MILWAUKEE, Oct. 4, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Innovative
features such as Quiet Power Technology™, Just Check & Add™, and Mow N'
Stow® have helped build on Briggs & Stratton
Corporation's reputation for quality, value and performance.
However, at Briggs & Stratton, innovation runs deeper than the
finished products—it is a philosophy embedded in the company's
culture and applied to every aspect of the business. A recent
example of innovation occurred at the Murray, Kentucky manufacturing facility with
the redesign of the cylinder head die cast for the 125cc and 140cc
E-series engine. This new die cast component won the Productivity
award from the North American Die Casting Association's (NADCA)
annual International Die Casting Design Competition in
September.
NADCA promotes awareness and growth of the die cast industry.
For 43 years, NADCA has sponsored the International Die Casting
Design Competition to promote increased use of die casting by
recognizing and publicizing outstanding designs, according to the
Association's website. For each entry category, there are four
equally weighted criteria: ingenuity of casting and/or product
design, overall quality, cost savings as compared to other
manufacturing processes and the part's contribution to expanding
the market for die castings.
"NADCA's competition recognizes some of the most
forward-thinking work in our industry; making this a special
achievement for our team, as it's the second award we've received
in two years," said Dave DeBaets,
vice president global engine operations at Briggs & Stratton.
"Briggs & Stratton is dedicated to product advancement, and
competitions such as this one encourage growth and innovation for
us and the industry as a whole."
Briggs & Stratton's casting, product engineering and die
engineering teams collaborated in an effort to continuously improve
manufacturability. The team created the engine Overhead Valve (OHV)
more efficiently by developing a new die cast cell that decreased
the pull directions, reduced debris and eliminated the need for
exhaust gaskets and machining assets. All of these changes resulted
in a scrap rate of one percent or less and a 300 percent increase
in OHVs made per 12-hour shift. This advancement and impact on
productivity will allow Briggs & Stratton to invest in new die
cast cells to further innovate this field.
In line with Briggs & Stratton's constant pursuit of
innovation and quality, small engines with this cylinder head have
the best power-to-weight ratio of any push lawn mower in its class.
The 125cc and 140cc E-series engine cylinder OHV is made from a 383
aluminum alloy that is used in many small engines. The Murray facility currently casts 3.7 million
heads for small engines used in primarily in lawn mowers.
About Briggs & Stratton Corporation:
Briggs &
Stratton Corporation (NYSE: BGG), headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is focused on providing
power to get work done and make people's lives better. Briggs &
Stratton is the world's largest producer of gasoline engines for
outdoor power equipment. Its wholly owned subsidiaries include
North America's number one
marketer of gas pressure washers, and it is a leading designer,
manufacturer and marketer of power generation, lawn and garden,
turf care and job site products through its Briggs &
Stratton®, Simplicity®, Snapper®,
Snapper Pro®, Ferris®, Vanguard™, Allmand™,
Billy Goat®, Murray®, Branco® and
Victa® brands. Briggs & Stratton products are
designed, manufactured, marketed and serviced in over 100 countries
on six continents. For additional information, please visit
www.basco.com and www.briggsandstratton.com.
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SOURCE Briggs & Stratton Corporation