Case Study: Whirlpool Corporation achieves $1.2M annual material-cost savings with ANSYS Mechanical

ANSYS Application Customization Toolkit (ACT) automates and standardizes simulation at Whirlpool

Whirlpool Corporation SA faced rising global competition and needed to cut material costs on a three‑year‑old 450‑liter double‑door refrigerator while preserving cabinet stiffness and meeting strict cabinet deflection and door‑drop limits. Using six sigma tools to assess manufacturing and test variation, Whirlpool sought a way to optimize the sheet‑metal design without degrading insulation, esthetics or perceived quality.

ANSYS used ANSYS Mechanical software along with a sequential design‑of‑experiments approach and model calibration to evaluate thickness, manufacturing variation and other factors affecting door drop and cabinet deflection. The ANSYS solution enabled a 26% reduction in cabinet mass, a 15% per‑unit material cost cut and $1.2 million in annual savings while maintaining required deflection and door‑drop performance.

Whirlpool

Niyaz Ul Haque

Deputy Manager