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The following was written by MHEDA for The
MHEDA Connection with the notated exceptions [ ]:
SALES
SUCCESS
STORY
[AWP Assists] Bohnert [to Help] Manufacturer Bend
and Twist
A
manufacturer of equipment for the automotive industry has been
putting together technologically advanced components for
years. The process of assembling them, though, left much to be
desired. Known as a critical, cost-conscious customer, Todd
Sparrow, account manager for Bohnert Equipment Company
(Louisville, KY), and John Crush, Bohnert’s engineered
products division sales manager, knew they had their work cut
out for them when they saw the manufacturer’s process.
Crush
explains, "Every 25 to 30 seconds, nine pieces of product come
down the line. Two workers on either side of the line stack
the products and place them into a container." Crush and
Sparrow figured that if they could provide a tool to pick up
the nine pieces at a time and a box to stack them in, the line
workers would have more time to inspect the product.
The men
called on Dale Stuban, general manager of AWP Industries,
for assistance. AWP’s Mike Portwood, engineering manager, and
Carl Doolin, design engineer, came through with a variety of
design concepts.
Several
prototypes were developed, and after many design
modifications, the team came up with what they are calling an
“intelligent lifting device” using an overhead crane capable
of lifting 250 to 275 pounds with just the squeeze of a
handle. A rigid wire mesh container with bi-directional
conveyability work in conjunction with an end-affector system.
Says Crush, "In addition to speeding up the process and
providing more time for inspection of the product, this system
is much better ergonomically. The operators don’t have to bend
and twist when they stack the product."
The
delivery schedule was continually compressed while the
end-user looked at prototypes and redesigns. AWP, however, was
committed to making it work within the time period, and
continued to refine the schedule.
The over
$176,000 sale was completed in nine weeks.
Source: “Sales Success Story: Bohnert Helps Manufacturer to
Bend and Twist” The MHEDA Connection: June 15,
2004. |
