Customer needs are orders; overcoming difficulties and striving for excellence—A record of the emergency delivery of the H1 Camshaft

In early winter, November brings a bustling scene to the Camshaft Precision Machining Workshop, where all production lines are operating at full capacity to ensure on-time delivery for customers. Just as sales received another urgent request, Weichai’s H1 Camshaft project suddenly placed a bulk order for 600 units, with a requirement to have 1,000 units ready by December. This is a brand-new project that, over the past two years, has only seen a few dozen engines trial-assembled—yet it has now been abruptly launched! To make matters worse, this steel camshaft project is still in the prototype stage; internally, the company doesn’t even have the raw material—steel billets—nor the dedicated production lines or specialized equipment. What’s more, the existing steel camshaft production line is already running at full capacity, leaving us completely unprepared. What do we do when we “want the gun” but don’t have the gun, and “want the bullets” but don’t have the bullets? Customer demand is command—no matter the circumstances, we must find a way to deliver. The Camshaft Production Management Team has always refused to accept defeat. From the general manager down to frontline workers, production, technical, and workshop management personnel worked together to devise solutions, meticulously planning each operation one by one, making full use of any spare time within existing processes, seizing every available opportunity, and even outsourcing certain operations to external contractors when necessary. Since the dedicated drilling machine had not yet arrived, and the original machining center plan would have taken too long to drill the oil holes on the camshaft body, we quickly reorganized the process: using CNC milling machines to drill the oil holes separately. From initial concept to temporary fixture setup and debugging, we completed the adjustment in just one day. After drilling the oil holes, burrs and rolled edges remained on the inner walls, so we manually scraped them one by one using chamfering tools and gun drills. For burrs and metal chips left inside the through-holes of the camshaft body, the existing cleaning machine couldn’t remove them completely. We first used long brushes dipped in kerosene to scrub the holes, then wrapped deep-hole inspection gauges with clean wiping cloths and repeatedly inserted them into the holes to scoop out the remaining debris. Yet tiny metal particles still lingered inside, and several rounds of particle-size inspections failed to meet the standards—while sales was already waiting for shipment. Just when everyone was at their wits’ end, someone suggested, “Why not try flushing the internal bores with a high-pressure water jet?” What a great idea! We immediately moved the camshafts to the cleaning room next to the washing, recycling, and packaging area, prepared the cleaning solution, used the high-pressure water jet to flush the internal bores first, then flushed each oil hole individually, and promptly sent them off for cleanliness testing. The results were合格! Everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief and immediately plunged into special cleaning procedures… It was precisely because the technical and production management teams thought creatively, pooled their wisdom, and took hands-on action that the company successfully completed the first emergency delivery batch of H1 camshafts.

Charitable Donations Bring Warmth, One Drop at a Time

Since joining the company in August 2007, Zhang Zhiyong, an employee of our casting workshop, has consistently demonstrated dedication and diligence. In 2009, Mr. Zhang was diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B but did not pursue further medical evaluation or treatment. In early 2016, he was hospitalized due to abnormal liver function and subsequently diagnosed with decompensated cirrhosis. As a result of his loss of work capacity, he requires active cooperation with treatment and rest; accordingly, the company has initiated the prescribed procedure for him to retire on medical grounds. Despite 11 months of treatment, his condition has continued to deteriorate, and his prognosis remains grim. Following a visit by the trade union, it was learned that Mr. Zhang is currently receiving treatment in Shanghai and is preparing to undergo a liver transplant. His family circumstances are modest: his mother has voluntarily offered to donate part of her liver to save her son’s life; however, the cost of the transplant and subsequent postoperative care will exceed RMB 600,000. After deliberation, Mr. Zhang and his family have decided to sell their property to fund the remaining treatment expenses, after which the entire family plans to live together in a small garage. Our organization has always practiced humane management and made every effort to safeguard the interests of our employees. Upon learning of Mr. Zhang’s current difficult situation, the trade union promptly issued a fundraising appeal, calling on all employees to contribute either through monetary donations or by offering practical assistance. As a result of this campaign, the vast majority of our staff generously stepped forward, raising a total of RMB 21,530. Colleagues sincerely wish Mr. Zhang a speedy recovery, and every act of kindness reflects their most heartfelt hope. This week, the trade union delivered the substantial funds raised to Mr. Zhang, along with warm words of concern and encouragement. Moving forward, we will continue to closely monitor his treatment progress and provide whatever support we can within our means.

Visit by the Procurement Director of Shanghai Fihong

On November 10, 2016, Pasquale Ciao, Purchasing Director of Shanghai FAW-Volkswagen, Yu Chaoxiang, Purchasing Manager, and another colleague visited ASIMCO Camshaft Co., Ltd. The company’s General Manager Chen Aiguo and Sales Director Zhou Quan warmly received the guests. General Manager Chen briefed them on the development history of the Camshaft Company and its current production and operation status, while Manager Yu Chaoxiang from Shanghai FAW-Volkswagen presented the company’s engine installation performance and new product development progress from January to October this year. The two sides then held discussions on issues of mutual concern and reached a consensus. As a strategic supplier of Shanghai FAW-Volkswagen, ASIMCO Camshaft has consistently earned the company’s recognition for its stable quality, timely delivery, and high-quality service. Subsequently, company leaders accompanied the guests on a tour of ASIMCO Camshaft’s casting and machining production lines. During their visit to Shanghai FAW-Volkswagen’s Camshaft production line, the guests gained a detailed understanding of the line’s capacity and gave full affirmation to the company’s on-site management and quality control, thereby strengthening both parties’ confidence in cooperation and laying a solid foundation for further collaboration.

General Manager of Anhui Hualing Automobile Engine Branch Visits Our Company

On November 18, 2016, Wang Xiangzhi, General Manager of Anhui Hualing Automobile Engine Branch, along with Li Fu, Head of the Materials Department, paid a visit to ASIMCO Camshaft. Chen Aiguo, General Manager of the company, and Zhou Quan, Sales Director, extended a warm welcome to the guests and provided an overview of the company’s production and operations. Mr. Wang then briefed them on Hualing’s achievement of producing over 10,000 Hanma engines in 2016 and outlined the engine assembly plan for 2017. Since the beginning of this year, the Camshaft Company has carried out effective internal initiatives—such as process optimization and capacity enhancement—targeted at Hualing products, enabling it to meet the increased demand for Hualing engines. In recognition of these efforts, Mr. Wang expressed his gratitude to the Camshaft Company. Subsequently, accompanied by Mr. Chen, the delegation toured the machining workshop and Hualing’s dedicated Camshaft production line. Mr. Wang, General Manager of Hualing Engines, highly praised our company for the consistent excellence in both product quality and delivery since the inception of their collaboration, while also commending our cutting-edge camshaft technology and our high-end products that are protected by independent intellectual property rights. This visit by senior management from Anhui Hualing Automobile Engine Branch will help ASIMCO Camshaft maintain a strong cooperative relationship with Anhui Hualing, paving the way for further expansion of their respective businesses.

Camshaft Company’s Five Major Quality Tools Training Course Concludes Successfully

On November 10, the ASIMCO Camshaft Company’s training on the Five Major Quality Tools successfully concluded under the witness of the Manufacturing Support Team at the Group headquarters. This quality training was scheduled over weekends during the hot months of June, July, and August. Over a period of more than three months, key employees from the Technology, Quality, Production, Equipment, and Sales departments diligently attended 96 hours of instruction. Each team presented reports based on specific projects, reaping abundant benefits and bringing this training to a perfect close. Leaders from both the headquarters and the company presented graduation certificates, certificates for outstanding teams and outstanding trainees, as well as prizes to all participants. “Down-to-earth” was Director Liu Jun of the headquarters’ high praise for this training. All in-class exercises and homework assignments were drawn from real-world camshaft-related cases currently being developed and manufactured by the company, and the most vigorous discussions among trainees centered on the organic integration of theoretical knowledge with practical application, making the training highly relevant and useful. Through this training, participants promptly identified and addressed shortcomings in the company’s ongoing product development and manufacturing projects by applying what they had learned. Company leaders commended the initiative, noting that the training exceeded management’s expectations and emphasizing that this “learning-by-doing” approach is just the beginning. In the years to come, similar down-to-earth, practical training sessions will be held annually.

Teamwork Overcomes Challenges — A Record of the Installation and Commissioning of an Automatic Suction-Type Machine

The mold-blowing and mold-suction processes have always been the key focus for controlling product quality on the AUTO2 casting production line. To further enhance the line’s level of automation, reduce workers’ physical workload, and eliminate human factors that could affect product quality, the company conducted multiple site visits and subsequently procured an automated mold-suction device. At the end of September, with support from the maintenance team and taking advantage of a scheduled shutdown of the AUTO2 line, the installation of the automated mold-suction device was carried out as quickly as possible. Process engineers developed CNC programs tailored to the product configuration of the AUTO2 line and performed commissioning; electrical technicians finalized the control scheme to integrate the mold-suction machine with the AUTO2 line, ensuring that once the sand mold is in place, the device’s program automatically starts. During this phase, several challenges arose. To enable the device to simultaneously perform mold suction and spray surface-strengthening agents, fitters installed coolant nozzles on the machine tool; however, during commissioning it became apparent that the spray coverage consistently fell short of the desired level—either the coverage area was too small, or the program ran too slowly to keep pace with the production line. Subsequently, frontline operators actively contributed by suggesting replacing the nozzle with a manual sprayer used for mold suction. After fitters modified and installed the new sprayer, the system finally achieved the intended performance. Another issue was the inconsistent height of the sand-mold surface: not only did this make the suction nozzle prone to being knocked off alignment, but it also risked damaging the mold itself. To address this, flexible hoses were added to the metal tubing of the suction nozzle, and height markers were installed at the positions corresponding to the first two boxes. Any sand mold whose surface was scratched by these markers was flagged as exceeding the specified height, triggering the mold-suction machine to shut down and thereby reducing the likelihood of collisions. With the full support of the entire foundry team, the mold-suction machine is now operating normally. This reminds me of the lyrics to a song: “With a bamboo pole, we brave the vast ocean; with everyone rowing together, we set sail on the big ship…”

Work Hard in the Fourth Quarter to Create New Glory ------ The ASIMCO Camshaft Production Site is in Full Swing

In the golden autumn month of October, the fragrance of sweet osmanthus fills the air—this is the season of harvest. Since October, demand in the ASIMCO Camshaft sales market has grown rapidly, with orders for all product varieties now reaching or even surpassing the maximum production capacity designed for each manufacturing line. The situation is encouraging, yet also pressing. Orders are commands; therefore, company leadership, with far-sighted vision, has adopted the guiding principle of making sales the driving force externally and production the core internally. This philosophy has been thoroughly communicated and mobilized at all levels, with employees at every tier going all out. Staff on secondary and tertiary lines are fully supporting frontline production by providing whatever auxiliary assistance they can, ensuring that customer needs are met. The Production Department and machining workshops have responded promptly and flexibly, taking proactive measures: during the National Day holiday, they began working overtime; after the holiday, they quickly adjusted staffing arrangements, reinstated and strengthened shift systems, and maximized the utilization of production line capacity. All support departments have provided full backing: the Human Resources Department has promptly filled staffing gaps, while the Equipment Department has deployed its most skilled personnel to swiftly troubleshoot and resolve equipment malfunctions, thereby ensuring the smooth operation of production equipment. At present, all employees are highly motivated, working in unison from top to bottom and striving with all their might. Production is operating continuously and steadily, with output, quality, energy consumption, and other key performance indicators all reaching record highs, laying a solid foundation for the company to make a strong push in the fourth quarter and achieve new successes.

Mutual exchange, common progress

On September 13, six colleagues from ASIMCO Shanxi Foundry, led by Director Liu Yi of the Second Foundry Division, visited our company for an exchange and tour. The visit was warmly received by Ji Youqun, our Production Director. Both sides engaged in in-depth exchanges, discussions, and learning in an open and candid manner. During the on-site tour of the workshop, the workshop management team provided a detailed overview of the production process, on-site management, equipment management, and other aspects, and answered all questions raised as comprehensively as possible. In recent years, ASIMCO Shanxi has made significant breakthroughs in corporate management; their automation upgrades on production lines and improvements in COPQ for casting blanks are particularly worthy of our reference and study. During the subsequent exchange, participants spoke freely and enthusiastically, engaging in thorough discussions on topics of mutual interest. The ASIMCO Shanxi colleagues also offered valuable suggestions for improving our on-site operations. Although the period for this learning and exchange was brief, through this experience of mutual learning, discussion, and sharing of successful practices, we achieved the goal of learning from one another. This is a key approach for companies to foster a learning-oriented workforce and actively build an outstanding management team. After all, every enterprise and team has its own unique characteristics and areas where we can learn and draw inspiration. Mutual exchange broadens our thinking, sparks our creativity, and provides us with valuable insights. Going forward, ASIMCO Camshaft will, guided by the goals of standardized and refined management, continuously enhance the management capabilities of employees at all levels through various means to meet the needs of the company’s steady development. We also welcome more sister companies to visit for exchanges and guidance, so that we can share our respective management experiences and methods.