Laminates Shim Case Study

Published: 2nd November 2015

Laminates Shim Case Study – Ford Engineering Group Ltd produces a range of laminated products for a range of industries. Under the brand names Easipeel and Plasipeel Ford manufactures multi-layered shims that can then be peeled down to the required thicknesses. These peelable shims are commonly used in the design and assembly of rail or train gear systems across the world.

Conventionally used materials include:

Steel ST1403 / DC02
Stainless steel 1.4301 / 304 / 302
Brass cuzn37
However Ford manufactures Easipeel to meet customer demands so has the ability to use a range of other materials.

 

Recently Ford visited and completed a project with a brand new customer to introduce Easipeel on a final assembly line for a high speed rail manufacturer that previously used a shim set.

Due to a build-up of tolerances from a number of components the required thickness of shim set or laminated shim could vary from 1.80mm to 2.10mm on each gearbox. The customer had previously used a shimset made up from each time a varying number of 4 different sized thin gauge shims.

The customer ordered and stocked the shim sets using minimum stock levels of each individual part. Due to constantly differing requirement, high stock min stock levels were needed to ensure no stock outs occurred. The customer also faced an increased risk of incorrect bookings leading to poor stock accuracy and tighter stock control requirements so they asked if Ford could help.

After Ford engineers visited the assembly line, we advised an Easipeel shim to be used in pace of the shim set. Although the Easipeel shim was 40% higher in price to the equivalent set. The following individual benefits outweighed the direct cost increase to provide an overall better value for money:

 

  • 1 laminated shim per gearbox on the Bill of Materials (BOM)
  • Overall reduction of stock levels by 70% value by 42% allowing for better use of working capital.
  • Simplified and eliminated stock errors in stock management system.
  • Time saving in goods in stores, goods in inspection, material issue and stocktaking naturally by 400%.
  • Time saved on the assembly line by using one shim and peeling down rather than building up from a number of shims. This time saving was equivalent to 45% for that operations.
  • Easipeel product appears as a solid shim therefore is easier to fit at angles than a number of shims that would need to be secured together.
  • Easipeel product has health & safety benefits over a set of thin gauge shims due to being a lower cut risk.

Ford worked with the customer to prove that by switching to an Easipeel product they would save an annual amount of £220,000 per annum. If you want to see how Ford Easipeel laminated shims could help for your business please Contact us