DEEP DRAWING BLANK DIAMETER DETERMINATION SOFTWARE FOR MATERIAL WASTE CONTROL IN MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY

Abstract

Material waste during symmetrical shells deep drawing process in our manufacturing industries in Nigeria is at increasing rate that need to be control to the minimum because it cannot be fully eliminated. Types of shapes commonly requested by clients were identified in these manufacturing industries as types: A, B, C, D, E, F…L. Each type’s mathematical model was identified for the required symmetrical shell’s diameter computation. These models were integrated to form logic (flow chart) that led to the computer algorithm development. This algorithm was used to develop the software required for determining the optimum diameter for each required type. Considerations were given to type of material used for the production based on the client emphases. The commonly used materials are: copper, aluminum, stainless and brass. The software was developed using Microsoft Visual Studio 2010. Manual Computation was carried out based on the requisition of four clients for types D, A, G and J. and the software developed was used to calculate for the blank diameter of the symmetrical shells required by the clients for its validation. It was found that the results of software generated are same as the manually computed results, but speed was gained. Manual computation took 1hr.05minutes (65minutes) for the four clients, while computer processed and generated the results for the four clients in ⅟4hr (15mins). This shows that using computer software is 4 times faster than manual computation while is an evidence of time saving. Comparing the factory actual values used for the four types in this case study with the mathematical model sought for and used with the aid of software generated values using F to represent Factory Value and M to represent Model Value: type D (F=165.00; M=132.28) mm, type A (F=225.00; M=173.21) mm, type G (F=190.00; M=141.40) mm and type J (F=105.00; M=89.43) mm respectively. The difference revealed that for each product; type D (32.72 mm), type A (51.79 mm), type G (48.60 mm) and type J (15.57 mm) were wasted materials respectively. Based on the developed logic, both the blank diameters and areas of material used were computed using an empirical value generated and the optimal values obtained from the model developed. The total area of material used for the four jobs was 539666.197 mm2 based on old method but the optimal models developed when used, made the actual area used to be 323741014.5 mm2.This, led to saving of material of 215925179.5 mm2 (215.93 m2). This is 40% less of the material expected to be used if former method values were used. These models reduced the cost of materials for these four clients’ jobs by five hundred and seven thousand, four hundred and thirty five naira fifty kobo (₦507,435:50) only. This is equivalent to US$3,252.80 based on current exchange rate of ₦ 161 per US dollar in Nigeria.