Intelligent Transformation Case of Automobile Shock Absorber Buffer Block Production in Taizhou, Zhejiang
Customer Background
Located in Xianju County, Taizhou, the factory covers an area of 22,000 square meters and currently operates 4 semi-automated production lines, with a total annual capacity of 8 million units and sales volume of 120 million RMB in 2024. Its core products mainly include polyurethane and rubber shock absorber buffer blocks, isolation blocks, mounts, dust covers, etc., among which shock absorber buffer blocks account for 45% of the total capacity with an annual output of 8 million units. The products are mainly supplied to distributors in East China, secondary suppliers of joint-venture automobile enterprises, and supporting manufacturers of some new energy vehicle companies. Nowadays, high-end orders have increasingly strict requirements for product precision and consistency, especially for shock absorber buffer blocks as high-frequency supporting components. The enterprise is eager to find a low-cost and quickly implementable automated solution to break through development bottlenecks.
Project Overview
There is a manufacturer specializing in automotive chassis rubber shock absorption components in Taizhou, Zhejiang, with 18 years of experience in the industry. Its main products include shock absorber buffer blocks, shock absorber isolation blocks, engine mounts, etc., which are suitable for both new energy vehicles and fuel-powered passenger cars. However, the company has long been troubled by problems such as low precision, poor efficiency, and high environmental pressure. Haifeng Automation customized a modular upgrade solution tailored to its needs—without complex overhauls, it only took 5 months to complete the transformation of two core production lines, focusing on optimizing the production process of high-value-added shock absorber buffer blocks. This helped the enterprise transform into intelligent and precise manufacturing and successfully enter the supply chain of leading new energy vehicle brands.
Core Customer Pain Points
01
Insufficient Precision
The error in manual pouring of raw material ratio often exceeds ±3%, and the dimensional tolerance of shock absorber buffer blocks reaches ±1.2mm, far failing to meet the ±0.3mm requirement of high-end customers. The average defective rate of the entire product line is 10.5%, with the defective rate of shock absorber buffer blocks reaching 12% due to complex processes. The annual loss from rework alone exceeds 8 million RMB.
02
Low Efficiency
Each of the 4 dedicated production lines for shock absorber buffer blocks requires 8 workers, with a daily output of only 12,000 units per line. Mold replacement takes more than 2 hours, resulting in a 30% capacity gap during the rotation production of multiple products. Delivery delays of shock absorber buffer blocks frequently occur during peak seasons, affecting customer cooperation.
03
Cost and Environmental Pressure
Raw material waste rate is 12%, leading to an annual waste cost of 2.59 million RMB for the entire product line, among which the raw material loss of shock absorber buffer blocks accounts for over 60%. Old equipment consumes high energy, with each dedicated line for shock absorber buffer blocks using 420 kWh of electricity per day. VOCs emissions are close to the limit, and the company was once ordered by environmental authorities to rectify within a time limit.
04
Difficult Traceability
Production data is entirely recorded manually, with frequent errors and omissions, which cannot meet the traceability requirements of high-end customers for the entire product line. The company has repeatedly encountered obstacles in supplier audits.
Haifeng's Solutions
01
Core Equipment Upgrade
Installed HF-HP-P300 high-pressure foam pouring modules on 4 dedicated production lines for shock absorber buffer blocks, ensuring reliable measurement precision and accurate control of raw material ratio. Equipped with 20-station automatic turntables, realizing full automation of mold positioning, pouring, and transportation without manual handling. Mold replacement time is shortened to 30 minutes, which can also adapt to the production of other shock absorption components without replacing the entire production line.
02
Process and Environmental Optimization
Upgraded the intelligent temperature control system, significantly improving temperature control precision and stabilizing the performance of the entire product line. Installed waste gas treatment equipment to greatly reduce VOCs emissions, meeting environmental requirements. Optimized energy consumption design, achieving a 35% energy-saving rate for each dedicated line for shock absorber buffer blocks and significantly reducing energy costs.
03
Lightweight Digital Management and Control
Built a simple PLC intelligent system to record key data such as raw material ratio and temperature control parameters in real time, allowing real-time monitoring of production progress and defective rates. Assigned a unique code to each product to realize full-process traceability from raw materials to finished products without investing in complex systems.
04
Localized Services
Adopted modular installation, requiring only 1 day of shutdown per line to complete the transformation without affecting normal production. Provided 3 days of practical training for workers to ensure proficient operation and maintenance skills. Relying on local service outlets in Zhejiang, offered 24-hour technical consultation response, with technicians able to arrive at the scene within 2 hours to solve regular faults. Provided a 1-year warranty and 2 free inspections per year.
Core Achievements of Project Implementation
Precision Compliance
The dimensional tolerance of shock absorber buffer blocks is successfully controlled within ±0.3mm, and the average defective rate of the entire product line drops from 10.5% to 1.8%, with the defective rate of shock absorber buffer blocks reduced to 2%. Annual loss reduction exceeds 6.8 million RMB, and the proportion of high-end orders increases from 12% to 45%.
Efficiency Improvement
The daily output of shock absorber buffer blocks per dedicated line rises to 20,000 units, and the total annual capacity of the entire product line across 4 lines reaches 12 million units, an increase of 50% compared with before. The order delivery cycle is shortened from 15 days to 8 days, with a delivery punctuality rate of over 98%. Successfully secured an annual order of 2 million shock absorber buffer blocks from a leading new energy vehicle enterprise.
Significant Cost Reduction
Referring to the annual salary level of front-line workers in Taizhou’s auto parts industry, the 4 dedicated lines save 1.28 million RMB in labor costs annually after streamlining personnel. The raw material waste rate of the entire product line is reduced to 3%, saving 1.62 million RMB in raw material costs per year. The 4 dedicated lines save 1.02 million RMB in electricity fees annually, with a total annual cost reduction of 3.92 million RMB. The total project investment is 7 million RMB (focusing on the transformation of 4 core dedicated lines). Considering that the cost reduction reaches 70% during the first-year running-in period, the actual payback period is only 1.8 years.
Compliance Upgrade
Environmental emissions are stably up to standard, eliminating the need for additional rectification investment. Lightweight digital management improves enterprise management efficiency by 30%. The company has successfully been selected as a demonstration project of “intelligent transformation and digital upgrading” in Taizhou and obtained special government subsidies.
