Report of In- Plant Training

In

Varroc Engineering Ltd. Plant- VII (Valve)

By

Mr. Ashish Balsurkar

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for

Degree of Bachelor of Technology

In

Mechanical Engineering
Of

Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University,

Aurangabad.

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Maharashtra Institute of Technology

Aurangabad.
2017-2018

i
 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the In-Plant training report

Submitted by

Mr. Ashish Balsurkar

(Roll No: A- 13)

Is completed as per the requirement of the

Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University,

Aurangabad.

in partial fulfillment of

Degree of Bachelor of Technology

In

Mechanical Engineering
For the academic year 2017-2018

Prof. S.L Sathe Dr. A. J. Keche Dr. S.P. Bhosle

Internal Guide Head of Department Principal

ii
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I take this opportunity to thank the number of individuals whose guidance and encouragement
were of enormous help to me during my In- Plant Training Period.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Mr. Manoj Lakde, Plant Head and Jayram
Gund, Human Resources Executive for providing me an opportunity to pursue my In- Plant
Training at Varroc Engineering Ltd. Plant- VII (valve).

I owe my gratitude to Mr. Makarand Pujari, Asst. Manager and Mr. Kiran Nunna, Senior
Engineer for being my constant source of inspiration and for their continuous support,
guidance and motivation throughout the tenure of my training.

I owe a warm-hearted acknowledgement to Dr. Santosh Bhosle, Principal- Maharashtra

Institute of Technology, Dr. A.J. Keche, Head of Mechanical Engineering Department, Prof
S.L Sathe, Internal guide for making such facilities and programs available to final year B.
Tech students.

Lastly but certainly not the least, I also thank other staff members of Varroc and our
colleagues who helped me with this In-plant training and appreciate their kind co-operation,
without which this would not have been successful.

Ashish Balsurkar.

iii
 ABSTRACT

In-plant training is one of the requirements for the award of the Degree in Bachelor of
Technology in Mechanical Engineering of Maharashtra Institute of Technology. As
such, students are required to write and submit reports at the end of their training.

This report is the record of the work I personally did and experience I gained during
my in-plant training at Varroc Engineering Ltd. Plant- VII (valve) from 4th Jan to 16th
May 2018.

It consists of six chapters which altogether explain the background of training, entail
background information about Varroc Engineering Ltd., Manufacturing processes,
Inspection and Testing, the hands-on activities which I took part in and about the
project I did on tooling cost reduction by optimizing the design of bottom die holder.

iv
 LIST OF FIGURES

Figure No. Name Page No.

3.2.1 Varroc Core Values 8
3.3.1 Product (Valve) 10
4.1.1 Engine Valve Diagram 18
4.1.2 Bar Shearing Machine 19
4.1.3 Hardening Process 19
4.1.4 Friction Welding 20
4.1.5 Robotics Use in Upsetting & Forging 21
4.1.6 Centerless Grinding 22
4.1.7 Turning Process 22
4.1.8 Induction Hardening 23
4.1.9 Chrome Flashing 24
4.2.1 Seat Diameter Inspection on Dial Gauge 26
4.2.2 Datum to End Inspection 27
4.2.3 Seat Roundness Inspection 27
4.2.4 Groove Diameter inspection on Go, NO-GO Gauge 28
4.2.5 Seat Runout Inspection on Dial Gauge 28
4.2.6 Groove Position Inspection 29
4.2.7 Visual Inspection 29
4.2.8 Valve Leak Test 31
4.2.9 Valve Hardness Test 32
4.2.10 Final Process- Laser Marking 32
4.3.1 Power Press Machine (250 Tonnes) 35
4.3.2 Bottom Die-set Assembly 40
4.3.3 T-Slot Nut 41
4.3.4 T-Slot Dimensional Design 42
4.3.5 CAD Design of Modified Bottom Die Holder 43
4.3.6 CAA of Bottom Die-set 44
4.3.7 Modified Bottom Die Holder 45

v
 LIST OF TABLES

Table No. Name Page No.

4.3.1 Power Press Machine Specifications 35
4.3.2 Consumable Item List of Forging Zone 40
4.3.3 T-Slot Dimensions 42
4.3.4 Before- After Comparison 46

vi
 ABBREVIATIONS

IPT: In-Plant Training.

VEL-VII: Varroc Engineering Ltd.- VII.

FID: Final Inspection Department.

KK- Kobetsu Kaizen.

BSR: Bonded Store Room.

QC: Quality Control.

FRW: Friction Welding.

CAD: Computer Aided Design.

CAA: Computer Aided Assembly.

ECN: Engineering Notice Change.

vii
 INDEX

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT iii
ABSTRACT iv
LIST OF FIGURES v
LIST OF TABLES vi
ABBREVATIONS vii

CHAPTER NO. NAME OF CHAPTER PAGE NO.

1 GENERAL INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 Background 1
1.2 In-plant Training Objectives 1
1.3 Project Introduction 1
2 LITERATURE REVIEW 3
3 COMPANY BACKGROUND 5
3.1 Operations 5
3.2 Vision, Mission & Core values of Varroc 8
3.3 Varroc Engineering Ltd. Plant- VII (Valve) 9
3.3.1 Engine valve manufacturing capabilities 9
3.3.2 Product of VEL-VII 9
3.3.3 Clientele of VEL-VII 10
3.3.4 Departments in VEL- VII 10
4 METHODOLOGY 18
4.1 Observing & Understanding Design and 18
Manufacturing process of Engine Valve.
4.2 Experience in Final Inspection Department 24
(FID)
4.3 Major Project- Project on Cost Reduction 33
4.3.1 Introduction 33
4.3.2 Necessity of project 36
4.3.3 Objective of present work 37

viii
 4.3.4 Technique used 37
4.3.5 Cost reduction idea generation 39
4.3.6 Problem statement & its solution 41
4.3.7 Before-after comparison 45
5 RESULTS 47
6 CONCLUSIONS 48
REFRENCES 49

ix
 1

CHAPTER 1: GENERAL INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background
In-plant training (IPT) means a course of training in any industry or establishment
undergone in pursuance of memorandum of understanding between industry and institute
and under the prescribed terms and conditions of the University. It is a practical training
experience that prepares students for the tasks they are expected to perform on completion
of their training.

1.2 In-plant Training Objectives

In-plant training is meant to corelate theory and actual practices in the professional
industries. Through this In-plant training:
i) Students are exposed to industrial Environment, which cannot be simulated in the
Institute.
ii) Students work under the Factory discipline.
iii) Students will be able to understand the psychology of the workers, their habits, attitudes
and approach to problems along the practices followed either at factory or at a site.
iv) Students get familiarized with various Materials, Machines, Processes, Products and
their applications along with the relevant aspects of shop management.
v) Students realize the size and scale of industry.
vi) Students should get an opportunity to apply their knowledge in problem solving in their
project assignment.
vii) Students are able to understand relevant application-oriented subjects better in
subsequent terms.
viii) Students understand various constraints of time and cost within which goods are
produced and services rendered in specified quantum.
ix) Students appreciate the need for co-ordinate effort of various persons at different levels
in the different department and in achieving set goals and targets.
x) Students understand the scope, functions and the job responsibility-ties in various
departments of an organization.

1.3 Project Introduction

This report gives an overview of the projects that I worked on during my in-plant training
of 20 weeks, at the Varroc engineering Ltd. Plant- 7 (valve). I worked on one major project
and one minor project, This report focuses for the most part the major project and the
smaller projects are briefly described.
 2

i. The minor project I have worked on during my in-plant training can be broken
down into two topics, which are related to each other. The first topic is about
understanding the design and manufacturing process of the engine valve,
manufacturing processes includes treating (such as heat treating or coating),
machining, or reshaping the material and manufacturing process also includes
tests and checks for quality assurance during these processes, which is called as
in-process inspection. The second topic is about the hands-on experience in the
final inspection department (FID) for the valve inspection and testing, inspection
prior to dispatch is very important as all the Dimensional & Significant
characteristics are checked at this stage, this is done in the FID. In FID I was
exposed to a well-defined quality system, in which I got the basic knowledge of
Advanced measuring equipment and machines.
ii. The major project I worked on during my training period was on tooling cost
reduction in the forging zone. To reduce the production cost, reducing the
tooling cost is an important aspect. Tooling which refers to- working or
manufacturing aids such as cutting tools, dies, fixtures, gauges, jigs, etc. which
(unless substantially altered or modified) are limited in use to a specific
production line or the performance of a specific contract or job and tooling cost
which refers to- Expenses incurred by a contractor or manufacturer in
acquisition and/or fabrication of the tooling requirements for the performance
of a contract or of a production line. The tooling cost was reduced by optimizing
the design of the bottom die holder of power press machine. The technique used
in this project was Kobetsu Kaizen, which is a Japanese word for focused
improvement, which means prioritising the most important losses and
eliminating them.
 3

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW

(i) Petrol engine exhaust valve design, analysis and manufacturing process- Seshagiri
Rao1 and D Gopi Chandul
The aim of this paper is to design an exhaust valve for a four wheeler petrol engine using
theoretical calculations. Manufacturing process that is 2D drawings is drafted from the
calculations and 3D model and transient thermal analysis is to be done on the exhaust valve
when valve is open and closed. Analysis is done in ANSYS. Analysis will be conduct when
the study state condition is attained. Study state condition is attained at 5000 cycles at the
time of when valve is closed is 127.651 sec valve is opened 127.659 sec.The material used
for exhaust valve is EN52 steel. We are doing material optimization bydoing analysis on
both materials EN52 and EN59.Static Modal analysis the exhaust valve to determine mode
shapes of the valve for number of modes.

(ii) Study and Analysis of Cost Reduction Techniques in Press Part Production-
Anuroop Athalye, Pankaj Gera, Dr. A.R. Madan- Department of Mechanical
Engineering. MITS, Ujjain (M.P.), India
In this paper, industrial engineering and management tools like TQM, TPM, JIT, Value
Analysis & Value Engineering, Lean manufacturing, Kaizen etc. have been studied and
analyzed for cost reduction in a specific production process of an auto ancillary industrial
firm. For this a case study was performed on sheet metal stamping process of LCV/HCV
body parts at XYZ Company at Pithampur (Indore)M.P.. A survey in interview form was
conducted among managerial and engineering professionals from various similar type
industries. The survey is based on cost reduction techniques, related challenges, market role
etc. Attempts have been made to investigate the role of vendors in cost reduction and the
problems faced from their side. Application of job plan in investigating the problems in
productivity improvement has also been studied. The outcomes have been analyzed and
discussed in details.

(iii) Implementation of Kobetsu Kaizen pillar in Improving Overall Equipment

Effectiveness of Machine- INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING
SCIENCES & RESEARCH TECHNOLOGY, FirdosJahan Khan, Quazi T. Z.
Mechanical Engineering, Saraswati Collage of Engineering, India
Total Productive Maintenance is a maintenance program which involves a newly defined
concept for maintaining plants and equipment Overall Equipment Effectiveness is used as
the measure of success of Total Productive Maintenance implementation. The Overall
Equipment Effectiveness is product of equipment availability, performance efficiency of
process and quality performance of manufacturing operations. Kobetsu Kaizen approach is
 4

an important pillar of Total Productive Maintenance which had a major task of unifying the
kaizen effort across the division. KK Pillar looks into all the losses, analyses the losses
using various QC tools and comes up with suggestions that need to be implemented to
reduce recurring losses. This research is into the implementation of the KK Pillar activities
in a manufacturing company that is in project business and does not have repetitive
products. The main aim of this dissertation work is to reduce the losses of the machine. In
this research work a case study of machine had been undertaken for the analysis for certain
duration.

(iv) Design and Analysis of a Forging Die for Manufacturing of Multiple Connecting
Rods, C E Megharaj, P M Nagaraj, and K Jeelan Pasha Department of Industrial
Engineering and Management, Siddaganga Institute of Technology, Tumakuru.
This paper demonstrates to utilize the hammer capacity by modifying the die design such
that forging hammer can manufacture more than one connecting rod in a given forging cycle
time. To modify the die design study is carried out to understand the parameters that are
required for forging die design. By considering these parameters, forging die is designed
using design modelling tool solid edge. This new design now can produce two connecting
rods in same capacity hammer. The new design is required to validate by verifying complete
filing of metal in die cavities without any defects in it. To verify this, analysis tool
DEFORM 3D is used in this project. Before start of validation process it is require to
convert 3D generated models in to .STL file format to import the models into the analysis
tool DEFORM 3D. After importing these designs they are analysed for material flow into
the cavities and energy required to produce two connecting rods in new forging die design.
It is found that the forging die design is proper without any defects and also energy graph
shows that the forging energy required to produce two connecting rods is within the limit
of that hammer capacity. Implementation of this project increases the production of
connecting rods by 200% in less than previous cycle time.
 5

CHAPTER 3: COMPANY BACKGROUND

Founded in 1988, Varroc group is a global tier-1 automotive component manufacturer and
supplier of exterior lighting systems, plastic and polymer components, electricals-
electronics components, and precision metallic components to passenger car, commercial
vehicle, two-wheeler, three-wheeler and off highway vehicle ("OHV") OEMs directly
worldwide. With 36 world-class manufacturing facilities and 16 R&D centers in
10 countries, Varroc group is on an exponential growth trajectory clocking a sale of
1.5 billion USD in 2016-17. The company is one of the leading global passenger car lighting
suppliers and amongst the top 2-wheeler automotive component supplier in India. Varroc
offers best design solutions that give customers a competitive edge in their markets.

3.1 Operations
The company has five business verticals under its umbrella:
i. Varroc Lighting Systems
Varroc Lighting Systems (VLS), headquartered out of Plymouth, Michigan, is a supplier of
exterior lighting for passenger cars and commercial vehicles. The division has six
manufacturing plants across North American, European, and Asian countries and six
Engineering centers in the Czech Republic, France, China, Germany, Mexico, and India.
ii. Triom Lighting
Triom Two-Wheeler Lighting, the lighting system arm of Varroc for the two-wheeler
industry, develops electronics and lighting solutions for the automotive market in India and
Europe. The division produces high quality two-wheeler lighting systems. It has four
manufacturing plants – two in Europe, one in Vietnam, and one in Mexico – as well as an
engineering center in Italy.
iii. Electrical
Varroc’s Electrical division offers complete solutions in electrical components and
assemblies for the two, three, four-wheeler, off-road as well as commercial vehicles
segments. The division has five manufacturing facilities located in the states of Maharashtra
and Uttarakhand.
iv. Metallic
Metallic division is a supplier of essential machined forgings and engine valves. The
manufacturing capabilities of forging include hot, warm and cold forging, heat treatment,
post heat treatment machining and soft machining. The forging plant based in Italy supplies
large forgings to caterpillars in Europe for construction equipment.
 6

v. Polymer
Varroc polymer provides solutions to the automotive segments. The division produces a
wide range of injection and compression molded automotive and allied rubber components.
Varroc is the largest polymer solution provider to the two-wheeler industry in India.

GROUP PRODUCT RANGE

Polymer Electrical Metallic

• Interior & • AC generators • Engine valves

Exterior Trims • Digital CDI • Crank pins
• Underbody/ • Digital • Piston pins
HVAC Parts Regulator • Hot, cold &
• Radiator/Engine rectifier warm Forged
parts • Starter/Wiper machine parts
• Inj. Molded motors • Gears
plastic & rubber • Switch • Catalyst for 2W
components assemblies for & 3W.
• Mirror assembly motorcycles
& mirror plates • Lighting
• Air cleaner system
assembly • ECU
• PU foam pad & • Motor body
Seating parts.
Assembly
• Multi-layer co-
extruded
Thermoplastic
sheets
• Consumer
electronic
components
• Series moulds &
pre-production
moulds.

Varroc Product Range

 7

VARROC GROUP

Varroc Engg. Ltd Varroc Polymers Corporate Functions

Ltd.

Electrical Metallic VEL- PN VPL- I JV & After

Market Sales

VPL- II
VEL- I VEL- V Finance

VPL- III
VEL- II VEL- VII
HRM

VEL- III VPL- IV

Subsidiaries
Supply
Chain
VEL- IV DIPL VPL- GN

VEL- VI VPL- BN Legal

VESPL

VEHBV Subsidiary Infotech

VTL Varroc
Elastomers

IMES IMES
Poland Italy

Tree Diagram of Varroc Business

 8

3.2 Vision, Mission & Core Values of Varroc

ii. Vision
To be an INR 200 Billion supplier of innovative solutions for transportation and allied
industry in 2020
Core business sectors will be exterior lighting and two wheelers mobility
Be a partner of choice for vision, mobility and emission technologies
Be the fastest growing player in our core sectors
Be among the Top 3-4 players in the global lighting business.
ii. Mission
Bring leading edge technologies to the mainstream markets with high quality, cost
competitive solutions:
By delivering customized solutions with superior service
With speed, agility and creativity
And fostering an environment that empowers employees and encourages the pursuit of
excellence
iii. Core values

Figure 3.2.1 Varroc Core Values.

 9

3.3 Varroc Engineering Ltd. Plant- VII (Valve Division)

The Varroc Engineering Ltd. Plant- VII Valve Division is a leading supplier of engine
valves to leading OEMs in India as well as the global market. It supplies to all segments of
the automotive industry and boasts of having a major clientele in the international markets,
wherein nearly half of the engine valves production is exported to Europe. The metallic
valves division has two manufacturing plants and one R&D center in India. R&D centers
are involved in the development to realization of high performance technologies like
sodium filled valves, hollow engine valves and titanium valves, and provide developmental
support to customers in North America, Europe and Asia. Our metallic valve manufacturing
capabilities include forging, heat treatment, induction hardening, pattern hardening,
precision machining, hommel inspection and ultrasonic inspection.
3.3.1 Engine valve manufacturing capabilities
The Engine Valve business specializes in producing engine valves for 2 wheelers, passenger
cars, commercial vehicles and off-road vehicle markets. The in-house manufacturing
includes Upsetting, Forging, Friction Welding, Button Welding, Stellite Depositing,
Grooving, Crack Detect, CNC Machining as well as in-house facilities for Chrome plating,
Nitriding, Extrusion Process, Heat Treatment, Induction Hardening, Washing & Cleaning
and Final Inspection by using Scanner camera to inspect Static dimensions.
In addition it also has facilities for Homel Final Inspection, Ultrasonic Inspection for
checking bonding defects, Eddy Current Checking as well as next generation PTA
technology for Stellite hard facing on Valve Seat.
The Engine Valve business has developed highly competitive Engineering capabilities,
which include benchmarking, design concepts, new product development, program
management, material engineering, Industrial engineering, prototyping and Manufacturing
engineering. The business has in-house facility for tooling and has a recognized R&D
facility to validate the engines. The facility is equipped with state-of-art Eddy current
Dynamometer (in collaboration with FEV Germany) to validate Engines up to 140 Kw,
design simulation ABCUS from Dessault systems for Thermal stress mapping as well as
high-end SEM (Scanning Microscope) to analyze the failure of components. Varroc
continuously collaborates with Suppliers to develop cost-effective solutions for high
performance engines.
3.3.2 Product of VEL- VII (Valve Division)
Intake & Exhaust Engine valve.
i. Intake Valve- a valve in the cylinder head of an internal-combustion engine that
opens at the proper moment in the cycle to allow the fuel-air mixture to be drawn
into the cylinder.
ii. Exhaust Valve- a valve through which burned gases from a cylinder escape into the
exhaust manifold.
 10

INLET VALVE EXHAUST

VALVE

Figure 3.3.1 Product (Valve)

3.3.3 Clientele of VEL-VII (Valve)

The clientele of VEL-VII (Valve) include leading OEMs in India as well as the global
market. The clientele include all segments of the automotive industry and boasts of
having a major clientele in the international markets, wherein nearly half of the engine
valves production is exported to Europe. Some of the esteemed customers are Fiat
Automobiles, General Motors Company, Maruti Suzuki, Mahindra & Mahindra, JCB
Excavators, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, etc.
3.3.4 Departments in VEL-VII (Valve)
i. Marketing
ii. Store
iii. Purchase
iv. Human Resource
v. Engineering
vi. Production
vii. Final Inspection Department (FID)
viii. Production Planning & Control
ix. Maintenance
 11

x. Quality Control
xi. BSR (Bonded Store Room)

Marketing Department
Marketing department fulfill the marketing needs and work to ensure the progress.
Major functions-
i. Market research
ii. Product development
iii. Sales support
iv. Communications

Store
The basic responsibilities of stores are to act as custodian and controlling agent for parts,
supplies, and materials, and to provide service to users of those goods. Stores has a process
and a space within, to receive the incoming materials (Receiving Bay), keep them for as
long as they are not required for use (Custody) and then to move them out of stores for use
(Issue). In a manufacturing firm this process forms a cycle to maintain and run the activities
of Stores.
Major Functions-
i. Receipt of incoming goods
ii. Inspection of all receipts
iii. Storage & preservation
iv. Identification of material stored
v. Material handling
vi. Issue & dispatch
vii. Inventory control/ management
viii. Maintenance of stock records
ix. Stores accounting, etc.

Purchase Department
Purchasing is the function of buying Goods & Services from external source to an
organization. The purchasing management department ensures that all goods, supplies and
inventory needed to operate the business are ordered and kept in stock. It is also responsible
for controlling the cost of the goods ordered, controlling inventory levels and building
strong relationships with suppliers.
Major functions-
 12

i. To purchase the required material at minimum possible price by following the

company policies.
ii. To keep department expenses low.
iii. Development of good & new vendors (suppliers).
iv. Development of good relation with the existing suppliers.
v. To maintain proper & up to date records of all transactions.
vi. To avoid Stock- out situations.
Purchasing Cycle-
i. Indent
ii. Purchase Requisition
iii. Purchase Quotation
iv. Purchase Order
v. Goods Receipt
vi. Purchase Invoice
vii. Payment out
viii. Goods Issue
ix. Approval

Human Resource Department

Human resources is used to describe both the people who work for a company or
organization and the department responsible for managing resources related to employees.
Human resource management involves overseeing all things related to managing an
organization’s human capital.
Major functions-
i. Recruiting and staffing
ii. Compensation and benefits
iii. Training and learning
iv. Labor and employee relations
v. Organization development

Engineering Department
The Engineering Department is responsible for planning, analyzing and implementing
system extension projects; planning, design, and construction of major facility
replacements; capital improvement projects; continuing improvements in system standards;
and technical assistance to other departments.
Apart from this following are the functions of Engineering Department-
i. Ensure the safe use of equipment and schedule regular maintenance.
 13

ii. Submit reports on performance and progress(D.P.R.).

iii. Identify issues in efficiency and suggest improvements.
iv. Train new employees on how to safely use machinery and follow procedures.
v. Enforce strict safety guidelines and company standards.
vi. Provide Control plan to respective Machines & Departments in plant, with special
& significant characteristics included in it.
vii. Evaluate each station of the manufacturing process to ensure maximum efficiency

Production Department
The production department is responsible for converting raw materials and other inputs into
finished goods or services. In between the processes of production, the department works
to improve the efficiency of the production or assembly line so that it can meet the output
targets set by company management and ensure finished products offer consumers the best
value and quality.
Functions of Production Department-
Identifying Inputs- The PPC Department determines the quantity or volume of goods that
should be produced within a certain time frame and passes the information to the production
department. To meet production targets, the department establishes the quantity of raw
materials and types of machinery and equipment required to achieve the desired output level
and may collaborate with the purchasing department to source the inputs.
Scheduling Production- With the inputs ready, the production department schedules
production processes. This involves planning the tasks to be completed along the production
line and allocating the tasks to various production workers.
Minimizing Production Costs- The production department is tasked with finding effective
ways to lower production costs. One simple way to do this is to keep the production
machinery and equipment well-maintained so the firm does not regularly incur repair costs.
Along with advising the business to adopt newer technologies, the department can also
assess the production line to identify opportunities for cost reduction.
Ensuring Product Quality- A production department must ensure finished goods meet
minimum quality standards. Apart from checking all products for faults as they move
through the production process, the department must perform rigorous tests on prototypes
for new products to ensure they meet quality benchmarks before undergoing mass
production. From time to time, the production department will furnish the research and
development department with information it can use to improve existing products.
 14

Final Inspection Department

Once the finished parts have been completed within the relevant sections of the machine
shop, they then move onto the Final Inspection Department (FID). The Inspection
department is a temperature-controlled environment where the finished parts are inspected
by experienced Inspectors before being passed to the packing. The Final Inspection rooms
contains measuring machines & measuring equipment which allows to measure and
accurately record measurements along with externally calibrated inspection equipment to
cover all sizes. This department is crucial as it the final stage where the goods are
dimensionally checked but also to ensure the necessary quality control of goods so they
meet internal & customers standards.
Inspection involves-
• Physical or dimensional: measurements using measuring machines & measuring
equipment.
• Testing: mechanical properties (tensile strength, hardness, etc.).
• Visual: appearance, surface characteristics, size, shape, etc., using the naked.

Production Planning & Control Department

Production planning and control generally involve the planning of manufacturing process.
Especially it consists of the planning of routing, scheduling, dispatching, inspection, and
coordination, control of materials, methods, machines, tools and operating times etc. The
ultimate objective of PPC is to organize the supply and movement of materials and labor,
machines utilization and related activities, in order to bring about the desired manufacturing
results in terms of quality, quantity, time and place.
Elements in PPC
1.Routing
2.Scheduling
3.Dispatching
4.Follow up
Routing is the planning process, which is undertaken to find the best possible path for
manufacturing a certain product. It determines what work will be done on a product and
how it will be done. It establishes the operations, their path and sequence, and the proper
class of machines that require performing specific operations. Routing prescribes the flow
of work in the plant and it is related to the considerations of layout, temporary location for
raw materials and components and material handling system. The main aim of routing is to
determine the best and cheapest Production Planning and control
Routing procedure involves the following different activities:
 15

i. An analysis of the article to determine what to make and what to buy.

ii. To determine the quality and type of material
iii. Determining the manufacturing operations and their sequence.
iv. Determination of lot sizes.
v. Determination of scrap factors.
vi. An analysis of cost of the article
Scheduling is the allocation of resources applying the limiting factors of time and cost to
perform a collection of tasks. It involves the assignment of starting and completion times
for the various operations to be performed. Therefore scheduling can bring productivity in
shop floor by providing a schedule/ routine for processing a set of jobs. Scheduling finds
the total time needed for manufacturing of a product. It also finds the time required in each
machines to perform each task. The purpose of scheduling is to execute a customer’s order
well in time. Scheduling is that phase of production and control, which rates the work in
order of its priority and then provide for its release to the plant at the proper time and in
correct sequence. Thus, scheduling is concerned with when the work shall be performed on
a product.
Dispatching is the transition from planning phase to action phase. In this phase, the worker
is ordered to start manufacturing the product. Dispatching involves the actual granting of
permission to proceed according to plans already laid down. In dispatching, orders are
issued in terms of their priority. The dispatch section of the PPC is responsible for the
following task:
i. Checking the availability of material and then taking appropriate action to have it
transferred from the main stores to the point at which it is needed.
ii. Ensuring that all production aid is ready when needed and then having them issued
to manufacturing departments.
iii. Obtaining specific drawings from the drawing office.
iv. Informing the process section that production is commencing.
Dispatching is an important step as it translates production plans into actual production.
Follow-up: Once production has been set in motion, it is necessary to check that it is
proceeding according to the plan. Every production program involves determination of the
progress of work, removing obstacles in the flow of work and ensuring that the productive
operations are taking place in accordance with the plans. It spots delays or deviations from
the production plans. It helps to reveal defects in routing and scheduling, misunderstanding
of orders and instruction, under loading or overloading of work etc. All problems or
deviations are investigated and remedial measurers are undertaken to ensure the completion
of work by the planned date.
Major functions -
i. PPC forecasts sales orders and makes sales order more economical in production.
ii. It co-ordinates the operations of several departments.
 16

iii. It ensures better service to customers by delivering quality goods within the
specified time period.
iv. Reduces production costs through orderly scheduling of work activities and
reducing wastages.
v. Reduces employee idle time.
vi. Ensures a better control of material and contributes to efficient buying.

Maintenance Department
The technical meaning of maintenance involves operational and functional checks,
servicing, repairing or replacing of necessary devices, equipment, machinery, building
infrastructure, and supporting utilities in plant. The ultimate goal of maintenance is to
provide optimal reliability which meets the business needs of the company and this is done
by Maintenance Department.
Types of maintenance carried out
i. Breakdown maintenance (BM) is maintenance performed on equipment that has
broken down and is unusable. It is based on a breakdown maintenance trigger. It
may be either planned or it can be unplanned.
ii. Preventative maintenance (PM or preventive maintenance) is maintenance that
is regularly performed on a piece of equipment to lessen the likelihood of it failing.
Preventative maintenance is performed while the equipment is still working, so that
it does not break down unexpectedly.
iii. Predictive maintenance (PdM) techniques are designed to help determine the
condition of in-service equipment in order to predict when maintenance should be
performed. This approach promises cost savings over routine or time-based
preventive maintenance, because tasks are performed only when warranted.
iv. Time-based maintenance (TBM) is maintenance performed on equipment based
on a calendar schedule. This means that time is the maintenance trigger for this type
of maintenance. Time-based maintenance is planned maintenance, as it must be
scheduled in advance. This means that it can be used with both preventive
maintenance and predictive maintenance strategies.
v. Condition-based maintenance (CBM) is a maintenance strategy that monitors the
actual condition of the asset to decide what maintenance needs to be done. CBM
dictates that maintenance should only be performed when certain indicators show
signs of decreasing performance or upcoming failure.

Quality Control Department

Quality control, or QC for short, is a process by which entities review the quality of all
factors involved in production. It is the set of measures and procedures to follow in order
to ensure that the quality of a product is maintained and improved against a set of
 17

benchmarks and that any errors encountered are either eliminated or reduced. The focus of
quality control is to ensure that the product and product manufacturing are not only
consistent but also in line with customer requirements.
Quality control specialists ensure that the department or process they work with meets
minimum quality standards.
Functions of QC department-
Testing- The most basic function of quality control involves testing. Quality control
specialists test the manufacturing process at the beginning, middle and end to ensure that
the production quality remains the same throughout. If the specialist discovers an issue at
any point in the process, they works with the production team to remedy the issue. Quality
control specialists perform quality control tests for services provided as well, evaluating the
quality of a specific service at specified intervals throughout the time of service. Testing
provides quality results as of the date of testing.
Monitoring- Monitoring consists of ongoing testing that the quality control specialist
performs on a regular basis. The specialist repeats the testing and records the results of each
test. After the specialist has performed several tests, they review the results and look for
any trends in quality. If the quality declines, they increases the amount of testing performed
in that areaThe quality control specialist continues to monitor the trending of the results.
Auditing- Quality control specialists also spend time auditing the quality of a process which
the specialist doesn’t work with. The quality control specialist may be auditing the work of
the regular quality control work performed or auditing the quality of a process without any
current quality control work. When performing the audit, the quality control specialist
reviews the results reported by the regular quality control workers to determine if they
performed the original tests correctly.
Reporting- Periodically, the quality control specialist reports the quality results to
management. A high number of quality problems mean something is wrong with the
process and there may be many unhappy customers for the company. Management reviews
the number of quality problems and where they occur in the process and take action to
address the issue.

BSR (Bonded Store Room)

A bonded store room is a secured warehouse facility. The inspected parts from the FID are
Packed and shifted to BSR. The Parts which are waiting for export are securely stored here.
 18

CHAPTER 4: METHODOLOGY

4.1. Observing & Understanding Design & Manufacturing Process of Engine Valve-
The manufacturing process begins with the creation of the materials from which the design
is made. These materials are then modified through manufacturing processes to become the
required part ie. Engine Valve. Manufacturing processes includes treating (such as heat
treating or coating), machining, or reshaping the material. The manufacturing process also
includes tests and checks for quality assurance during or after the manufacturing and
planning the production process prior to manufacturing.
There is hardly any difference in the manufacturing process of a Inlet valve & a Exhaust
valve. The general process is the same, rather depending on the design the Exhaust valve is
of bimetal, where two different metals are friction welded (Stem has different material &
Head has different material).
General design specifications of engine valve-
• Stem Dia Range- 4.00mm to 12.00 mm
• Head Dia Range- 12.00mm to 55.00mm
• Material- Austenitic steel, Martensitic steel, Bimetal, Super Alloys
• Finish- Natural, Soft nitriding, Chrome plated
• Special Features- Stellite Seat & end, Induction hardened tappet end & seat, Die
finished under head & face.

Figure 4.1.1 Engine Valve Diagram

 19

The general manufacturing process of Valve is as follows-

i. Bar cut off (Stem)- The raw material- of circular cross-section bar is cut off into
required length on Bar shearing machine. The Bar Shearing Machine is robust to
with stand the stress while shearing of various forms of steel bars.

Figure 4.1.2 Bar Shearing Machine

ii. Hardening (Stem)- Hardening is a metallurgical metalworking process used to

increase the hardness of a metal. Hardening involves heating of steel, keeping it at
an appropriate temperature until all pearlite is transformed into austenite.

Figure 4.1.3 Hardening Process

iii. Tempering (Stem)- Tempering is a process of heat treating, which is used to

increase the toughness. Tempering is usually performed after hardening, to reduce
 20

some of the excess hardness, and is done by heating the metal to some temperature
below the critical point for a certain period of time, then allowing it to cool in still
air. The reduction in hardness is usually accompanied by an increase in ductility,
thereby decreasing the brittleness of the metal.
iv. Shot Blasting (Stem)- Shot blasting is a method used to clean the metal, it is also
used for removing burrs, scale and rust that may interfere with the part's integrity,
appearance or definition. Shot blasting also prepares the surface of a part for coating
by removing surface contaminants and provide a surface profile for increased
coating adhesion.
v. Inspect for Bar dia (Stem)- The Stem dia is inspected with the help of Dial gauge.
The inspection is done at this stage to eliminate the rejection due to stem dia in the
further stages.
vi. Bar cut off (Head)- Same process as for the Stem.
vii. Deburr (Head)- A burr is a raised edge or small piece of material remaining
attached to a workpiece after a process. It is usually an unwanted piece of material
and is removed with a deburring tool in a process called 'deburring'. The deburring
is done manually, Manual deburring is the most common deburring process because
it is the most flexible process. It also only requires low cost tools and allows for
instant inspection. Manual deburring is done on a grinding wheel.
viii. Inspect for bar dia (Head)- Same process as for Stem dia.
ix. Friction welding & deflash- Friction welding (FRW) is a solid-state welding
process that generates heat through mechanical friction between workpieces in
relative motion to one another, with the addition of a lateral force called "upset" to
plastically displace and fuse the materials. Because no melting occurs, friction
welding is not a fusion welding process in the traditional sense, but more of a forge
welding technique. The combination of fast joining times (on the order of a few
seconds), and direct heat input at the weld interface, yields relatively small heat-
affected zones. By this process two dissimilar metals of Stem & head are joined.
After FRW Deflashing is done- The process of removing flash by cutting the excess
metal.

Figure 4.1.4 Friction Welding

 21

x. Stress Relieve I - Stress relieving is applied intended to remove internal residual

stresses generated by prior manufacturing processes such as machining and welding.
The treatment is not intended to produce significant changes in material structures
or mechanical properties, and is therefore normally restricted to relatively low
temperatures.
xi. Bar Grinding- The bar grinding is done manually on a Grinding wheel.
xii. Deburr I- Deburring is followed after the grinding process to remove the unwanted
material.
xiii. Upset & Forge- Upset forging increases the diameter of the workpiece by
compressing its length. The electrical upsetter comprises of the main heating
transformer, which is mounted within the machine frame and is air-cooled. The
electrical upsetter supplies heat in the form of current from the top stationary anvil
and pressure on the bottom movable anvil known as upset pressure. The principle
involved here is decrease in length on one side of the cut bar bringing about increase
in cross-sectional area at the other end of the bar, forming a bulb. This bulb is in hot
condition and has to be moulded. Then the bulb is shaped by the forging process
(Forging is a manufacturing process involving the shaping of metal using localized
compressive forces) with the Power press machine.

Figure 4.1.5 Robotics Used in Upsetting & Forging

xiv. Straightening I- Straightening of the valve is done on Straightening machine.

xv. Stress Relieve II
xvi. Rough Centerless I- Centerless grinding is a machining process that uses abrasive
cutting to remove material from a workpiece. Centerless grinding differs from
centered grinding operations in that no spindle or fixture is used to locate and secure
the workpiece; the workpiece is secured between two rotary grinding wheels, and
the speed of their rotation relative to each other determines the rate at which material
is removed from the workpiece. It is typically used in preference to other grinding
processes for operations where many parts must be processed in a short time.
 22

Figure 4.1.6 Centerless Grinding

xvii. Straightening II
xviii. Pre-Machining Final Inspection- Before the valve go for the machining processes
the valve are inspected to eliminate the rejection at the machining stage. Valve bend
test is also done to check the ductility.
xix. Rough centerless II
xx. CNC Facing (Head)- Facing is the process of removing metal from the end of a
workpiece to produce a flat surface. It is done on a CNC Lathe machine.
xxi. Copy Turn (Neck & Rad)- (Turning is a form of machining, a material removal
process, which is used to create rotational parts by cutting away unwanted material).
Copy turning is carried out on special lathes that control the cutting tool in some
manner to produce identical items. They are capable of producing work quickly and
to a good quality finish.

Figure 4.1.7 Turning Process

 23

xxii. End Buffing- Buffing is process using abrasives or abrasive compounds that adhere
loosely to a flexible backing, such as a cloth wheel. Buffing is used to generate
extremely fine surfaces that match those associated with honing and lapping. A
buffed surface is smooth, highly reflective and mirror-like.
xxiii. Harden End (Induction)- Induction hardening is a form of surface hardening
(surface hardening is the process of hardening the surface of a metal object while
allowing the metal deeper underneath to remain soft, thus forming a thin layer of
harder metal (called the "case") at the surface) in which a metal part is induction-
heated and then quenched. The quenched metal undergoes a martensitic
transformation, increasing the hardness and brittleness of the part. Induction
hardening is used to selectively harden areas of a part or assembly without affecting
the properties of the part as a whole. Induction heating is a non-contact heating
process which uses the principle of electromagnetic induction to produce heat inside
the surface layer of a work-piece. Stress Relieve is followed after Induction
hardening.

Figure 4.1.8 Induction Hardening

xxiv. Groove & End Chamfer- Groove is provided on the stem of the valve by CNC
machine & then Chamfer is provided at the end of the stem.
xxv. Crack Detect (Zyglo)- Fluorescent penetrant inspection (FPI) is a type of dye
penetrant inspection in which a fluorescent dye is applied to the surface of metal in
order to detect defects that may compromise the integrity or quality of the part. It is
a quick and accurate process for locating surface flaws such as shrinkage cracks,
porosity, cold shuts, fatigue cracks, grinding cracks, heat treat cracks, seams,
forging laps, forging bursts, through leaks, and lack of bond.
xxvi. Chrome Flashing- Flash hard chrome plating is an electrolytic process utilizing a
chromic acid-based electrolyte. The component requiring plating becomes the
 24

cathode and, with the passage of a DC current via anodes, chromium metal builds
on the component surface. Etching is carried in accordance with the guidance
relevant to the base material being plated. All components are etched before Hard
Chrome plating to provide a good key for the hard chrome deposit to be applied.

Figure 4.1.9 Chrome Flashing

xxvii. Stress Relieve after Chrome Flashing

xxviii. Stage Inspection
xxix. Polish (Stem)- Polishing is often used to enhance the appearance of an item, prevent
contamination of instruments, remove oxidation, create a reflective surface, or
prevent corrosion.
xxx. Valve washing & Compressed air drying.
This is the general manufacturing process of the Engine valve, However the process
may vary according to the different parts & customer requirements. Once the finished
parts have been completed within the relevant sections of the machine shop, they then
move onto the Final Inspection Department (FID) for the Inspection processes.

4.2 Experience in Final Inspection Department (FID)-

Inspection is an important tool to achieve quality concept. It is necessary to assure
confidence to manufacturer and aims satisfaction to customer. Inspection is an
indispensable tool of modern manufacturing process. It helps to control quality, reduces
manufacturing costs, eliminate scrap losses and assignable causes of defective work. It
checks the components at various stages with reference to certain predetermined factors and
detecting and sorting out the faulty or defective items. It also specified the types of
inspection devices to use and the procedures to follow to measure the quality characteristics.
Inspection is the most common method of attaining standardization, uniformity and quality
 25

of workmanship. It is the cost art of controlling the production quality after comparison
with the established standards and specifications. It is the function of quality control. If the
said item does not fall within the zone of acceptability it will be rejected and corrective
measure will be applied to see that the items in future conform to specified standards.
Objectives of Inspection
i. To detect the faulty products in production whenever it is detected.
ii. To bring facts to the notice of managers before they become serous to enable them
discover weaknesses and over the problem.
iii. To prevent the substandard reaching the customer and reducing complaints.
iv. To promote reputation for quality and reliability of product.
Purpose of Inspection
i. To distinguish good lots from bad lots.
ii. To distinguish good pieces from bad pieces.
iii. To determine if the process is changing.
iv. To determine if the process is approaching the specification limits.
v. To rate quality of product.
vi. To rate accuracy of inspectors.
vii. To measure the precision of the measuring instrument.
viii. To secure products-design information.
ix. To measure process capability.
Inspection in the Plant is conducted during the production process. This approach of
inspection helps to control the quality of products by helping to fix the sources of defects
immediately after they are detected, and it is useful to improve productivity, reduce defect
rates, and reduce re-work and waste. This is called as In-process inspection, but Inspection
prior to dispatch is very important as all the Dimensional & Significant characteristics are
checked at this stage, this is done in the Final inspection department (FID). Inspecting the
Engine valve before it leaves the plant is an effective way of preventing quality problems
and supply chain disruptions further down the line. It is also a better way of preventing
customer’s complaints.
During my In-plant training period I was exposed to a well-defined quality system,
consisting of In-process & Final inspection which ensure 100% inspection for all the Engine
valves and also sampling inspection for Valves to meet the customer requirements.
In the Final Inspection Department (FID) which was a temperature-controlled environment,
I got the basic knowledge of Advanced measuring equipment like Dial gauges, GO gauge,
NO-GO Gauges, VICI Inspection machine, Homel Inspection machine, Leak test machine,
Hardness test machine, Equipment calibration, etc. In this department I also had hands-on
experience on these equipment and machines.
 26

The Inspection Process of the Engine valve is as follows-

I) Dimensional Inspection
i. Stem Diameter- The stem diameter is checked with the Dial gauge (a gauge
consisting of a circular graduated dial and a pointer actuated by a member that
contacts with the part being calibrated). The Valve is rotated with its one end in
contact with the dial gauge’s pointer and another end in contact with the fixed
pointer, as shown in the below Picture. The acceptance limit differs part wise,
usually it is between 10 microns to 15 microns. If the valve is above the limit then
it is given for Rework to decrease the diameter & if the valve is below the limit them
it is rejected.

Figure 4.2.1 Seat Diameter Inspection on Dial Gauge

ii. Datum to end- The overall height of the valve is checked on the Dial gauge as
shown in the picture.
 27

Figure 4.2.2 Datum to End Inspection

iii. Seat Roundness- The seat roundness or the seat angularity is checked on a dial
gauge as shown in the picture. It is a important parameter on the assembly point of
view of the valve in the engine as if roundness is not according to the standards can
cause leakage.

Figure 4.2.3 Seat Roundness Inspection

 28

iv. Groove Diameter- The groove diameter is checked on GO gauge & NO GO gauge
for the groove diameter be in the desirable limits. The below picture illustrate the
same.

Figure 4.2.4 Groove Diameter Inspection on GO, NO GO gauge

v. Seat Height- The seat height is checked on a Dial gauge.

vi. Seat Runout- Seat Runout or the flatness of the seat surface is checked by moving
the valve seat with the pointer of the dial gauge in contact with the seat surface as
shown in the Picture. Generally it should not exceed 3 microns.

Figure 4.2.5 Seat Runout Inspection on Dial gauge

 29

vii. Groove position- Groove position is checked on a dial gauge as shown below.

Figure 4.2.6 Groove Position Inspection

viii. Seat diameter- The head diameter is checked by GO gauge & NO GO gauge to be
in the required limits, It should not exceed 15 microns limit.
ix. Visual- Important parameters are checked visually like Valve free from damage,
free from crack, Polish, End rework, free from Acid mark, Head unclear, Seat, etc.

Figure 4.2.7 Visual Inspection

 30

Some of the valves are dimensionally inspected with the help of Testing machines like VICI
Testing machine & Homel Testing machine according to the customer requirements.
VICI Testing Machine- The VICI valve testing machine is a static testing machine which
uses a Digital camera for the dimensional inspection of the valve. Through the technology
of ‘photogrammetry’, it is now possible to use a standard digital camera as a coordinate
measuring device comparable to a CMM. Working principle- Photogrammetry, which
refers to using photographs to obtain 3D position information, through software that
compares multiple photographs at different angles. Photogrammetry is what surveyors use
to create 3D topographical maps. At much closer range, the same technique can determine
XYZ coordinates of workpiece features to accuracies as tight as 0.001 or 0.002 inch across
a 10-foot object. Usually the product is illuminated using back light (bright field)
illumination making the edges of the product clearly visible.
Homel Testing Machine- The Homel valve testing machine is a dynamic testing machine
which uses a 3D Laser scanning system for the dimensional inspection of the valve. With
this type of 3D scanning system, a laser is projected onto the surface of the valve and a
camera captures the reflection. The laser is in the form of a single point. When the reflection
is captured, each point is triangulated, measured, and recorded, resulting in a 3D rendering
of the shape and surface measurements of the object. The laser is projected on the Valve
from the four directions & the laser point is moved throughout the length of the valve & all
the dimensional characteristics are recorded.
This is the procedure for the dimensional inspection of the Engine Valve. However some
important tests like Leak Test & Hardness Test are also conducted.
II) Valve Leak Test
All valves are inspected and tested to ensure that they conform to the required valve leakage
standards. It is one of most important test as a valve leakage can cause a safety issue. The
valve is mounted on the test cavity, and valve shall be completely closed. One side shall be
subjected to the hydrostatic pressure ie. Pressure is applied on the head of the valve and
amount of leak shall be measured from the seat.
Valve testing procedure-
i. The engine valve seat area is cleaned by cotton cloth to be free from dust, metal
particles, burr, etc.(If the valve seat is not free from particles the machine will show
leakage in the valve)
ii. The valve is kept in the cavity of the machine & button is pressed.
iii. The pressure is applied on the head of the valve by the machine.
iv. The valve body is surrounded with the testing fluid at the specified temperature.
v. The specified pressure is applied for the specified length of time.
vi. Leakage is measured across the valve element of interest (e.g., stem, seat) by the
machine. The valve standards specify that no detectable leakage is allowed.
 31

Pressure
applied

Engine
valve

Cavity

Figure 4.2.8 Valve Leak Test

III) Valve Hardness Test

Eddy current test is used to assure the hardness of the valve. Eddy current can examine
very quickly at a rate of 60 valves per minute, and it does not require use of coupling liquids.
Working- Eddy current testing is based on the physics phenomenon of electromagnetic
induction. In an eddy current probe, an alternating current flows through a wire coil and
generates an oscillating magnetic field. If the probe and its magnetic field are brought close
to a conductive material like a metal test piece, a circular flow of electrons known as an
eddy current will begin to move through the metal like swirling water in a stream. That
eddy current flowing through the metal will in turn generate its own magnetic field, which
will interact with the coil and its field through mutual inductance. Change in the valve
hardness will interrupt or alter the amplitude and pattern of the eddy current and the
resulting magnetic field. This in turn affects the movement of electrons in the coil by
varying the electrical impedance of the coil. The eddy current instrument plots changes in
the impedance amplitude and phase angle with the help of a CRO (cathode ray oscilloscope
is an electronic test instrument, it is used to obtain waveforms when the different input
signals are given). In this manner if the hardness is within the acceptance range the valve is
Ok, if the valve is not in the range the valve is rejected.
 32

CRO

Engine
valve

Figure 4.2.9 Valve Hardness Test

After the Engine valve inspection & testing is done the final process is the Laser marking
on the valve. After laser marking the valves are shifted for the packing. Once the packing
is done, the Boxes are shifted to the BSR (Bonded Store Room) where the boxes are
securely stored.

Figure 4.2.10 Final process – Laser marking

 33

4.3 Major Project- Project on Tooling Cost Reduction

4.3.1 Introduction-
The current decade is considered as the revolution of quality whether at services or goods
sectors, whereby organization emphasize on the quality sustainability or in other words
quality assurance within the production process to meet the customer’s demands as well as
other considerations such as; market share, reputation and revenue. Quality Assurance can
reduce the defects in production process as well as reduce several costs such as wastage
cost and avoidance cost. Thus, the present work will focus on a modification in the tooling
to reduce the tooling cost without affecting the final quality of the product. The modification
is in the design of the die tool set of the Power press machine for the Forging process. The
present work will deal with the modification of the Bottom die holder of the die set which
is a consumable item of the forging process.
Die- A die is a specialized tool used in manufacturing industries to cut or shape material
mostly using a press. Like molds, dies are generally customized to the item they are used
to create. Forming dies are typically made by tool and die makers (Tool and die makers are
a class of machinists in the manufacturing industries who make jigs, fixtures, dies, molds,
machine tools, cutting tools, gauges, and other tools used in manufacturing processes) and
put into production after mounting into a press (A forming press, commonly shortened to
press, is a machine tool that changes the shape of a workpiece by the application of
pressure). Each press-working die consists of two sections, called punch and die, or male
and female. Both sections are mounted firmly in an electrically or hydraulically driven
press. In a working cycle the press ram, on which the male section is mounted, descends
into the fixed female section. Any metal interposed between the sections is cut or shaped to
a prescribed form.
Die are used in the process of forging- Forging is a manufacturing process involving the
shaping of metal using localized compressive forces. The blows are delivered with a
hammer (often a power hammer) or a die. The localized compressive force is provided by
machine press -A forming press, commonly shortened to press, is a machine tool that
changes the shape of a workpiece by the application of pressure. The project of die
modification is on the Power press machine and the process is hot forging.
The main components for die tool sets are:
i. Die block – This is the main part that all the other parts are attached to.
ii. Punch plate – This part holds and supports the different punches in place.
iii. Blank punch – This part along with the blank die produces the blanked part.
iv. Pierce punch – This part along with the pierce die removes parts from the blanked
finished part.
v. Stripper plate – This is used to hold the material down on the blank/pierce die and
strip the material off the punches.
vi. Pilot – This will help to place the sheet accurately for the next stage of operation.
 34

vii. Guide, back gauge, or finger stop – These parts are all used to make sure that the
material being worked on always goes in the same position, within the die, as the
last one.
viii. Setting (stop) block – This part is used to control the depth that the punch goes into
the die.
ix. Blanking dies – See blanking punch
x. Pierce die – See pierce punch.
xi. Shank – used to hold in the presses. it should be aligned and situated at the center
of gravity of the plate.
Power press machine- Power presses are driven by mechanical mechanism with the power
source of this mechanism is Electric motor. These presses have large frame openings, ie.
There is a wide space between its base and ram to accommodate large work-piece.
The Main Parts of Mechanical Power Press are-
i. Base- It is main supporting member of power press. Which is use for holding the
dies and supports different controlling mechanism.
ii. Ram- It is the main operating member, which reciprocates to and fro inside suitable
guide. It carries the punch at the bottom end.
iii. Pitman- Pitman is also called as connecting rod. It connects the ram and crankshaft.
As per the requirement the stroke length and power transferred can be adjusted.
iv. Frame- It forms the main body of power press which carries the ram and driving
mechanism. C frame type power presses are most widely used.
v. Driving mechanism- In different types of presses different type of driving
mechanisms are used, like crankshaft and eccentric mechanism in mechanical power
press. It is used to drive the ram by transferring power from motor to ram.
vi. Controlling mechanism- The power transmitted through the transmission system
can be disengaged with the help of clutch provided with driving mechanism as per
the need.
vii. Flywheel and clutch- Flywheel stores the energy required for maintaining constant
speed of ram when the punch is pressed into the workpiece. Clutch is used for
engaging and disengaging the drive shaft with the flywheel. The function of clutch
is to transmit the torque from flywheel to the eccentric shaft or crankshaft.
viii. Brakes- Brakes are used to bring the driving shaft to the rest when it disengaged
from flywheel.
ix. Bolster plate- It is fastened to the bed of the power press which supports sand hold
the die assembly over it.
Hot Forging- Forging is a manufacturing process involving the shaping of metal using
localized compressive forces. The blows are delivered with a hammer (often a power
hammer) or a die. Forging is often classified according to the temperature at which it is
performed: cold forging (a type of cold working), warm forging, or hot forging. Hot forging
is a type of hot working- Hot working process metals are plastically deformed above their
recrystallization temperature.
 35

Figure 4.3.1 Power Press Machine (250 Tonnes)

Technical Specification of the machine-

CAPACITY 250 TONNES
CRANK SHAFT DIA 170 mm
STROKE ADJUSTMENT 13 – 165 mm
SIZE OF TABLE (FB*LR) 900*1150 mm
FLY WHEEL DIA 1320
STROKE PER MINUTE 30
ELECTRIC MOTOR 25HP / 1440 RPM
WEIGHT (Approx) 11000

Table 4.3.1 Power Press Machine Specification

 36

4.3.2 Necessity of The Project

An industrial organization needs sustainable analysis and process optimization in
manufacturing and service for controlling production cost. There is always demand for
quality improvement with product price drop from end users. Thus, cost has become a
residual. The challenge is to manufacture or provide service within the stipulated cost frame
work. Thus, cost management has to be an ongoing continuous improvement programme.
Today the market leaders are even pursuing cost reduction as strategic imperative. They
want to stay ahead of the market by continuously widening the gap between their cost and
that of their competitors and redeploy the recourses for profitable growth. A business
enterprise must survive, grow and prosper only if the unwanted cost must control and
reduced necessarily. This has increased the importance of cost control and cost reduction.
To reduce the production cost, Reducing the tooling cost is an important aspect. Tooling
which refers to- Working or manufacturing aids such as cutting tools, dies, fixtures, gauges,
jigs, molds, and patterns of a specialized nature which (unless substantially altered or
modified) are limited in use to a specific production line or the performance of a specific
contract or job. And Tooling cost which refers to- Expenses incurred by a contractor or
manufacturer in acquisition and/or fabrication of the tooling requirements for the
performance of a contract or of a production line. Tooling cost is related directly to the tool
life, if the tooling life increases the tooling cost will decrease. Tooling in the forging process
which refers to the various consumable items of the die set like- Bottom die holder, Top die
holder, Bottom die, Top die, clamps, bolts, etc. The cost of some of these tooling items like
Bottom die holder is huge and these are consumable items, so the present work deals with
the modification in the Bottom die holder to increase its life, thus decreasing the tooling
cost of the die set, thus decreasing the production cost.

4.3.3 Objective of the Present Work

The objective of the present work is to modify the Bottom die holder to increase its life thus
decreasing the tooling cost, without altering the process & without changing the stroke per
minute of the press machine.
While modifying the bottom die holder following are the main objectives-
i. Choosing the design for bottom die holder which is reliable, simple & in low cost.
ii. Making computer aided design of the modified bottom die holder.
iii. Making computer aided assembly of the die set.
iv. Modification in the bottom die holder.
v. Testing
vi. Implementation.
 37

4.3.4 Technique Used

Kobetsu kaizen- is a Japanese word for focused improvement, which means prioritising
the most important losses and eliminating them.
Implementation of TPM in the true essence would increase financially both the top and the
bottom line of any organization. One of the key essences of TPM is to eliminate the losses
that are occurring in the organization there by incurring the bottom line. The losses are of
two types; first those that are measured like the breakdowns, Quality defects etc. and the
second like setup and change over, Minor stoppages, lesser resources utilization etc. which
are generally missed. Kobetsu Kaizen or the Focused Improvement pillar of TPM addresses
both these types of losses with the activities that maximize the overall effectiveness of
equipment, process and plant through uncompromising elimination of 16 types of losses
and improvement of performance. Focused Improvement activity is a priority in the TPM
development programme with activities performed by cross-functional team. These teams
identify and design activities to eliminate/ minimize the 16 losses, which are carefully
measured and evaluated.
Definition of 16 Major losses
A- Seven major losses that impede overall equipment efficiency-
1) Failure losses (Breakdown) Losses due to failures. Types of failures include sporadic
function-stopping failures, and function-reduction failures in which the function of the
equipment drops below normal levels.
2) Set up and adjustment losses Stoppage losses that accompany set-up changeovers
3) Cutting blade change losses Stoppage losses caused by changing the cutting blade
due to breakage or caused by changing the cutting blade when the service life of the
grinding stone, cutter or bite has been reached.
4) Start-up losses When starting production, the losses that arise until equipment start-
up, running-in and production processing conditions stabilize.
5) Minor stoppage and idling losses- Losses that occur when the equipment temporarily
stops or idles due to sensor actuation or jamming of the work. The equipment will
operate normally through simple measures (removal of the work and resetting).
6) Speed losses- Losses due to actual operating speed falling below the designed speed
of the equipment.
7) Defect & rework loss Losses due to defects & reworking
B- Losses that impede equipment loading time-
8) Shutdown (SD) losses- Losses that arise from planned equipment stoppages at the
production planning level in order to perform periodic inspection and statutory
inspection
C- Five Major losses that impede workers efficiency-
9) Management losses Waiting losses that are caused by management, such as waiting
for materials, waiting for a dolly, waiting for tools, waiting for instructions etc.
10 Motion losses Man-hour losses arising from differences in skills involved in etc.
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11) Line organization losses Idle time losses when waiting for multiple processes or
multiple platforms.
12) Distribution losses Distribution man-hour losses due to transport of materials,
products (processed products) and dollies.
13) Measurement and adjustment losses Work losses from frequent measurement and
adjustment in order to prevent the occurrence and outflow of quality defects.
D- Three major losses that impede efficient use of production subsidiary resources
14) Energy losses- Losses due to ineffective utilization of input energy (electric, gas,
fuel oil, etc.) in processing.
15) Die, jig and tool losses- Financial losses (expenses incurred in production.) which
occur with production or repairs of dies, jigs and tolls due to aging beyond services life
or breakage.
16) Yield losses Material losses due to differences in the weight of the input materials
and the weight of the quality products.
Kobetsu Kaizen focuses on elimination of these 16 major losses.
Looking at the 15th definition of loss & how we can eliminate it we came with a solution to
modify the Die set, hence eliminating this loss and also reducing the overall tooling cost.

Tree Diagram of KK Activity Approach

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4.3.5 Cost Reduction Idea Generation

As a organization, employees are no doubt always looking for cost saving ideas that can
help grow the bottom line so that the organization can grow the business. Rather than
making large cuts to one or two departments, this goal is often best achieved through several
small cost cutting efforts that ultimately add up to a significant amount of savings. There
are a few key cost-reduction ideas that organization consider to reduce the cost.
Reduce Labor Costs- The physical labor is one of the biggest expense in manufacturing the
product, controlling labor costs can give the quickest path to increased profits. In this the
process automation & Automation in material handling are examples.
Reduce Material Costs- When material costs dominate product expense, focus on ways to
procure materials for less money or find ways to use less material in the building process.
Purchase materials in large lots to drive down unit costs. Research and determine the right
type of material required. Provide documentation, training and proper tooling to reduce the
amount of material scrapped during production.
Reduce Overhead Costs- Monitor and control the expenses associated with running the
factory – often referred to as overhead costs. Building, utility, supply, storage, handling,
travel, supervisory and administrative costs all add to manufacturing costs. Set budgets for
these support costs and review them on a weekly, monthly and yearly basis. The over all
energy required for the production also includes in this.
Invest in Capital- Sometimes the way to save money is to spend money. Investing in
equipment that makes the manufacturing process faster can actually lower the production
costs in the long run. Likewise, machinery that uses less material can also lower costs.
For the generation of the idea for manufacturing cost reduction research was conducted as
follows.

Cost Reduction- Idea Tree

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In the tooling cost reduction research it was found that the huge tooling cost was required
in the Common forging zone than any zone in the plant. In the common forging zone tooling
was required on the Power press machines for the consumable items of the forging die set.
The major consumable items of the forging zone with their cost are as follows-
Major Consumable Item List of Forging Zone
Sr.No. Item Cost in Rs (Approx)
1. Bottom die holder 65000/-
2. Top die holder 48000/-
3. Bottom die 26000/-
4. Top die 25000/-

Table 4.3.2 Consumable item list of Forging zone

The bottom die holder which is a metal block which holds the Bottom die in the process of
forging is a consumable item of the die set and has a life of 6 months (approx) per machine
ie. 1 qty of bottom die holder of Rs- 65000/- required per 6 months per machine in the
forging zone. From this we understand that a huge tooling cost is required in the die set
mostly because of the replacement of the bottom die holder every 6 months.The bottom die
set assembly is as shown below.

BOTTOM
DIE

BOTTOM
DIE HOLDER

CLAMPING
BOLT

Figure 4.3.2 Bottom Die-set Assembly

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4.3.6 Problem Statement & Its Solution-

Problem statement- The bottom die holder’s clamping threads gets wear due to open and
close of the fastening of the clamping bolts during set-ups. Every time when the set-up of
the die set is changed for manufacturing the engine valve of different part no. the clamping
bolts are removed by the operator and the bottom die and the top die are changed according
to that part no. During this process the internal threads of the clamping on the bottom die
holder gets wear. Due to this the life of the Bottom die holder is reduced to 6 months, ie.
Due to this problem every 6 months the bottom die holder is replaced which increases the
cost of tooling. Hence, the root cause of the increased tooling cost is- Bottom die holder
clamping threads gets wear, so it is replaced every 6 months.
Solution to the Problem- Modify bottom die holder to avoid the wear of threads. As the
life of the Bottom die holder is not up to the mark, it indicates that the design of the Bottom
die holder is not optimum, hence it should be modified.
Countermeasure- Use of T- slot nut in the bottom die holder.
A T-slot nut is used with a threaded clamp to position and secure pieces being worked on
in a workshop. The T-slot nut slides along a T-slot track, which is set in workbench or table
for a router, drill press, or bandsaw. A T-slot bolt is generally stronger than a T-slot nut and
hex-head cap screw

Figure. 4.3.3 T- slot Nut

Providing the T- nut slot at the bottom of the bottom die holder and removing the threads
of the bottom die holder, so that the T-slot nut slides along the T-slot track of the bottom
die holder and bolt is fastened to the bottom die holder to hold the bottom die with the help
of the T-slot nut. So that when the die set-up is changed by the operator every time, the
threads of the T-slot nut gets wear instead of the bottom die holder’s internal threads. The
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cost of T-slot nut is about 80 Rs per piece, ie. Replacing the whole bottom die holder of
65000/- or every time enlarging the hole of bottom die holder and providing threads to it
which will add machining cost, Replacing the T-slot nut every time when its threads get
wear is cost saving.
For this Standard T- slot nut of M20×2.5 is selected according to the Design requirement.
Nominal T- Width of Width of head space B1 Depth of head space C1
bolt size Throat (mm) (mm)
(mm) A1(mm)
20 22 37 (min) 40 (max) 16 (mm) 18 (mm)

Table 4.3.3 T- slot Dimensions

Figure 4.3.4 T-slot Dimensional Design

i) Computer aided design of the bottom die holder- Computer-aided design (CAD) is the
use of computer systems (or workstations) to aid in the creation, modification, analysis, or
optimization of a design. In design modification of the bottom die holder we are using the
PTC Creo 3.0 software. Creo is a family or suite of design software supporting product
design for discrete manufacturers and is developed by PTC.
The modification in the design of the bottom die holder is done on CAD software prior to
the actual modification and for the demonstration purpose. This CAD design was also
useful in providing to the Tool & die maker vendor for the modification in the design of the
bottom die holder.
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Top View Bottom View

Side View Isometric View

Figure 4.3.5 CAD Design of Modified Bottom Die Holder

As shown in the above figure, the design of the bottom die holder is modified by providing
the T-slot at the bottom.
ii) Computer aided assembly of the bottom die set- For the demonstration purpose & to
understand how the bottom die is clamped to the bottom die holder with the help of T-slot
nut & bolt we use this tool computer aided assembly (CAA). The CAA is done on the same
software- ie. Creo 3.0.
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Top View Side View

Bottom Die Clamping

Holder bolts

T-slot with
Bottom
T-slot nut
Die

Exploded View

Figure 4.3.6 CAA of Bottom Die-set

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iii) Modification of the bottom die holder-

Once the modified design of the bottom die holder is analyzed and approved by the
Engineering department, Testing is conducted with the intent of finding defects before the
modified design goes on actual working. Testing allows seamlessly to collect quantitative,
qualitative, and behavioural data while evaluating the operation. System testing helps, to
evaluate new designs prior to the actual go on implementation to ensure that the designs are
clear, easy to use and meet users requirements and is best when iterative testing is built into
the development process, so that changes can be easily made often to ensure that major
issues do not arise well before implementation. After the testing the implementation of the
modified design is done.
Implementation process- The ECN (engineering change notice) is approved. After the
ECN approval, the Work Instruction is updated at the machine. The ECN copy is
communicated to the Purchase department, Store & the Tool & die makers supplier. The
modified design is provided to the Tool & die makers supplier to make changes in the
present design of the bottom die holder.

T- slot, T-nut provided &

the threads of bottom
die holder removed.

Figure 4.3.7 Modified Bottom Die Holder

3.6. Before- After Comparison

The Before- After comparison offers better evidence about modification effectiveness on
the process. It is also useful in demonstrating the immediate impacts of the modified design
on the process.
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BEFORE AFTER

Bolts Clamped on Bottom die holder T- Slot & T-Nut provided & Threads of
bottom die holder removed.
BEFORE PICTURE AFTER PICTURE
i. Clamping bolts clamped on the i. T-slot & T-nut provided on the
bottom die holder to hold the bottom bottom die holder to clamp the die
die. set.
ii. Life of bottom die holder- 06 months ii. Life of the bottom die holder
(approx.). increased (approximately by 1
iii. Fatigue to the operator every time year).
when the Die set is repaired or iii. Fatigue to the operator minimized
changed. as only T-nut need to be replaced
iv. Bottom Die holder replacing process instead of heavy holder.
is time consuming. iv. Replacing process of T-nut
v. Tooling cost is huge as every time consumes less time.
repair or bottom die holder is replaced. v. Tooling cost is reduced as no need
vi. to replace the bottom die holder
CHANGE IN BOTTOM DIE
every time.
HOLDER vi. Team morale improved as fatigue
reduced.
Series 1 vii.
2 CHANGE IN BOTTOM DIE
1 1 1 1 1 HOLDER (FORECAST)
0
MONTH MONTH MONTH MONTH
Series 1
1 6 12 18
2
1
0
MONTH MONTH MONTH MONTH
1 6 12 18

Table 4.3.4 Before-After Comparison

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CHAPTER 5: RESULTS

i. This present work summarizes the experience I acquired during my in-plant training
period. From this training, I acquired a number of skills and knowledge through the
application of the theoretical knowledge learnt in class into the practical operations
which led to an improvement and widening of my engineering knowledge. This
report gives an overview of the projects that I worked on during my in-plant training.
ii. I came to know the design and manufacturing process of engine valve.
iii. I had hands on experience in the final inspection department (FID), where I was
exposed to a well-defined quality system, consisting of inspection and testing which
ensure 100% inspection for all the Engine valves. I got the basic knowledge of
Advanced measuring equipment and machines like Dial gauges, GO gauge, NO-GO
Gauges, VICI Inspection machine, Homel Inspection machine, Leak test machine,
Hardness test machine, Equipment calibration, etc.
iv. By the end of my In-plant training I successfully did a major project on tooling cost
reduction by modifying the design of bottom die holder to increase its life to 12
months. Bottom die holder’s previous design life was only 6 months and after the
modification the life is now 18 months approximately. If there are ‘n’ number of
power press machines & ‘n’ number of bottom die holders on it and if this new
design is implemented on them then the tooling cost will decrease significantly. The
below graph shows the before and after the new bottom die holder design
implementation on a power press machine of 250 tonnes.
QUANTITY
QUANTITY

PREVIOUS DESIGN NEW DESIGN

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CHAPTER 6: CONCLUSIONS

The In-plant training was a fruitful experience. Through the application of the theoretical
knowledge into real-life problem solving situations, I gained a lot of experience. I also got
insight into professional practice and in almost every aspect of plant. The friendly welcome
from all the employees is appreciating, sharing their experience and giving their piece of
wisdom which they have gained in long journey of work. I am very thankful for the
wonderful facility from Varroc engineering plant- VII.
I am very thankful that I got opportunity to do a project on tooling cost reduction. Through
the application of the theoretical knowledge learnt in class into the practical operations
which led to successful accomplishment of the project.
It was also a great opportunity for developing personal networking activities and making
contacts with influential people; which is of great value to me as far as my career is
concerned. The training also enabled me to discover my strengths and weaknesses. This
further helped me to identify areas to improve on.
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REFRENCES

i. www.varrocgroup.com/
ii. www.varrocgroup.com/metallic
iii. www.dieselnet.com , Valves and Ports in Four-Stroke Engines.
iv. Engine Valve Designs- By Ted Tunnecliffe, Engine Builder magazine.
v. Kobetsu Kaizen Manual- CII
vi. Handbook of Die Design- David A. Smith
vii. Jig and Fixture Design- Edward Hoffman, Yeshiva University, 2003 by Cengage
Learning US.