Automotive Spring Plant innovates the automated spring leaf processing system

Automotive Spring (under THACO INDUSTRIES) is one of the pioneering plants which take the lead in technological innovations, automation in production to build a smart factory model. In addition to its investment in modern production technologies, it also pays special attention to technical improvements to reduce costs, improve productivity and product quality.

In 2022, the plant had nearly 50 effective projects which have improved technical contents and eliminated waste, including Improving the billet stacking system control after the long-spring furnace, Designing dust filter system, Improving the middle conveyor of the eyelet line, Improving the design of the billet feeding system into the shot blasting machine and more.

Work-piece clamps before & after improvements

Embracing such improvement efforts, in 2023, the staff at the plant continued to provide new quality initiatives and improvements. From the beginning of the year, 8 projects have been applied in production. Due to the shortcomings in the spring leaf processing at the taper rolling line which slowed down operations, production plan, and delivery time, the Technology Department has coordinated with the Operation Maintenance Department of the plant started the project "Improving the automated processing system for tapered spring leaves". The improvements include reducing the work piece feeding length from 1060 to 500 millimeters, reducing the diagonal movement of the clamping arms from 300 to 100 millimeters, improving the work piece-feeding clamps to be able to hold 350-milimeter leaves from 500-milimeter leaves previously, reducing the weight of the clamping arms from 112 to 72 kg, and change the work piece clamps accordingly.

Before improvements, the clamps weigh 112 kg per cluster and weigh 72 kg per cluster after improvements.

Mr. Ha Y Hao, Head of Technology Department said, “The biggest difficulty lies in the design stage. We have to carefully calculate every detail in the drawing, as small errors might cause reinstallation and reoperations which are very time-consuming. Moreover, the taper rolling line is an important stage of the leaf spring production. If we're stuck at it, it will greatly affect the production progress of other lines and the entire plant. Therefore, my team and I had long and careful discussions before real implementations to anticipate risks and minimize costs."

With enthusiasm and efforts, his team has successfully implemented the project with some practical outcomes, e.g. reducing the processing time from 32 seconds to 26 seconds per leaf, automated rolling the leaves from 350mm to 500mm long, improving the productivity of the taper rolling line, saving more than VND484 million per year, improving productivity, product quality, meeting exporting requirements, and ensuring the delivery schedules of the factory.

Mr. Nguyen Van Nhan, a foreman at the plant shared, “The project was successful thanks to the close coordination between the production department and the technical improvement team. One understands the production process and the inadequacies in the production lines and machines while the other one studied and came up with the solution. In creating ideas, they supported each other well, expediting the implementation and finish it accurately and effectively."

In the coming time, the plant will continue to implement other initiatives to increase its productivity and production qualities, cut costs, and improve efficiency and competitiveness, meanwhile enhancing the staff's competence, creative thinking, and team working effectiveness.