Case Study: When Speed Matters

SNAPSHOT

Matara manufactures large
ballscrew to tight deadline
with significant product cost
savings, preventing downtime
on automotive manufacturer
production line.

THE REQUIREMENT: fast turnaround required to replace a large ballscrew in an assembly machine

When a large ballscrew, which forms part of a well-known motor manufacturer’s Wheel Rims and Tyre Assembly Machine on Line 2, began to make ominous noises, their engineers were quick to inspect it. It was clear that the ballscrew had become too damaged to repair, as the bearings were popping out of the nut.

A fundamentally important part of the production line, the Wheel Rims and Tyre Assembly Machine is used to assemble tyres onto wheel rims. If the ballscrew were to fail, the machine could not operate, and production would either have to halt, at a cost of approximately £300,000 per hour, or all tyres would have to be fitted from Line 1 machines, thereby impacting production on both lines.

The decision to replace it was therefore made swiftly. Unfortunately, the ballscrew, which measures 1165mm in length, is a non-stock item and must therefore either be ordered and imported from overseas or made to order. The former would take too long, and the latter, the company expected, would be expensive.

THE SOLUTION: Matara manufactures ballscrews to a tight deadline and delivers 33% cost savings

The automotive manufacturer benefits from a Rubix Insite within its production site, which is essentially a dedicated branch of Rubix, offering industrial maintenance, repair, and overhaul products and services tailored solely to that company. It helps customers achieve cost savings by consolidating vendors and providing value-added services, including those from other companies within the group, such as Matara.

The automotive manufacturer had investigated the cost of replacing the damaged ballscrew. Still, it was coming in at a very high price, especially since this product is generally replaced every two years. The Rubix Insite Manager put forward Matara as an alternative option. Matara has a large, fully equipped machine shop facility at its headquarters in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, where it produces an extensive array of ballscrews.

Matara was readily able to meet the automotive manufacturer’s requirements and produced a stainless steel ballscrew with a high-speed rolled ball screw shaft to their exact specifications. Furthermore, Matara was able to come in at one-third below the other prices and deliver the ballscrew a week earlier than expected, saving the automotive manufacturer downtime and money.

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If you wish to learn more about us at Matara, you can read our technical articles for advice on a wide range of machinery and pneumatic and linear motion solutions or review our other case studies to learn about the value we provide for our customers.