MERIT II - OKS (en)

Establishing a flexible production system with a higher operation rate.

Reducing fixture change time to maximize actual working time.

When changing product types in a machining center, it used to take about one to three hours for a fixture change and accuracy check. In addition, crane operation was required for this task to be completed. Therefore, the safety of the change work as well as the confirmation and verification of production quality and the reduction in working time were all major issues for product changeovers.

The Baby Kangaroo System resolves all of these issues in order to achieve easy, accurate and safe high-mix production. This significant reduction in the time it takes to change a fixture now dramatically increases the actual amount of working time.

A flexible production system suited to any order.

A machining center equipped with the Baby Kangaroo System is a flexible system enabling easy, manual fixture changes. The only requirement with this system is to prepare the fixture for each particular product that needs to be manufactured. Since fixture change time and accuracy are determined factors, the high-mix production schedule can be read with more clarity. Therefore, production capacity of the machine requires less change even for an increased number of product types. In addition, a different machine can be utilized for production even when the machines must be stopped for periodic inspections. Overall, the Baby Kangaroo System achieves a change-tolerant production system which guarantees higher productivity.

Significantly improved operating rates compared to conventional methods

High-mix production using the conventional method decreases actual working time because it takes about one to three hours to change the fixture. The Baby Kangaroo System can perform high-mix production without decreasing the actual working time because it allows a complete fixture change in only five minutes.

Utilizing excess in the production of a new product

Changing the production system from line production to cell production through the introduction of the Baby Kangaroo System enables the manufacturing of the same volume as before but with fewer machines. The production capacity created through this upgrade can be utilized in the production of new products and increased production volume.

Utilization of external set-up for large machines

Many large machines are equipped with APC. Equipping an existing machine with the Baby Kangaroo System enables external fixture set-up. This will significantly increase productivity because the stop time that used to be required for internal set-up can now be used as actual working time.