Bendix Spicer Six Sigma Green Belt Certification

Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems is headquartered in Avon, Ohio, with manufacturing plants in Acuña, Mexico; Bowling Green, Kentucky; Hanover, Pennsylvania; Huntington, Indiana; Lebanon, Tennessee; and Wytheville, Virginia. Bendix CVS designs, develops, and supplies leading-edge active safety technologies, energy management solutions, and air brake charging, and control systems and components under the Bendix® brand name for medium-duty and heavy-duty trucks, tractors, trailers, buses, and other commercial vehicles throughout North America. Employing more than 4,100 people, Bendix strives to create the best solutions for improved vehicle safety, performance and overall operating cost.

During FY2021, the use of coolant in the Bowling Green plant for BG Bendix was higher than expected. CNC machines ran 2-3 times over their specified concentration levels, thus reducing tool life, reducing machine life and overusing coolant. Coolant concentrations were not being properly handled, thus leading them to look elsewhere. Bendix turned to Kentucky MEP, part of the MEP National Network™, for help.

 

Bendix selected this problem as the focal point while attending the Kentucky MEP Six Sigma Green Belt certification workshop. The chemical management system was reviewed, and three possible solutions were considered, including: (1) Switch suppliers to a lower cost and more effective coolant; (2) manage chemicals in-house instead of a 3rd party; and (3) train operators and employees to properly make up coolant to the specific range. The team determined after this careful evaluation that there was a need to seek a new vendor with coolants and reduce concentration levels in machinery.