Value Engineering Enhances Design and Controls Production Costs
As an experienced sport bike rider, Chuck Tornga recognized the importance of tire maintenance for optimal performance and safety. He recognized the need for an easy and efficient way for motorcyclists to change their tires and perform maintenance. Tornga spent nearly a decade developing and testing the TiRx Motorcycle Tire Changer for his company TiRx Moto.
The TiRx Motorcycle Tire Changer “breaks” the tire bead free from the wheel rim to easily remove the old tire and place the new tire on the wheel rim. The tire changing system is also used to perform a static balance of the wheel and tire after mounting by identifying the heavy point on the radius of the wheel.
When looking for a manufacturing partner, Tornga initially looked to welding companies. However, none were able to meet his requirements for production and quality. The search lead him to Brookville, PA-based Miller Fabrication Solutions, an OEM metal
fabricator.
“The extensive manufacturing capabilities of Miller Fabrication Solutions were a pretty quick indicator that this company could take on not only significantly complex projects, but a variety of production volumes,” says Tornga.
Miller offered robotics, labor and a large facility with the capacity for large-scale production. The company also offered services to enhance the product’s design, such as, value analysis and value engineering (VA-VE).
“The engineering support Miller provided was invaluable,” Tornga says. “Hinges were posing a problem for us, for example. The team worked with us to determine the appropriate tolerance and thickness to use for our plating process.”
The main components of the TiRx Motorcycle Tire Changer include a base, temporary axle, demount arm and compression roller.
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“As a result of our collaboration, there was less drag between the demount collar and axle. Also, the size of the welds was scaled back from our original designs. The final product exceeded my expectations,” Tornga notes.
A limited production of several prototype units validated Miller’s recommendations and paved the way for full production. The Motorcycle Tire Changer is now available to consumers.
By partnering with one metal fabricator that could provide multiple value-added and manufacturing services, specifically VA-VE, machining and
assembly, TiRx Moto was able to streamline production, control costs, and surpass quality goals.
Following the successful production of the tire changer, Miller has fabricated additional components for TiRx, which plans to expand its product line beyond sport bikes to other types of motorcycles.
For more information on metal fabrication, call 814-849-3061 or visit www.millerfabricationsolutions.com.
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