What It Is: An oil catcher stabilizer
The Inspiration: Owner of Callas Rennsport, Tony Callas believes the key to innovation is listening to his employees. Every week, the shop has a staff meeting where the staff is encouraged to share new ideas.
The oil catchers that the shop used were top-heavy when full, which caused spillage due to the instability. It left a mess for the technicians to clean up. Porsche technician Mike Crommett brought this up in a staff meeting and offered a solution.
What It Does: Crommett’s idea was to add weight to the base of the oil drain, which would prevent it from becoming top-heavy when it filled up. The added weight allows for stability and ease of movement, preventing spills and accidents.
By creating a base, the oil catcher can be wheeled around without oil getting everywhere.
How It’s Made: The oil catch is removed and a brake disc is centered on the base. Once this is done, the brake disc is drilled into place. Callas Rennsport repeated this process for all of the drains in the shop.
The Cost: The brake discs were already in the shop, however if your shop does not have any on hand, the cost varies from $15 to upwards of $100 per disc. It took about an hour to assemble the oil spill catcher.
The ROI: The oil spillage and cleanup was causing a headache for technicians and slowing down efficiency. With the stabilizer, the shop saves about an hour on cleanup per week. That time can now be spent on other jobs.
