Norwalt Speeds Up Production to Deliver Higher Volume and Lower Costs for Manufacturers
For decades, CMMs have utilized a three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system to manually probe selected assembly surfaces and collect data. The process guarantees quality and accuracy, essential for any successful verification system. Unfortunately, it also costs time, and in turn, money because each product and component part requires touch verification from the probe.
As a result, it takes a traditional CMM system an average of one hour to complete an inspection of sixty-four units. In the event of a power outage, each system on the floor must be checked via CMM, meaning that an entire 40-hour workweek could be spent on verification instead of productively. Norwalt got to work on brainstorming a creative solution.
Immediately after getting the green light, Norwalt assembled its team and scheduled out the project day by day. The engineering team quickly went to work on the design and used concepts from other industries that rely heavily on automation such as consumer goods and food and beverage. Now, Norwalt needed to take these elements and mold them to fit the medical device industry.
Throughout the course of the project, Norwalt leveraged several of its long-term industry relationships. Experts in programming, machine vision and robotics were all brought on board to collaborate and assist as-needed. In order to build the machine within 12 weeks, Norwalt divided the build into subgroups of individual teams. Under a normal build, one primary machine would control the various submachines. But knowing that the workload needed to be efficiently divided, Norwalt built each component as a primary so the teams could run their machines independently until the end when everything would merge together.
The project required deviating from the traditional indexing machines that are common in medical production facilities. These machines operate in a stop-and-start capacity, which ultimately limits the ability to achieve a high PPM. With the new design, Norwalt utilized single-stream feeding, continuous motion and robotic integration to drastically increase operational speed and volume output. After completing the buildout and acceptance testing, it was time to deliver the machine to the client.
Over the course of 12 weeks, Norwalt was able to successfully quote, design and build a custom automation system that can reliably deliver 350 PPM. The machine was designed for efficiency as much as speed and can assemble seven individual parts in half of the square footage requirements of a conventional line. Following the build, Norwalt provided 24/7 support over the next several weeks to assist the client as-needed. Ultimately, the client was able to meet production goals at the speed and volume that Norwalt promised. Since the completion of the project, Norwalt has applied for a patent on the design in the hopes that it can be replicated to improve production speeds for the medical device industry.
Though the stakes for this project were especially high, Norwalt CEO Mike Seitel reflects on the level of teamwork and comradery that emerged through the challenge. The collaboration was evident not only amongst his own team, but also with outside suppliers who would normally be considered competitors:
“Three different builders around the country (one of them being us) teamed up to get this done in time. Normally, we’d be competing against each other for a project like this. But in the end, we’re all on the same team and we worked together to help support our country in a time of need. It is our hope that the work we did this past year will carry over into the future and create new potential for medical device manufacturers moving forward.”
Norwalt’s Innovative 2D and 3D Optical Technology Overcomes Manufacturing Bottleneck
For decades, CMMs have utilized a three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system to manually probe selected assembly surfaces and collect data. The process guarantees quality and accuracy, essential for any successful verification system. Unfortunately, it also costs time, and in turn, money because each product and component part requires touch verification from the probe.
As a result, it takes a traditional CMM system an average of one hour to complete an inspection of sixty-four units. In the event of a power outage, each system on the floor must be checked via CMM, meaning that an entire 40-hour workweek could be spent on verification instead of productively. Norwalt got to work on brainstorming a creative solution.
Norwalt engineers created a one-of-a-kind vision system utilizing laser measurement, 2D and 3D optics, and deep machine-learning to replace the manual probes and pneumatic system currently used. Engineers employed a multi-axis servo system to precisely position the vision system over the specific cavity product.
With innovation and cutting-edge design, Norwalt delivered their client a visual inspection CMM machine capable of performing a one-hour detailed 64-cavity mold inspection in only nine minutes. The team also added portability features and overhauled the graphical interface to render real-time visual data.
“The key thing was stabilizing the product and implementing a touch-free measurement system combined with increased speed to process the data. We do all of the XYZ measurements in nine minutes from one complete 64 cavity mold pattern and deliver the real time data to the QC department instantly.”
Keith Harman, Norwalt’s Key Account and Vision Manager
The ROI for the client and end-user justified the investment by the client to replace their legacy technology. The client was so satisfied with Norwalt’s Vision System Inspection CMM they immediately requested eight machines and made arrangements with Norwalt to replace the remainder of their existing CMM systems in the coming months
Norwalt Increases Production and Reduces Manufacturing Costs While Meeting Time Crunch Faced by Pharmaceutical Manufacturer
In the fall of 2020, a pharmaceutical company contacted Norwalt after a subcontractor failed its attempt at designing machines the company needed to fulfill a $20M FDA contract. Two of the three machines lay in pieces, while the third struggled to produce at the necessary rate.
A leading pharmaceutical company found itself in a quandary. The company had hired a subcontractor to design machines it needed to manufacture a product requiring FDA approval with an extremely aggressive deadline. Unfortunately, it quickly became clear that there was a problem. When the first machine was delivered, it wouldn’t run for a minute without stopping. It required three operators to run it and was producing at 10% OEE. The components for the second and third machines that were to be completed were in pieces.
The company knew it was in trouble. The project manager realized they would be unable to satisfy their deadline for when the FDA was sending inspectors to review the equipment. Without FDA approval, the manufacturer wouldn’t be able to deliver on the $20+M contract it had secured.
Running out of time, the pharmaceutical company contacted Norwalt.
The company contacted Norwalt, and CEO Mike Seitel was on his way to visit their plant the next day.
After examining the assembled machine and additional machine parts delivered by the subcontractor, Seitel recognized the challenge that this project presented. “The concept was wrong. There weren’t enough stations in the base system to do the assembly properly,” Seitel noted.
Despite the hurdles the challenge presented, Seitel knew Norwalt was up to the task. “Our ability to think and move quickly is one of our major strengths,” said Seitel.
Working against the clock, Norwalt’s team was able to put its heads together to rethink the entire process and, in less than 24 hours, to address the problem.
Norwalt engineers were able to redesign the system while still utilizing long lead components from the current system in order to make the timeline. In addition, Norwalt’s supplier partnerships allowed all the newly designed components to be fabricated in the expedient manner necessary to meet the timeline.
Norwalt came to the rescue of its customer with its cutting-edge ideas, delivering the solution within an extremely tight eight-week turnaround time. Norwalt quickly put a team together to meet the customer’s needs, using its outside-the-box approach to solve a $20 million problem.
Thanks to Norwalt’s agile approach, one machine was delivered five days ahead of schedule. The second and third machines came in one day ahead of the agreed-upon delivery date. This gave the customer even more time to ensure everything was in place for the all-important FDA visit to secure approval and fulfill their contract.
The solution developed by Norwalt reduced the labor needed to run the machine by 66%. Upon installation, the team could see the machine was up to speed within the first 24 hours. It ran for hours at a time without stopping at 97.6% OEE and at a rate of 156 times faster than the original version. The system now runs at a 98% lights-out setting, allowing the customer to focus on other tasks with its labor force.
Norwalt’s ability to provide the customer with a solution that met the FDA’s stringent requirements helped turn the project into an ongoing relationship. By securing the trust of the customer, Norwalt has continued to work with them on additional projects.
