Whitcraft Group is an aerospace manufacturer located in Eastford Connecticut, where they have been since their founding in 1960. They produce low to medium volume parts with an emphasis on products with complex geometries, particularly engine components. In order to maximize the efficiency of the multiple independent production lines, Whitcraft adheres to the principles of lean manufacturing, aiming for continuous improvement and standardization whenever possible. Whitcraft produces heat blankets for a Pratt and Whitney engine. These heat blankets consist of an insulation sheet nested between two paired pieces of sheet metal. The current process to join the sheet metal involves a couple hundred manual resistance welds. Applying these with a spot-welding gun is labor intensive, prone to variation, and leads to a high scrap rate. To address this, Whitcraft has tasked our team with developing a machine that will complete the welding operation hands free, only requiring the operator to load the components and initiate the process.

Our team collaborated with Management & Engineering for Manufacturing 20 on this project.