| With the universal joint
coupler in the sixth year of production, there were three important lessons learned in
this successful redesign effort.
1. A ductile
iron casting replaced a steel forging with equivalent performance, a 50% cost savings, and
a reduction in lead-time.
2. Conversion of the forging to a casting produced a near-net shape piece
with a reduced machining requirement and lower metal usage.
3. Concurrent
engineering between the foundry and the buyer was critical for meeting cost, quality, and
schedule goals. |
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