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How Costly Is The Repair Of Production Line Machine Parts?

When it comes to production line operations, the problem of wear and tear arises on a regular basis. The manufacturer faces the choice of either repairing or replacing a worn out part. Usually, the decision depends on the cost and the time at hand. Production line breakdowns can lead to inspection bottlenecks, delays, missed deadlines, and more. Taking the right approach to spare parts repair can minimise your expenses and improve output. How do the costs weigh up for different faults? Quick Fixes In case of a circuit board or integrated component

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CNC Turning Or Manual Turning – When Should I Use Them?

“We're going to become caretakers for the robots. That's what the next generation of work is going to be.” - Gray Scott Artificial intelligence is becoming an integral part of many industries. When it comes to spare part manufacturing or prototyping, computer-controlled machines are now widely used. The benefits of CNC turning over the manual turning process are numerous. However, manual turning is still applicable to many projects. So, what is the difference between them and when should you choose one over the other? What Is CNC Turning? CNC stands

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CNC Milling Vs Manual Milling – Which Is Better For Batch Production?

An experienced milling machine operator has one answer to this question: for large batch production, always use CNC milling. If you ask a group of experienced milling machine operators which method is better, manual or CNC, you’ll hear hours’ worth of arguments. Let’s look at the benefits of each manufacturing method when it comes to spare part production for any industry. Benefits Of CNC Milling CNC milling is an advanced method of spare part manufacturing, especially when it comes to complex components and batch production. High precision – CNC milling is precise

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CNC Turning Vs Semi-Automatic CNC Turning – What’s The Difference?

CNC turning is a common approach to creating detailed and complex parts at high volumes. Today, the majority of parts manufacturing is done by CNC turning or CNC milling. However, some companies still use manual and semi-automatic lathes. Why would a company want to use a semi-automatic turning machine rather than CNC turning equipment? Let’s check the difference between the two and find out. CNC Turning – the process is fully automated. The machine feeds the new material into a chuck and uses different tools to shape it. Semi-Automatic CNC

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5 Things To Consider When Looking For CNC Machining Services

The lathe is one of the oldest machines on Earth. In design and function, lathes have come a long way from what the workers used in ancient Egypt to what we have available today. As simple manual lathes have evolved into high-precision CNC machines, the number of companies offering machining services has grown dramatically. After all, the fully automated CNC process doesn’t seem to require too much human expertise. Does this mean that you can choose any old company that has a CNC machine for your next project Let’s find

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What Are The Costs Involved In Part Prototyping?

When new equipment is being developed or an old part requires updating, prototyping is an integral part of the process. Building a prototype is never as costly as creating a finalised spare part only to find out that it doesn’t fit. The processes involved in spare part prototyping are complex. However, the materials used may be cheaper for the sample than they are for the final model. The costs involved depend on the purpose of the prototype model and its intricacy. What Is Part Prototyping? Part prototyping is creating a model

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What Is Involved In The Fitting & Assembly Section Of Production?

Fitting and assembly are vital stages of production regardless of the project’s complexity. No matter how accurate the manufacturing process, there is always the chance of a mistake occurring during the fitting stage. Fitting and assembly involves bringing the parts together to create the final product. Sometimes, this stage is left to the client. At Woodley Engineering, we offer a full spectrum of services, including fitting and assembly. Finishing, Fitting, & Assembly: What Tools Are Involved? Different methods and tools are required to put the finishing touches to a component. Welding

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Programming Technology: How Does CAD Design Eliminate Production Errors?

Computer-aided design (CAD) is employed in numerous industries, including spare part manufacturing. Over the past several decades, CAD design and programming has revolutionised the production process by improving precision, reducing human error, and increasing manufacturing speed. CAD didn’t just change the approach to design. It moved it to a new level. How Is CAD Used In Product Design? The use of CAD in product design dates back to the 1950s and 1960s when Sketchpad first appeared. The first generation of design software evolved into the complex programs we use today.

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3 Benefits Of Implementing CNC Turning & Milling In Your Projects

CNC turning and milling have become an integral part of many spare part manufacturing processes. While manual manufacturing is still employed, the benefits of automation can no longer be ignored. What Is CNC Milling & Turning? Before listing the benefits, let’s define these two processes. CNC (Computer Numerical Control) milling and turning involve the use of computers to control the machines during part manufacturing. A CNC specialist programs the computer by entering the necessary parameters. The software application then directs the CNC turning and milling machine to produce the required item. The

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How To Diagnose A Problem On Your Production Line

Production line problems are unavoidable. The earlier they can be diagnosed, the fewer delays during repairs and the less downtime. Predicting potential faults and knowing how to diagnose them can substantially reduce your maintenance and repair costs. It’s up to each manufacturer to start the prevention process as soon as their equipment begins its work cycle. One of the most common problems with a production line is the lack of real-time information. Being faced with a mishap after it has already affected the end product is costly. Real-time information allows the manufacturer to

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How A Manufacturer Can Benefit From Reverse Engineering

Equipment breakdown during the production process can lead to unfortunate consequences, starting from delays and ending with wasted materials. Ideally, you have a replacement part at hand. In the worst case, the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) may have left the market. So, what do you do if you need a spare part which is no longer manufactured or readily available – or is extremely expensive through the OEM? That’s when reverse engineering comes into play. What Is Reverse Engineering? Reverse engineering involves learning information about any man-made component without having access

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5 Common Production Line Problems & How To Tackle Them

At one time or another, every manufacturer will face production line problems. Most businesses work hard to set up a proper maintenance schedule, while others may overlook regular servicing. In both cases, problems can occur. The question is how quickly problems can be identified and solved when they happen. Being ready to solve production line problems immediately is the key to avoiding backlogs and reducing unexpected expenses. Below are the common troubles manufacturers face with their production lines. 1. Poor Safety As production lines increase their speed of operation, safety becomes

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How Often Should Parts Of A Production Line Be Replaced?

Production line maintenance is one of the toughest tasks for a manufacturer. Usually it requires dealing with limited parts availability, and complex equipment comes at a high cost. Accordingly, most business owners prefer the parts to be replaced as rarely as possible! Companies adopt various maintenance strategies that have to do with training the in-house team instead of outsourcing the process in order to save money. However, eventually, they all face the need to replace production line parts. How often this takes place depends on how well the part is performing.

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How Will New Technology Affect Production Line & Conveyor Systems?

Production line and conveyor systems are subject to several problems that can cause unexpected downtime, leading to loss of profit, market share and customer relationships. In many cases, their efficiency suffers as a result of a lack of proper preventative maintenance. With new technologies coming to market on a regular basis, production managers and engineers have the opportunity to make their lines and conveyor systems more efficient, whilst greatly reducing the possibility of breakdowns and downtime. At Woodley Engineering, we are following the new developments closely to stay on top of

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Replacement Bushes In PTFE, Leaded Bronze, Acetal & More

When it comes to bushes, also known as plain bearings, the variety is impressive. It’s hard to find an industry which doesn’t need a certain type of bearing for their equipment or production process. Their low cost and simplicity makes bushes suitable for intermittent motion applications and linear motions. They find their place in low-speed shafts, many types of turbomachines, compressors, and much more. Even though a bushing is a basic and straightforward element, capable of running for many years, a sudden failure can cause grave consequences for the equipment.

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Why Buy Replacement Parts From A Third Party Manufacturer?

When you need to get replacement parts for your equipment, you will have a choice between using a third party and going back to the original equipment manufacturer (OEM). A third party or aftermarket manufacturer takes the specification of the original equipment and creates a copy of the product accordingly. An OEM produces original parts according to the specifications worked out by its own team for its own equipment e.g. when you order a Ford car bumper directly from Ford. Many production managers choose OEM parts to avoid the risk

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Precision CNC Engineering Of Specialist Materials

CNC engineering is an integral part of the majority of equipment manufacturing processes in numerous industries, including oil, gas, power, pharmaceutical, and healthcare manufacturing. When it comes to common metals, such as mild steel or aluminium, CNC turning and milling don’t pose many problems. Meanwhile, specialist materials such as some plastics, including PVC or nylons and metals such as lead-bronze or harder stainless steels, require a more specialist approach without which problems may occur. Thankfully, with the right equipment at hand, CNC machining can be applied to virtually any material, including the most problematic.

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New Hand Finishing Department Established For The Production of Intricate Products

We are glad to announce the establishment of a new hand finishing department. At Woodley Engineering, we have always believed that only a blend of manual and machine-assisted production can enable us to achieve the results our customers expect. Why Manual Finishing? For many years, we’ve combined old-fashioned craftsmanship with the latest CNC and CAD technologies to cater to numerous industries. As a third-party parts manufacturer, we know the importance of precision and accuracy. For many projects, neither of the two is possible to achieve without manual finishing. Increased Capacity We

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Precision Parts Engineering For Replacing Production Line Parts

Precision parts engineering allows convenient and high-quality replacement of production line parts at low volumes. With the right machines and approach, the new parts are manufactured flawlessly to suit the production line in the most precise manner. Precision parts engineering focuses on accuracy, quality, and convenience. It may be the only logical option for production line parts replacement even when the OEM can offer an original spare part. What Is Precision Parts Engineering? Precision parts engineering is the practice of designing parts and features for third party machines while maintaining the

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Prototype Engineering – How To Get Quality Finished Parts To A Tight Tolerance

Drawings supplied for the production of prototype parts or to receive a quote, will specify the overall tolerance required on the finished part and sometimes on specific dimensions. The tighter the tolerance, the more challenging it is to come up with the highest quality finished parts. Numerous projects require a very high tolerance – this being the nature of prototype engineering. At Woodley Engineering, we have extensive experience of producing parts to a tight tolerance in prototype design and how that can be achieved. We use the latest turning and milling

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