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commitment to matching the customer’s program also features, unique to Böllhoff, an operator, ensuring full responsibility is taken for
technical requirement in specific applications. aluminium rivet nut with class 8 performance. the finished products. In parallel to this change
Even a brief review of RIVKLE’s evolution No question about the DNA, then, but Otalu has commenced a program to replace
demonstrates how deeply rooted the concept has to be translated to reality. More and upgrade its cold forging equipment to the
innovation gene has become for this business. than 30 engineers and technicians at Otalu are latest in multi-die, rapid tool change Formax
For twenty-five years from its inception in dedicated to research and development using headers.
1950 RIVKLE meant cylindrical rivet nuts. The 3D design con-
following twenty-five years, though, saw the ceptualisation
advent of the hexagonal rivet nut (a milestone in the form of
“Innovation is a
in itself as Böllhoff Otalu became the first to Autocad and
cold forge this profile), knurled versions, the Catia. Forge 3
part of our business”
addition of stainless steel as a mainstream deformation
material, rivet nuts with seals, with ribs under analysis is used
the head, and the addition of studs to the for production
range. More recently aluminium variants were design linked to
introduced, as was the PN ‘Plus Nut’ version a special prototype The adoption of a lean philosophy has also
with a slotted shank, which when inserted production unit and test laboratory. meant a change from push flow to pull
achieves very high pull out resistance from What also needs to be recognised is that flow – producing effectively only what the
plastics, hollow sections or thin sheet, through 100% of the rivet nuts supplied to the customer needs – and the implementation of
the formation of large petals on the blind side automotive sector by Böllhoff are ‘specials’, Kanban throughout the production floor, which
of the base material. There was also RIVKLE developed to match specific application means parts can be tracked visually throughout
Elastic, a ‘deconnectable’ blind rivet fastener requirements. In all, that results in Otalu manufacturing.
producing some 500 As always, physical changes are not enough
articles with a total of at
and Otalu has worked hard to fundamentally
least 1,200 variants –
change the outlook of its production workforce
which would surely
– ironically, always a greater challenge in an
represent any normal
operation that is already successful and
production scheduler’s
growing. The role of all is now far more than
worst nightmare. The
just producing the products, there is an
inherent responsibility to constantly improve
overwhelming majority
the process. This includes Hoshin action plans
of RIVKLE/RIVNUT sizes
in which a ten strong task force studies OBS
are cold forged, a
principles on a Monday, develops and defines
process for the main part
improvements over the following two days,
common to all rivet nut
presenting them for approval and putting them
makers. What
into action during the last two days of the
distinguishes Böllhoff
week.
Otalu is its talent for
Characteristically of Böllhoff, little is left to
production flow chance. In common with all group production
management and quality facilities, a commitment made throughout the
control to deliver product business at the personal instigation of Dr
as required by the
Wolfgang Böllhoff, Otalu has a literal battery of
customer with total
inspection equipment, ranging through X-ray,
performance reliability.
laser, camera and mechanical technologies. In
In 2006 the company
fact Otalu inspects in excess of 80% of the
launched Project DEFI,
rivet nuts it produces, with all approved
aimed at reducing the
product immediately boxed and sealed to
Evolution become revolution with the High
lead-time from the first
avoid any risk of contamination or remixing of
Resistance Thread RIVKLE
step in production to the
parts. The accuracy of the finished
that provided noise and vibration damping
RIVKLE/RIVNUT product unquestionably
customer delivery. The project defined a new
characteristics.
underpins Böllhoff’s reputation with its high
way of working called OBS (Optimised Böllhoff
volume customers. Significantly, if not so
In 2005 evolution became revolution, if one System) based on lean manufacturing
obviously, it also opens the door to develop
is allowed to mention the word in France, as principles. The drive to eliminate waste -
and provide advanced setting methods for
Böllhoff demonstrated technological leadership unnecessary inventory, excessive moving of
these products – a completely distinct strand of
by developing and applying a patented ‘High semi-finished product, scrap and operators’
the Böllhoff innovation DNA, a study in its own
Resistance Thread’ process to a rivet nut – waiting time – has led to a complete
right that we should return to another day.
creating the RIVKLE and RIVNUT HRT, which reorganisation of the production floor, so that
The most ringing of Frédéric Besse’s parting
boasted strength performance to ISO Grade 12, families of product are now manufactured in
words was “Innovation is a part of our
and presented for the first time a rivet nut cells. Each includes the cold forging, heat
business.” After a day exploring Böllhoff Otalu
capable of partnering effectively with high treatment and tapping processes, under
one could easily beg to differ and suggest it is
tensile screws up to Grade 12.9. Now the HRT beginning to end supervision by the same entrenched altogether deeper than that.
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