Optimizing Automotive Components: A Case Study in Design for Manufacturability

In a dynamic automotive landscape, manufacturing challenges can disrupt quality control, slow down productivity, and drive-up costs. Ensuring consistent performance, optimizing production, and reducing waste requires more than just advanced technology. They demand a committed partner who understands engineering complexity and real-world production realities. By collaborating early in the design phase with experienced suppliers, companies can avoid costly delays, minimize risk, and develop scalable solutions that drive long-term success.

The Challenge: Inconsistent Clutch Performance

A leading powertrain manufacturer faced performance inconsistencies in their clutch system, where shifting behavior varied unpredictably. The root cause was identified in the interaction between the friction plate and the steel plate, with surface finish playing a critical role.

To address this, the customer developed a special surface profile for the steel plates, which could be applied through cold rolling during steel coil production. While this solution improved the material’s baseline characteristics, a major challenge remained: how to deburr the fineblanked clutch plates without damaging the carefully engineered surface finish.

Our customer had a vision for an optimized clutch plate, but they needed a tooling partner with advanced engineering capabilities to bring it to life.

Conventional Deburring Challenges

Traditional deburring methods, such as belt sanding or brushing machines, presented significant challenges for this application:

Inconsistent Surface Quality: Abrasive processes could alter or damage the cold-rolled surface finish, affecting performance.

Process Variability: Changing consumables (brushes, belts) impacted the finish, leading to variations between production shifts.

High Operational Costs: Maintaining strict quality control with secondary finishing added complexity and cost.

The Solution: In-Tool Deburring for Precision Manufacturing

At Feintool, we make more than parts – we make commitments. Through collaboration, the team co-developed and patented an in-tool deburring process that eliminated the need for secondary finishing while preserving surface integrity.

Instead of removing burrs through abrasive processes after cutting, this approach reforms the burrs back into the material within the fineblanking tool itself. This ensures the surface profile remains untouched, preserving the precise specifications required for consistent clutch performance. With all deburring occurring inside the press, additional handling is eliminated, cycle times are reduced, and overall efficiency is improved.

Benefits Beyond Cost Savings

The impact of this innovation extended far beyond eliminating secondary deburring:

✅ Consistent Quality
The process ensured uniform deburring and surface integrity across all production.

✅ Increased Productivity
Eliminating secondary operations reduced cycle time and streamlined production.

✅ Optimized Material Utilization
Multi-cavity tooling and nested part production minimized scrap and improved yield.

✅ Scalability
The process was easily scalable to accommodate higher volumes without adding complexity.

By implementing in-tool deburring, the manufacturer lowered overall production costs while boosting performance and reliability – a win-win scenario in a highly competitive market.

Accelerating Success: Early Supplier Involvement

The key takeaway from this case study is clear: early collaboration with manufacturing partners is essential to optimizing cost, quality, and production efficiency.

Key Planning Considerations for Purchasing Managers & Engineers

1. Material Selection – Choosing the right steel with the optimal surface characteristics ensures functionality and cost-efficiency.

2. Fineblanking & Deburring Strategy – Integrating deburring within the fineblanking tool eliminates costly secondary operations.

3. Simulation & Prototyping – Expertise and advanced simulation tools enable early identification of potential issues, reducing development time.

4. Cost vs. Tolerance Balance – Avoiding unnecessarily tight tolerances that do not impact functionality can significantly reduce costs.

5. Scalability & Waste Reduction – Implementing nested tooling and other material-saving strategies early in the design phase maximizes efficiency.

Driving Efficiency Through Innovation

By integrating innovative deburring techniques within fineblanking, our customer transformed a design challenge into a competitive advantage. The result? A clutch system with improved reliability, reduced costs, and a streamlined manufacturing process.

For purchasing managers, plant managers, and engineers in the automotive industry, this case study underscores the value of early supplier collaboration. Working with partners who offer deep manufacturing expertise, advanced simulation tools, and scalable production capabilities is the key to overcoming complex challenges and staying ahead in the market.

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