Castrol commodity management service creates engine line savings for Ford Bridgend, UK

Castrol commodity management service creates engine line savings for Ford Bridgend, UK

Castrol commodity management service creates engine line savings for Ford Bridgend, UK

Keywords: Automotive industry, Engine components, Synthetic oils

The 4.2l V8 engine for the stunning new Jaguar XK Coupe is one of a number built at Ford's engine manufacturing facility at Bridgend, South Wales, UK. This new engine – together with an existing 4.4l V8 and an in-line six cylinder for Ford's Premier Automotive Group and successful Zetec four-cylinder engines – put the plant on schedule to reach a target of a million power units annually by 2010.

To meet Bridgend's current output 1,600 people are involved in the machining of engine blocks and components from aluminium, cast iron and steel. The processes require more than 30 central coolant systems – 14 of them on Sigma – each feeding up to eighteen machines. The systems range in size from 5,000 to 320,000l, with the largest located in the PAG aluminium head machining area.

All hydrocarbons for Bridgend, including metalworking and component washing fluids, cutting oils, lubricants, hydraulic oils and first-fill engine oils, are supplied through a site-wide commodity management service (CMS) that was awarded to Castrol in 2003.

To make CMS work contract manager Phil Booker, one of Castrol's team of three at Bridgend, depends on the cooperation of the other suppliers involved in the contract, some of which also have teams on site. Phil reports directly to Bridgend plant engineering manager Malcolm Carnall on all fluid management activities, including those of the Castrol team, which manages and monitors the coolant and wash systems for the Sigma engine line.

Commenting on the decision to introduce a CMS Malcolm Carnall says it has consolidated the supplier base and given Bridgend a single point of contact.

“Dealing with one person is still considered to be one of the most important operational benefits, whether we are reviewing individual engine lines or discussing product selection.” He says: “It simplifies everything.”

“Castrol controls fluids at every level: working closely with our stores staff to ensure that the optimum quantity of each fluid is available on site; managing all additives that are introduced into cooling systems, component washing machines, etc. and they have overall responsibility for the sampling and monitoring of fluids seven days a week.”

“Any concerns are discussed and if necessary the basic analysis carried out in Castrol's on-site laboratory is supplemented by samples being sent for analysis to Castrol's main laboratory at Hyde. On-site staff also compile consolidated weekly reports covering the fluid management activities of all suppliers on the site, which are circulated to the appropriate Ford personnel.”

Other reports are generated to cover trends in system unavailability (which affects production downtime), critical machining operations that require coolant analysis on a daily basis, and special issues outside the scope of the daily activities.

Phil Booker has to ensure that all suppliers work to meet Ford's operational objectives, of which the most important are safety, quality, delivery, cost, morale and environmental issues. He also has to adhere strictly to similar policies laid down by Castrol and its parent company BP, which include producing Near Miss and ASA (HSSE related) reports. To these, he adds the very practical objective for all fluid suppliers at Bridgend – to minimise system downtime while working safely with no accidents.

Asked if CMS has provided cost benefits to match the obvious operational advantages, Malcolm Carnall says the move has provided Bridgend with substantial cost savings.

Summing up, he says that while strong ties between BP, Castrol and Ford already existed through their motorsport alliance, on the factory floor it is hands-on service and support that counts – and that's what Castrol delivers through CMS.

Further evidence of Ford's drive for process efficiencies is the recent signing of a contract for Castrol to operate its “Predict” service which, supported by a state-of-the-art laboratory, is helping Bridgend to reduce maintenance costs and maintain machine efficiency on the site.

Commenting for Castrol, Chris Poole says a recent survey of a number of industrial sectors estimated that 89 percent of maintenance costs are related to the mechanical wear of oil lubricated machines.

“With oil lubricated machines accounting for such a large proportion of the maintenance effort it's no surprise that the relationship between lubrication and mechanical wear is now used as a tool by services such as Castrol's `Predict'.” He says, “adding that Predict inspects and monitors conditions within machines and, with the development of the latest analytical techniques combining the principles of ferrography and spectroscopy, predicts future maintenance requirements.”

For further information contact Castrol Customer Service

Website: www.castrol.com/industrial

US: jacque.cervantes@castrol.com or carol.yates@castrol.com

Europe: petra.einertshofer@castrol.com or Asia Pacific: Paul.Sharp@se1.bp.com