As part of foundry modernization at Tutaev Motor Plant which has recently joined KAMAZ Group, production premises are being optimized and labour conditions are being improved now.
In order to optimize production premises, perfect logistics and reduce costs, a new layout of the iron foundry is developed: equipment not used to fulfill a plan will be demounted, mechanisms will be modernized, new dust exhausting air purifiers will be installed. Thus, the work started at several sites of the iron foundry at once in May. Three core automatic machines and three core makers not used in the work are demounted at the core site. Besides, they started to insulate walls and window polycarbonate sheets, it's planned to build an insulated vestibule. Welfare, storage buildings and production premises will also be reconstructed.
Later the work will be continued at a melting site of the iron foundry where new rooms for the staff will appear instead of integrated welfare premises. A decision was taken to reduce the number of belt-type conveyors at the mixture preparation shop.
According to Stanislav Robyshev, Deputy Head of the Iron Foundry for Preproduction, four conveyor lines were reduced – these are about 120 metres. Such measures will enable to reduce costs for repair and maintenance of the conveyor, and also cut energy costs. After the iron foundry is reconstructed, labour conditions of workers and the environment in the sanitary-protection zone of the enterprise will be greatly improved.
The program of foundry modernization which embraces various production sites is timely in view of today's market conditions. Alongside with other enterprises designed and established in the 1960s-70s, Tutaev Motor Plant was meant for production of a great volume of products demanded on the whole territory of the former Soviet Union. Today, the volume of gray and high-strength cast iron produced for the market is much lower than the project target of the plant. Adapting to the current market situation, the plant not only optimizes its production premises, but also improves labour conditions.