WHEN A COMPONENT FAILS, THE DESIGN ISN’T ALWAYS TO BLAME
A DEEPER APPLICATION REVIEW REVEALED THE REAL PROBLEM – AND A NEW SUPPLIER FIXED IT
Challenge
A customer was experiencing recurring quality issues with a knurled knob assembly that was supplied by another supplier. The knurled knob was loosening in the field. The design relied on a nylon-patch set screw to secure the knob to a mating shaft. Inconsistent set screw conditions—either excessive nylon material or missing nylon patch—caused assembly difficulties, field failures, and customer complaints. These issues resulted in approximately $6,000 in annual scrap and made the problem a high priority.
Solution
Field partnered with the customers engineering team to review the application and functional requirements. The analysis confirmed that the knob design was sound, but the existing supplier could not consistently meet manufacturing and process requirements. Field sourced a specialized vendor with expertise in precision machined components and controlled nylon patch application. Sample parts were produced and validated through an on-site trial.
Results
The new solution improved assembly consistency, eliminated loosening issues, and reduced scrap. The components also delivered a lower overall cost compared to the previous supplier. Based on the successful trial and improved performance, the customer awarded the component business to Field.
