Sandvik Coromant wins Volvo Cars Award of Excellence
Tooling specialist honoured in Special Recognition category
Cutting tool and tooling systems expert Sandvik Coromant has been honoured by automotive giant Volvo Cars in the company’s Award of Excellence 2014. The efforts of Sandvik Coromant over the past year were rewarded in the Special Recognition category. Over 200 people saw the prize presented at a glittering awards ceremony on 19 January at Volvo Cars headquarters in Gothenburg, Sweden.
The Volvo Cars Award of Excellence was created in 1998 to acknowledge the outstanding contribution made by suppliers that have gone the extra mile and contributed to the success of this world famous automotive manufacturer. A considerable number of suppliers were nominated for the Volvo Cars Award of Excellence 2014, with finalists recognized in categories such as quality, cost competitiveness, technology, environmental and social responsibility, and special recognition.
Successful projects
The award for Sandvik Coromant arrives after the completion of several successful projects to reduce cycle times and boost both productivity and profitability. In 2014 a total of seven projects with projected savings for Volvo were identified and documented. Overall these projects have not only improved quality and reduced downtime, but extended tool life to deliver a 39.8% saving in tooling costs.
By way of example, Sandvik Coromant recently proposed the testing and implementation of CoroMill® 5B90 to machine the combustion face of cylinder heads and overcome excessive burr. The solution delivered three times greater tool life, far fewer burrs and much quicker tool set-up.
Close co-operation
Working in close co-operation with the Volvo Cars engineering team, other tooling projects completed in the past 12 months include the implementation of the CoroTurn® SL system of modular adaptors and exchangeable heads to facilitate quicker tool change; new insert geometry for grooving camshafts that increased tool life from 125 to 500 pieces; new inserts for crankshaft machining that led to longer tool life and shorter cycles; and a new grade and geometry for a boring tool that increased tool life and reduced downtime due to fewer tool changes.
Moving forward, current projects involving new tooling concepts include cost reduction and process security for cylinder boring, and an increase in quality and tool life for wheel hub spline milling. Sandvik Coromant is also delivering support in upgrading tool holders that will allow the next generation of crankshafts to be accommodated.
20-year partnership
Sandvik Coromant has been a committed partner to Volvo Cars for more than 20 years, striving continuously to identify ways to optimize tools, machining methods and thereby, end results. The company has established a long partnership with the engine manufacturing plant in Skövde and the component manufacturing plant in Floby, although support also extends beyond Sweden. For instance, Sandvik Coromant recently helped with the transfer of knowledge on tooling for machines at a brand new facility in China.
Representing Sandvik Coromant at the Volvo Cars Award of Excellence ceremony were John Häger, Managing Director
Sandvik Coromant Sverige AB, and Jan Rasmussen, the company’s Senior Strategic Account Manager in charge of Volvo Cars, who delivered a short presentation on the company’s achievements. Other winners at the awards were Ericsson, Borg Warner, Denso, Aisin Warner, Yazaki and Alpine.
