Cost Reduction by Birbal

© Satyam 2009 1Satyam | Integrated Engineering Solutions 1

Welcome to the court of EmperorWelcome to the court of Emperor

Jalaluddin Muhammad AkbarJalaluddin Muhammad Akbar


Noble men! There is a very

important matter before

the court today.

Noble men! There is a very

important matter before

the court today.

The raw material price is shooting up. The material cost of a sword has gone up by

Rs.10 . And …. We are adding 50,000

soldiers to our army this year.

The raw material price is shooting up. The material cost of a sword has gone up by

Rs.10 . And …. We are adding 50,000

soldiers to our army this year.

I want to handle this situation without

increasing the taxes. Please

give your valuable

suggestions as to how we should face

this situation.

I want to handle this situation without

increasing the taxes. Please

give your valuable

suggestions as to how we should face

this situation.


!?

!!??

Why everyone’s quiet?

Birbal! I am surprised that you too have

become silent!!

Why everyone’s quiet?

Birbal! I am surprised that you too have

become silent!!

Your Majesty, I have six ideas

which can reduce the cost of a sword by atleast Rs.20

without compromising the functional requirements.

Your Majesty, I have six ideas

which can reduce the cost of a sword by atleast Rs.20

without compromising the functional requirements.

Brilliant!.Tell us those

ideas.

Brilliant!.Tell us those

ideas.


Presently, the hilt has 7

parts. The proposed design will have 4 .

Presently, the hilt has 7

parts. The proposed design will have 4 .

Existing Design

7 parts

New Idea

4 parts

Part Count

Reduction


For the new hilt,instead of designing

exclusive rivets, we can use the

rivets of daggers.

For the new hilt,instead of designing

exclusive rivets, we can use the

rivets of daggers.

Part Commonisati

on

x


When the Shah of Persia was our

Guest last month ,I observed that the

hilt in his sword does not have a

curved portion. We can design similar

hilts for our experienced

soldiers.

When the Shah of Persia was our

Guest last month ,I observed that the

hilt in his sword does not have a

curved portion. We can design similar

hilts for our experienced

soldiers.

Benchmarking

New IdeaExisting Design

Curved portion


Alternate Material

Blade

Sheath

Copper

Steel

The sheath which houses the blade is

made of copper now.

We can switch over to

Alloy steel which is cheaper.

The sheath which houses the blade is

made of copper now.

We can switch over to

Alloy steel which is cheaper.


Weight Reduction

Blade

Sheath

Since alloy steel is stronger than copper, we can

reduce the thickness by 0.5 mm which will save material

Since alloy steel is stronger than copper, we can

reduce the thickness by 0.5 mm which will save material

2 mm 1.5 mm


Yield ImprovementThe curved

blade design is yielding only 2 pieces per die.

If a straight blade is

designed, we can extract 3

pieces per die.

The curved blade design is yielding only 2 pieces per die.

If a straight blade is

designed, we can extract 3

pieces per die.

2 Blades 3 Blades


Your majesty. The present design is being used since the time of Babur

without any failure. We should not risk any design change.

Your majesty. The present design is being used since the time of Babur

without any failure. We should not risk any design change.

Saheb, there is no doubt that the present sword

designed by you for my

Grandfather’s army is superior. However, let us

test this new design in our

barracks.If they pass the tests, we will deploy them in

the battle field.

Saheb, there is no doubt that the present sword

designed by you for my

Grandfather’s army is superior. However, let us

test this new design in our

barracks.If they pass the tests, we will deploy them in

the battle field.

If the ideas pass the test, we can save atleast Rs. Ten Lakhs this

year, thus serving the

purpose of cost reduction.

If the ideas pass the test, we can save atleast Rs. Ten Lakhs this

year, thus serving the

purpose of cost reduction.

There is an advantage also. I do not have to increase the

tax.

There is an advantage also. I do not have to increase the

tax.


Birbal! I wonder how you

developed these ideas! Is there a systematic way by which others

can also be trained to

generate such ideas.

Birbal! I wonder how you

developed these ideas! Is there a systematic way by which others

can also be trained to

generate such ideas.

Yes, your Majesty. With the help of Functional

Analysis System Technique(FAST) any body can generate such ideas. FAST is a

powerful tool used in Value Engineering (VE) which is an

extremely effective system to improve products and services

for cost and productivity improvement.

Yes, your Majesty. With the help of Functional

Analysis System Technique(FAST) any body can generate such ideas. FAST is a

powerful tool used in Value Engineering (VE) which is an

extremely effective system to improve products and services

for cost and productivity improvement.

If six ideas for the sword itself can

save Rs. Ten lakhs , imagine

how much money we can save on other weapons like

spears, arrows and cannons etc.

If six ideas for the sword itself can

save Rs. Ten lakhs , imagine

how much money we can save on other weapons like

spears, arrows and cannons etc.


Birbal! There are four divisions in my army – Infantry,

Cavalry,Artillery and Elephant brigade. I want you to teach the

engineers in each of these divisions the application of Value Engineering (VE), especially the

Functional Analysis System Technique(FAST). Each division should release Armoury Change Requests (ACRs) for the worth of

Rs.25 lakh.

Birbal! There are four divisions in my army – Infantry,

Cavalry,Artillery and Elephant brigade. I want you to teach the

engineers in each of these divisions the application of Value Engineering (VE), especially the

Functional Analysis System Technique(FAST). Each division should release Armoury Change Requests (ACRs) for the worth of

Rs.25 lakh.

Yes, your Majesty.

Yes, your Majesty.

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Cost Reduction by Birbal