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V-CPM-OIL-POT eliminates tap breakage in crankshaft production

Vanesa Aguilera, Francisco Arteaga and Mario Castro | OSG Royco

Founded in 1964, Volkswagen de México is the Mexican subsidiary of the German motor vehicle manufacturer Volkswagen Group. In January 2013, a Volkswagen engine plant was opened in Silao in the central Mexican state of Guanajuato. This factory has a total area of 60 hectares and an annual capacity of 420,000 engines, according to Volkswagen’s official press release.

Volkswagen de México’s manufacturing facility in Silao, Guanajuato, Mexico, which was opened in 2013.

Recently, Volkswagen de México was encountering threading problems in its production of crankshaft used in six of its car models at the Silao plant. The crankshaft is made of steel (TL1438, ASTM 1040) and has a production volume of approximately 37,000 pieces per month. Volkswagen de México has been making this part since 2013. Each crankshaft requires the threading of eight M10 x 1 through holes. The drill hole size is dia. 9 mm and 15 mm deep. Unior’s AF series crankshaft machines are used for the machining. The 3-axis unit with work tool revolvers and a NC swivel table allows the machine to simultaneously process two workpieces.

Volkswagen de México was encountering threading problems in its production of crankshaft used in six of its car models. The crankshaft is made of steel (TL1438, ASTM 1040) and has a production volume of approximately 37,000 pieces per month.

Volkswagen de México was originally using three other cutting tool brands for the application. The competitor taps required long processing time due to frequent tool breakage, which affected the overall production cost as more taps had to be purchased and replaced. More importantly, the machine does not detect when the tool breaks and would continue processing with a new crankshaft with the broken tool, which leads to multiple scraps.

Each crankshaft requires the threading of eight M10 x 1 through holes. The drill hole size is dia. 9 mm and 15 mm deep.

Volkswagen de México was aware of the OSG brand because OSG Royco’s representatives Francisco Arteaga and Mario Alberto Castro frequently visit the factory. An opportunity to test cut arise soon after OSG Royco made a commercial alliance with DECA (tool management for Volkswagen), which is optimum for monitoring tooling tests.

The M10 x 1 competitor taps were used at a cutting speed of 20 m/min (636 min-1). Oil was used for the lubricant. Upon a detail evaluation of the application, Arteaga and Castro recommended OSG Royco’s spiral point tap V-CPM-OIL-POT M10x1 (6HX VC10 TiCN). Under identical cutting condition, OSG Royco’s point tap is able to improve tool life by 25 percent. Furthermore, it has completely eliminated the issue of tool breakage, enabling Volkswagen de México to improve cost per unit.

OSG Royco’s original spiral point tap V-CPM-OIL-POT M10x1 (6HX VC10 TiCN).

“One of the competitive advantages that OSG offers is fast delivery time since it has a factory in Guanajuato,” said José Ivanoe Robles Barrón, who is responsible for the crankshaft application. “Additionally, OSG has a wide variety of high-quality products and services including regrinding and recoating,” Barrón adds.

OSG Royco was established in 1994. Its sales office and manufacturing facility are located in Mexico City and Toluca respectively. In 2016, OSG Royco’s Guanajuato Tech Center (GTO Tech Center) was completed to accelerate product development as well as to provide training for the local tooling community.

From left, OSG Royco sales coordinator Francisco Arteaga, Volkswagen de México tool engineer José Ivanoe Robles Barrón and OSG Royco sales representative Mario Alberto Castro pose for a photograph at Volkswagen’s manufacturing facility in Silao, Guanajuato, Mexico.

“I really appreciate OSG’s attention and ability to solve our problems,” said Barrón. “OSG’s presence here is invaluable as it gives me a lot of confidence knowing that they are never going to leave me without a tool,” said Barrón.

For more information on OSG Royco and Volkswagen de México