April 19, 2014. Uralvagonzavod Scientific & Production Corporation came up with the results of its annual innovations and improvements contest for 2013. Over 300 employees from 55 divisions of the corporation’s head plant took part in the improvement activity, the corporation’s press service says.

According to the press service, the contest results in greater activity on the employees’ part and draws as many of them as possible into the development of the enterprise’s technical and intellectual potential. Besides, the contest enhances labor productivity and improves production, technical, and economic performance indicators.

In 2013, for example, 288 improvement proposals were actually introduced at the enterprise, resulting in 48.3m RUR worth of savings. The resource-saving was also quite considerable: the company used 376,500 kg less of ferrous metals and 5,629,400 kilowatt-hours less of electric power, while labor intensity was down by 16,376.8 man-hours.

A proposal made by a group of workers on the improvements in the AShTs 9953-42 tilting unit so that it could be used for welding unit bodies was declared the best improvement suggestion of the year. The idea was implemented in the body frame welding unit, was rather complex technology-wise, and resulted in much better economic and production outcomes. Another prize-winning suggestion was related to design and development of an arc welder with an increased number of functions on the basis of a rectifier-type welding machine VS 632; this idea was implemented at the electrical repairs shop. Then, there was the prize-winning proposal on a special device for lubricating the running gear of locomotives; this idea was implemented at the railway department. All of the authors of these improvement proposals received money prizes.