Value Engineering

Value engineering is gaining much significance in the present scenario. In a monopoly , (where there is a monopoly of a product or of a particular industry) there is no need to study the aspects of industrial engineering.

However, in the present scenario, for a single market segment, there are so many industries trying to increase their market share over a limited period of time. Now here, the concept of value engineering comes into picture.

Concept of Value Engineering

Suppose a new product is launched by a company at a considerably higher price. Over a period of time, the prices instead of increasing are coming down. Now here the question arises, is the company selling at loss?. Actually 'No', no company is going to sell at loss. Every company is going to make profit. But, with the advent of new materials, new technologies, invention of newer and newer methods of processing. By this the company is able to reduce the cost of product with time. This is the basic concept of value engineering. Value engineering when applied systematically in an organization has resulted into huge amounts of profit.

Money is of no value;

It cannot spend itself.

All depends on the skill of the spender.

(Ralph Waldo Emerson [1803-1882])

Spend the company's money

as you would spend your own.

(20 techniques of value engineering)

History of Value Engineering

In 1947, a vice president at General Electric, "Harry Erlicker" observed the occurence of a rather "unusual phenomenon" that had been appearing throughout the industry which further led to the development of value engineering.

Now, what was this unusual phenomenon. 

After the world war, it was observed, that most of the equipment, weapons, machinery etc. was damaged or was not in use. Now, this thing had to be redesigned, reconstruct, repair, calculations had to made, again manufacture. During the process it was found , that the new equipment or new materials that were used for manufacturing these types of products have resulted into a product which is of relatively low cost as compared to the older ones. It was observed that before the world war, the cost factor was high and after the world war the cost factor was relatively low with no compromise in quality, functionality and performance. It was then thought that why can't this particular phenomenon be translated and applied into other engineering products. And when it was applied, it was found that "YES" it works. It is universal. It can be applied into any particular field of engineering and thereby we would be able to save a lot of money of the organisation or the company.

Read the detailed explanatory article on value engineering at:
http://mechanicalnotes.com/subject-notes-3/subject-notesindustrial-engineering/

Laws of sliding friction

The following laws of sliding friction have been established experimentally:

1. Total friction is propotional to normal pressure.
This means that force of friction comprises a certain part of normal pressure and can be expressed by the equation
F/Q=f,or F=fQ
The factor f represents the coefficient of sliding friction, or the coefficient of friction of the first type.

2. The force of friction does not depend on the area of contact.
Also, the force of sliding friction does not depend on the specific pressure.

3. If normal pressure is unchanged, total friction will depend on the material of the contacting bodies, the finish of their surfaces and the nature and amount of lubrication.

4. Total friction does not depend on the sliding velocity, although the force necessary at the start of sliding is greater than when momentum (retained motion) has been achieved.

Procedure in Designing for Jigs & Fixtures

The procedure for designing Jigs & Fixtures is governed through some principles.

1.     Rigidity:

-          The jigs and fixtures should be strong enough to held up the preset accuracy of machining.

2.     Fool Proofing:

-          It is defined as the,” incorporation of the design feature that will make it possible to lead the work into jig and fixture, in an improper position, but will not interfere with the loading and unloading of the work piece.”

-          There are many fool proofing devices, such as fooling pegs, blocks or pins which clears correctly positioned parts but prevent incorrectly loaded parts from entering the jig and fixture body.

Elements of Jigs and Fixtures

he details of various elements of jigs and fixtures are as follows.

-Body                  

-Locating devices

-Clamping devices   

-Tool guide (jigs bushing)

Silica Grain Shape and Size Distribution

Silica sand
Most of the sand moulds and cores are based on silica sand since it is the most readily available and lowest cost moulding material. Other sands are used for special applications where higher refractoriness, higher thermal conductivity or lower thermal expansion is needed.