Section 3 - Management & Accountability (continued)
Production Services
Production Services plays a primary role in the preproduction preparation of coin designs and tooling for coin manufacture and improving related manufacturing processes.
A significant impact on the operation during the year has been the refurbishment project and the demands and stresses of the construction program which impacted on the way we delivered our services.
Early in 2008, the Toolroom was relocated from the area it had occupied since the Mint opened in 1965 to five temporary locations. Machinery was carefully relocated and some non-critical items were stored in an off-site location. The refurbished space will allow the opportunity for revising tooling processes and will help to realise ongoing gains in manufacturing efficiency.
In order to accommodate staged shutdowns of various aspects of the Mint’s production process, Production Services delivered 3,600 circulating dies, 276 proof dies and 388 uncirculated dies, to meet the projected die demand until the end of 2008. Likewise, toolmaking efforts have produced over 10,500 coin press feeding “fingers” as well as die holders and anvils, coining collars and wear and repair parts. Over the remainder of 2008 improvements will be made to coin press tooling manufacture and a stock of press spare parts will be built to support circulating coin production in 2009.
The time to deliver coin designs and master tooling was reduced by 50 per cent compared to previous rates. A total of 24 coin designs, plasters and master tools were produced to support the proof coining program adjusted to meet the refurbishment project. The unusually high demand for master tools early in 2008 was met by our two CNC engraving machines with additional staff being trained to support this demand. The remainder of 2008 will be spent in improving and consolidating design and engraving processes, and developing new coin designs and master tooling for future years.
Staff in the Toolroom conducted educational tours to demonstrate Toolroom processes to secondary school students and business visitors. The Toolroom continued to support and guide the education of nine Fitting and Machining apprentices.
Several innovative, automation projects were delivered during the year:
- The robotic machine for packing uncirculated coins was redesigned and rebuilt to improve throughput, reduce operator intervention, and to improve safety. The result has doubled the output of the machine, has self-maintaining features and is totally enclosed to protect operators.
- A coin blank mass measuring machine was designed, built and tested, including the software to run the computer and the hardware to feed the coin blanks.
- The prototype coin alignment machine built in late 2006 has completed its trials and received a “makeover” in 2008. It is now in a more robust enclosure and its software has been expanded to include an unlimited number of coin types.
The “redesign for manufacture” project forecast last year completed a redesign task on nine circulating coin press feed tables. They were rebuilt to eliminate 22 years of wear. This resulted in a saving over replacement of nearly 80 per cent of manufacturer’s price. This year the project is being expanded to include coining die manufacture with a holistic “design, manufacture and operate” approach to cost reduction and improvement. Preliminary tooling designs have been done for the Mint’s proof coin presses.
The approach in the coming year is to augment our modern refurbished facilities with improvements in operations, people, equipment and processes.
Key activities will be to:
- acquire and apply better technologies to common operations
- train and improve the skills of staff in new technologies
- explore upgrades of existing machinery to improve performance
- research and acquire innovative processes for improving product quality and manufacture.
The outcome sought is to raise the standard of operations while reducing the costs of manufacture of tooling and products.