Solution stories
Auto Components: Honest OEE and Faster Root Cause on Rejections
Machine-measured OEE, tool-linked rejections and supplier scorecards for a machining supplier.
Trikaan Research & Engineering4 min read
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Reported OEE was high; measured OEE was not.
- Short stops were the hidden capacity loss.
- Linking rejections to tools and machines revealed root causes.
- Supplier quality data improved incoming material.
A machining supplier to tier-1 automotive customers faced delivery pressure and rejections, despite reporting good OEE.
This story shows what changed when data came from the machines.
The situation
OEE was calculated from shift reports. Rejections were logged by part number but not by machine or tool. Customer schedules changed weekly.
What they had already tried
- Overtime to recover delivery.
- Additional inspection stages.
- Weekly review meetings with paper reports.
How we diagnosed the real problem
We connected run signals on the bottleneck CNC cell for two weeks.
- Measured OEE was noticeably lower than reported.
- Short stops for chip clearing and gauging were the largest loss.
- Rejections clustered on specific tools near end of life.
The solution, product by product
No single product solved this. The value came from the products working on the same data.
| Product | Role in this solution |
|---|---|
| Machine Digital Twin | Run status, counts and alarms from CNCs; OEE with operator reason codes |
| ASTR Production | Work orders, control plan checks, rejection recording by machine, tool and shift |
| Anvaya | Customer schedules, stock, dispatch, incoming inspection and supplier scorecards |
| ASTR Reporting | OEE losses, rejection Pareto and delivery risk |
How it rolled out
- Bottleneck cell first.
- Reason codes agreed with operators.
- Tool life tracking.
- Supplier scorecards.
What changed
Capacity was recovered by attacking short stops and tool changes rather than adding shifts.
- OEE on the bottleneck improved by [X] points from the measured baseline.
- Rejections reduced by [X]%.
- On-time delivery improved by [X]%.
What we would tell a similar company
- Measure OEE from machines, not reports.
- Attack short stops.
- Record rejections with machine and tool.
- Score suppliers on facts.
Frequently asked questions
Can older CNCs be connected?
Usually through controller data or simple sensors.
Does this support customer audits?
It provides records; compliance depends on your quality system.
Is this a real customer?
It is an illustrative composite.
- #auto component manufacturer case study
- #OEE improvement case
- #machining rejection root cause
- #tier 2 supplier digital
- #CNC machine monitoring
Trikaan Research & Engineering
Trikaan
Written by the researchers and engineers who build Anvaya, ASTR and Seed Track, with input from Trikaan's delivery and engineering teams.
