Showerthought: I always thought our local shop's scrap rate was normal until I saw a report from a plant in Germany

I was reading an industry journal last week and they had a case study on a foundry near Stuttgart. Their scrap rate for gray iron engine blocks was under 2%, which blew my mind. Our crew here in Michigan has always aimed for 5% and considered that solid. The article said they used way more real-time thermal imaging during pours than we do. Makes me wonder if we're just accepting too much waste as normal. Has anyone else seen numbers that low for a high-volume production run?

3 comments

3 Comments

emma_hayes8020d agoTop Commenter

That's the whole problem with a lot of industries here. People get used to a local standard and stop looking outside their own shop. You see it everywhere, not just in foundries. The goal becomes beating the guy down the road, not the best in the world. If your whole team thinks 5% is good, you'll never push for the tech or the process changes to hit 2%. It's a mindset trap.

the_kim6d ago

It's not just about beating the local guy, though. Sometimes the problem is there's no reward for being the best in the world. Why would a team push for that 2% if the customer only pays for 5%? The market sets the goal, and if it doesn't ask for better, why would anyone try?

scott.grace20d ago

So true, @emma_hayes80, it's a real trap.