News and Information
ASIMCO Camshaft (Yizheng) Co., Ltd.
Welcoming the Peak Sales Season and Ensuring On-Time Delivery — A Report on the Establishment of a Reinforcement Team in the Metal Processing Workshop
Release Date:
14-02-28
Since the end of last year, ASIMCO’s Camshaft division has experienced a small surge in demand, with monthly orders for both steel and ductile iron camshafts increasing by more than 20%. Steel camshafts such as the 112 and 310 models have also moved from trial production and small-batch runs into full-scale mass production and supply. Around this year’s Spring Festival, several customers called and emailed to place larger orders: some ductile iron camshafts saw demand double compared with last year, while orders for certain steel camshafts were about 40% above normal levels. Ensuring product quality, quantity, and timely delivery is the responsibility of the company’s production system. To cope with the rapid growth in market demand and to uphold the company’s commitment of “not losing a single camshaft,” the production system promptly organized discussions and sought solutions. If the previous work arrangements—such as the “three shifts with two rotations” and the standard three-shift system—were maintained, there would be a significant shortage of operators. Even with emergency hiring, the time required for recruitment, training, and on-the-job proficiency would still be insufficient to meet immediate needs; moreover, once market demand returns to normal levels, there would be an excess of staff that could not be accommodated. Director Ji Youqun, who oversees production, proposed drawing on last year’s “Enhanced Shift” initiative implemented in the casting workshop: establish a dedicated shift that rotates weekly to cover two shifts on each of the three production lines. This way, production lines with heavier order volumes can keep their equipment running continuously, operators can enjoy regular weekly rest, and both personnel and equipment utilization are maximized. Following the proposal, the machining workshop held a mobilization meeting. However, given differences in equipment, process routes, and product characteristics across the various production lines, not all employees could meet the requirements. Therefore, the workshop selected highly skilled and physically fit personnel to form the “Enhanced Shift,” while also identifying safety, quality, and equipment risk points on each line and developing corresponding mitigation measures. After providing short-term training to these assigned workers in unfamiliar roles, the machining workshop first implemented the scheme on two production lines in January and expanded it to all three lines in February, achieving excellent results. Despite having fewer than 20 working days in January and February, output levels matched those of typical months. The implementation of the “Enhanced Shift” ensured timely product delivery during peak market demand, significantly boosted employee incomes, and eliminated the pressure of workforce surplus during off-peak periods. Throughout the implementation process, we continuously summarized our experiences and applied FMEA principles to identify and control potential risks, enabling ongoing optimization of the scheme to achieve optimal operational performance.
Since the end of last year, ASIMCO’s Camshaft business has witnessed a small surge in demand, with monthly demand for some steel and ductile iron Camshafts increasing by more than 20%. Steel Camshafts such as 112 and 310 have also moved from trial production and small-batch production to mass production and supply. Around the Spring Festival this year, several customers called and emailed to increase their order volumes: the demand for some ductile iron Camshafts has doubled compared with last year, and the demand for some steel Camshafts has also exceeded normal levels by about 40%.
Ensuring on-time delivery of products that meet both quality and quantity standards is the responsibility of the company’s production system. To address the rapid growth in market demand and to uphold the company’s commitment to “not lose a single shaft,” the production system promptly convened discussions among all relevant parties to identify and implement effective countermeasures. If the previous operating models—such as the “three shifts with two rotations” and the standard three-shift system—were retained, there would be a significant labor shortage for operators. Even with emergency recruitment, the time required for hiring, training, and bringing new staff up to speed would be insufficient to meet immediate needs. Moreover, once market demand returns to normal levels, this approach would result in an excess of personnel that could not be effectively accommodated.
Director Ji Youqun, who oversees production, proposed drawing on last year’s “Enhanced Shift” initiative implemented in the Foundry Workshop: namely, forming a dedicated shift that rotates weekly to cover two shifts on each of the three production lines. This arrangement ensures that high-volume lines maintain continuous operation without downtime, while operators are guaranteed weekly rest, thereby maximizing both manpower and equipment utilization. Following the proposal, the Metalworking Workshop promptly convened a mobilization meeting. Given the differences in equipment, process flows, and product characteristics across the various lines, not all staff could meet the requirements; thus, the workshop selected only the most technically proficient and physically fit personnel to form the “Enhanced Shift.” At the same time, potential safety, quality, and equipment risk points were identified for each line, and corresponding mitigation measures were developed. After providing short-term training to the assigned personnel in roles where they lacked experience, the Metalworking Workshop first piloted the scheme on two lines in January and then expanded it to all three lines in February, achieving excellent results. Despite having fewer than 20 working days in January and February, output levels matched those of typical months. The implementation of the “Enhanced Shift” initiative has ensured timely product delivery during peak demand periods, while also leading to a significant increase in employee earnings—and crucially, eliminating the pressure of workforce redundancy during slower seasons. Throughout the rollout, we have continuously distilled lessons learned and applied FMEA principles to systematically identify and control potential risks, enabling ongoing refinement of the approach to achieve optimal operational performance.
Keywords:
Recommended News
Follow us
ASIMCO Camshaft (Yizheng) Co., Ltd.
Recruitment Phone:+86-514-80857900/83429619
Sales Phone:+86-514-80857906/80857907
Procurement Phone:+86-514-80857930/80857931
Fax: +86-514-83429699
Email:liut@asimco-camyz.com
Address: No. 8, Shuanghuan Road, Yizheng Automotive Industrial Park, Yangzhou City, Jiangsu Province