Approach to Reduce Throughput Time in Grinding of Gundrills

Abstract

In modern industries automated machines are considered as one of the most important constituent in improving productivity. Gundrills are special cutting tools used for deep-hole drilling to achieve a depth to diameter ratio ranging up to 300:1. Gundrill production is largely dependent on manual operations owing to the manufacturing complexities. The total throughput time in gundrill manufacturing is significantly affected by the manual grinding process. This paper presents a study on the various grinding operations and identifies bottlenecks during gundrill production. Simulation is done in ARENA by Rockwell Automation Inc. for the manual process as well as for the automation required for the required for reduction in cycle time. Non-parametric tests are conducted for validating the ARENA model. Conclusions are drawn to automate the production aimed at reducing the cycle time while improving quality and EHS (Environment, Health, Safety) practice by eliminating tedious and repetitive operations. The present work serves as a benchmark approach for any manufacturing engineer intended to reduce the throughput time of any components.