CASE STUDY: Process Improvement / Cost Reduction / Speed to Market

Component: Phacoemulsification Handpiece

Challenge: Independently develop and share value-added process solutions with an established customer in order to obtain a better price position by improving the value stream.

Autocam Medical’s Solution: In order to assist an established OEM customer with market pricing pressures, Autocam Medical’s Process Improvement Team (PIT), comprised of engineering and manufacturing, proposed as solutions:

  • Combine two-parts-into-one, which would eliminate electron beam weld of these two parts
  • Eliminate one heat treat operation
  • Eliminate a costly custom fabricated filler used in a laser weld process

Originally, this Surgical Handpiece design required machining of two pieces, a second process
of electron beam welding which was followed by a heat treating process to complete this component before advancing to the assembly of a laser welded irrigation component. Autocam leveraged its expertise in machining and custom tool design and fabrication, which allowed the suggestion for a one-piece design and the elimination of the laser welding of the irrigation component in assembly. Autocam Medical worked concurrently with the customer’s engineers to implement the improved design which benefited with lead times and allowed a 6% price reduction.

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