Towing hook for heavy loads, type “Pintle” – Case Study
A world leader in the field of parts for trucks and commercial vehicles – a German customer whose expectations we have managed to meet.
The Pintle Hitch hook seems to be a simple solution, but it is able to carry heavy loads of trailers and vehicles. Some have to cope with the challenges of carrying high static and dynamic loads, as towed objects move at high speeds on highways or at low speeds off-road.
The German leader in truck components was struggling with delivery problems and the cost of producing these parts from a manufacturer in his country. He has been looking for a suitable solution for several years – a foreign manufacturer who will ensure high quality, take over warranty liability, product liability and ensure Just-In-Time deliveries.
The product has undergone rigorous mechanical tests in the laboratory as well as tests on the track.
The whole is a set of precisely machined parts, elements cast from low porosity cast iron, as well as fasteners available on the market.
The client decided to cooperate with the EURO METRICS in the field of design review, design for production and technical reviews. The whole process took several months, one of the stages was a thorough MES / EURO METRICS audit. The client also required the supplier to have IATF and ISO14000 certificates.
The challenge
Our motto is to produce perfectly and deliver exceptionally, so we were not afraid to work with a demanding customer.
Manufacturing the highest quality parts, competitively priced for customers around the world, are the most important criteria that our customer took into account. With extensive experience in commercial parts manufacturing, we are equipped to produce parts to strict guidelines. We are also able to provide significant cost savings.
As a company with a top-class experts team, we can produce 6 variants of one part in the sand-casting process. As all variants are crucial for the truck-trailer connection, safety considerations must be priority.
MES insight
In the initial phase, each project requires a lot of “time to think”. We build a team of experts, including Six Sigma engineers, quality inspectors and supply chain specialists, to not only think about what we produce, but how we can provide the customer with greater efficiency, effectiveness and stability.
We conducted an analysis, delving into the specifications of our client.
We have achieved the precision necessary within acceptable tolerances to ensure safety and reliability for 6 varieties of ferrous parts, we have developed a special methodology for quality control points. Quality control points will continuously support both the maintenance of appropriate quality and quality control throughout the production process.
Our quality engineers have reviewed the raw materials and applied our industry-leading quality management system for precise measurement and control.
Solutions
Our safety-oriented solutions for the highest quality and reliability of parts were based on 4 tests:
- First Pass Performance Test (FPY) – This procedure measures units that pass on a first try after testing before being submitted for repair. For FPY, if a unit fails enough times to go into repair, it is considered a failure. Typically, FPY is computed for each process step.
- Hardness Testing – Helps to determine the suitability of a material for a given application. It also ensures that the material conforms to a specification, standard or specific condition such as heat treatment or thermal process.
- Tensile test – it is a simple and commonly used mechanical test that allows to determine the properties of the material and measure the force necessary to extend the sample to the breaking point.
- Crack Test – This test helps detect defects in non-porous materials or surfaces including ceramics, plastics, iron and other metals. In order to ensure a trouble-free repair, it is necessary to detect even the smallest crack.
Results
Six versions of the cast iron, sand-molded, heavy-duty towbars rolled off our production lines with such accuracy and precision that they met our customer’s safety requirements. It far exceeded his expectations.
Our services
- Inexpensive sand-casting of iron
- Highest quality engineering
- Best possible quality management
- Competitive prices
- Fast turnaround time
Find out what we can get you for to propose. Contact us today.
