision down to a hundredth of a millimeter, ensuring accuracy in the final product.

What role does human intuition play in the manufacturing of molds and dyes?

Human intuition is vital in fine-tuning molds and dyes after machine processing. Craftsmen rely on their experience and sensory skills, such as vision and touch, to make subtle adjustments that machines alone cannot achieve.

What is the process for machining the molds and dyes at Suzuki?

Once the design data is ready, machining begins with metal being cut into the component shape using a milling machine. Complex shapes, including curves, are machined precisely, and the components are then assembled into a functioning mold or die.

What tools are used to measure the molds and dyes for distortions?

Contact-type and non-contact-type measuring devices are used to check for distortions. These tools measure the molds and dyes in three dimensions, ensuring that they meet the required specifications.

Why is it necessary to conduct repeated trial runs and adjustments during mold and die production?

Repeated trial runs and adjustments are necessary to ensure that the molds and dyes are refined to a quality suitable for mass production. This process ensures that there are no distortions, and the final product meets the design's precision.

How are molds and dyes shipped to Suzuki factories worldwide?

Once completed, the molds and dyes are carefully packed and shipped from Suzuki's plant in Hamamatsu to factories across Japan and the world, supporting the production of reliable vehicles.