Browse Topic: Quality management systems

Items (2,980)
The continuous pursuit of operational excellence in the tire manufacturing industry necessitates structured approaches to minimize production defects, improve resource utilization, and enhance product reliability. This study presents a comprehensive case study focused on the implementation of Lean Manufacturing tools within a high-volume production facility specialized in truck and bus radial (TBR) tires. The production line under investigation exhibited recurring defects on the sidewall region of the cured tires, referred to as defect F1, stemming primarily from condensation phenomena and steam management inefficiencies during the curing process. A detailed root cause analysis was conducted through structured brainstorming sessions, Ishikawa diagrams, and the 5 Whys method, revealing multiple converging causes including excessive internal pressure, improper drainage angles, degraded sealing interfaces, and inadequate vapor shielding. In response, a corrective action plan was deployed
Filho, William Manjud MalufYoshimura, Sofia LucasMarques, Ana SungSousa, Julia ZanardoSiqueira, GonçaloAlves, Marcelo Augusto LealFerreira, Wallace Gusmão
Additive manufacturing is one of the pillars of technologies of the industry 4.0 and enables rapid prototyping, testing of new materials, and customized manufacturing of parts with personalized design. Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is a bio-based and biodegradable polymer that is used in packaging, medical applications, and consumer goods. However, it presents low mechanical strength and thermal stability, which limits its use in automotive parts. The use of reinforcement materials such as cellulose nanofibers (CNF) aim to increase the mechanical strength and thermal stability of PLA without reducing its ecological appeal. However, the addition of nanofibers in the 3D printing process can lead to reproducibility problems and constant clogging of the extruder nozzle due to the material’s lower printability. These difficulties may restrict its application to industrial processes due to reduced productivity. To address the challenges in the production of automotive parts with PLA/CNF composites
Oliveira, ViníciusHoriuchi, Lucas NaoGonçalves, Ana PaulaSouza, MarianaPolkowski, Rodrigo
This study presents the results of applying a Lean Six Sigma-based analytical approach to optimize the manufacturing of automotive coatings, specifically in a PU primer filling process. Through production flow mapping and the Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control (DMAIC) methodology, unplanned stoppages in the filling line were significantly reduced, addressing critical inefficiencies in automotive coating production. The research was driven by the need to enhance manufacturing productivity and ensure process reliability in the production of coatings used in the automotive sector. To achieve this, Quality Management tools, such as Pareto Analysis and the Cause-and-Effect Diagram, along with Lean Manufacturing techniques, including Kaizen Blitz, were applied. These methods facilitated the identification and mitigation of key causes of unplanned downtime, improving process efficiency and reliability. The results demonstrated a significant reduction in downtime, enhanced
Filho, William Manjud MalufRodrigues, Mateus FerreiraCarriero, Emily AmaralYoshimura, Sofia LucasMarini, Vinicius KasterSiqueira, GonçaloAlves, Marcelo Augusto Leal
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Mendonça, Arthur S.Michelotti, Alvaro CantoBerto, Lucas F.Salvaro, Diego B.Binder, Cristiano
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Mello Filho, Luiz Vicente Figueira deCanteras, Felippe BenaventeMeyer, Yuri AlexandreEmiliano, William MachadoJúnior, Vitor Eduardo MolinaGabriel, João CarlosIano, Yuzo
With the continuous improvement of information technology in aerospace manufacturing enterprises, the need for the integration and connection of various links in the product development process is becoming increasingly urgent. This article mainly introduces the research on BOM product structure, BOM effectiveness management, and product dataset management solutions for electromechanical products, and elaborates on the key technical content involved in detail, providing a basic capability framework for the comprehensive implementation of XBOM construction in the future.
Zhang, DongZhou, WenzaoZhou, Huachuang
Automating harvesters started out as a necessary solution to a severe labor shortage in 1990, Trebro Manufacturing states on its website. The Billings, Montana-based manufacturer has been producing turf harvesting machines since 1999, and its automated sod harvesters and entire harvesting process feature self-driving, automated-control functions. The company's tag line, “The Future of Turf Harvesting,” refers to its position of being the first in the industry to offer automated turf harvesting products. Trebro's AutoStack 3 harvester is an automated combine for turf that steers itself while an operator monitors and performs quality control actions when needed. The harvesting process combines several automated control processes.
Accurate defect quantification is crucial for ensuring the serviceability of aircraft engine parts. Traditional inspection methods, such as profile projectors and replicating compounds, suffer from inconsistencies, operator dependency, and ergonomic challenges. To address these limitations, the 4D InSpec® handheld 3D scanner was introduced as an advanced solution for defect measurement and analysis. This article evaluates the effectiveness of the 4D InSpec scanner through multiple statistical methods, including Gage Repeatability and Reproducibility (Gage R&R), Isoplot®, Youden plots, and Bland–Altman plots. A new concept of Probability of accurate Measurement (PoaM)© was introduced to capture the accuracy of the defect quantification based on their size. The results demonstrate a significant reduction in measurement variability, with Gage R&R improving from 39.9% (profile projector) to 8.5% (3D scanner), thus meeting the AS13100 Aerospace Quality Standard. Additionally, the 4D InSpec
Aust, JonasDonskoy, Gene
This standard is for use by organizations that procure and integrate EEE Parts. These organizations may provide EEE Parts that are not integrated into assemblies (e.g., spares and/or repair EEE Parts). Examples of such organizations include, but are not limited to, the following: Original Equipment Manufacturers; contract assembly manufacturers; maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) organizations; and suppliers that provide EEE Parts or assemblies as part of a service. These requirements are intended to be applied (or flowed down as applicable) through the supply chain to all organizations that procure and integrate EEE Parts and/or systems, subsystems, or assemblies. The mitigation of Counterfeit EEE Parts in this standard is risk based. These mitigation steps will vary depending on the criticality of the application and desired performance and reliability of the equipment/hardware. The requirements of this document are used in conjunction with the organization’s higher-level
G-19 Counterfeit Electronic Parts Committee
This specification covers quality assurance sampling and testing procedures used to determine conformance to applicable material specification requirements of wrought corrosion- and heat-resistant steel and alloy products and of forging stock.
AMS F Corrosion and Heat Resistant Alloys Committee
Tool management remains a persistent challenge in manufacturing, where misplaced or poorly calibrated tools such as torque guns and screwdrivers cause downtime, quality defects, and compliance risks. The Internet of Things (IoT) is transforming tool management from manual entries in spreadsheets and logs to real-time, data-driven solutions that enhance operational efficiency. With ongoing advancements in IoT architecture, a range of cost-effective tracking approaches is now available, including Ultra-Wideband (UWB), Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), Wi-Fi, RFID, and LoRaWAN. This paper evaluates these technologies, comparing their trade-offs in accuracy, scalability, and cost for tool-management scenarios such as high-precision station tracking, zonal monitoring, and wide-area yard visibility. Unlike prior work that focuses on asset tracking in general, this study provides an ROI-driven, scenario-based comparison and offers recommendations for selecting appropriate technologies based on
Patel, Shravani Prashant
Imagine a user opening a technical manual, eager to troubleshoot an issue, only to find a mix of stark black-and-white illustrations alongside a few color images. This inconsistency not only detracts from the user experience but also complicates understanding. For technicians relying on these documents, grayscale graphics hinder quick interpretation of diagrams, extending diagnostics time and impacting overall productivity. Producing high-quality color graphics typically requires significant investment in time and resources, often necessitating a dedicated graphics team. Our innovative pipeline addresses this challenge by automating the colorization and classification of colored graphics. This approach delivers consistent, visually engaging content without the extensive investment in specialized teams, enhancing the visual appeal of materials and streamlining the diagnostic process for technicians. With clearer, more vibrant graphics, technicians can complete tasks more efficiently
Khalid, MaazAkarte, AnuragKale, AniketRajmane, GayatriNalawade, Komal
The key performance evaluation criteria for any automotive exhaust system are pass-by noise (PBN), exhaust backpressure, durability and reliability, exhaust brake performance, aesthetics (if visible from outside the chassis), cost, weight and safety. Also, with changes in emission norms, emission from Exhaust Aftertreatment Systems (EATS) is one of the crucial parameters while designing the exhaust system. This paper covers a critical problem faced during the Beta Proto Build and Testing phase of exhaust tail pipe assembly. The exhaust tail pipe assembly had loose fitting issues, which can cause problems during the functioning of the truck. Parameters like material of the pipe, length of strap, tightening torque and tolerance of the pipe diameter were considered to resolve the fitment issue. The resolution is done with the help of Design of Experiments (DoE) and Pugh Matrix Analysis based on QDCFSS (Quality, Design, Cost, Feature, Safety and Sustainability). Design for Assembly (DFA
P, Balu MukeshRokade, AdityaBiswas, Sanjoy
In today’s competitive landscape, industries are relying heavily on the use of warranty data analytics techniques to manage and improve warranty performance. Warranty analytics is important since it provides valuable insights into product quality and reliability. It must be noted here that by systematically looking into warranty claims and related information, industries can identify patterns and trends that indicate potential issues with the products. This analysis helps in early detection of defects, enabling timely corrective actions that improve product performance and customer satisfaction. This paper introduces a comprehensive framework that combines conventional methods with advanced machine learning techniques to provide a multifaceted perspective on warranty data. The methodology leverages historical warranty claims and product usage data to predict failure patterns & identify root causes. By integrating these diverse methods, the framework offers a more accurate and holistic
Quadri, Danishuddin S.F.Soma, Nagaraju
The stabilizer link, also commonly referred to as the sway bar link or anti-roll bar link, plays a crucial role in the suspension system. It connects the sway bar to suspension components such as the knuckle, control arm, or strut. The primary function of the stabilizer link is to reduce body roll during cornering or when driving over uneven terrain. It helps stabilize the wheels during extreme articulation events and ensures smoother operation in terms of ride comfort and handling. Additionally, it is designed to assist in distributing forces across the suspension system, particularly in off-road or rugged terrain applications. This case study presents the failure of a stabilizer link assembly during extreme articulation events. The front stabilizer link failed during vehicle-level durability and functional testing across multiple terrains. Based on the root cause analysis, design strategies were developed to prevent such failures and to ensure reliable operation during demanding off
S, Praveen KumarChilakala, RaghavendraSenthil Raja, TJadhav, PrashantKundan, LalJ, AkhilPawar, Sandip
Modern mobility solutions increasingly rely on HVAC systems due to growing transport demands, traffic congestion, and harsh environmental conditions. These systems, comprising a compressor, evaporator, condenser, and thermal expansion valve, require adequate airflow for optimal performance. Insufficient airflow, caused by factors like undersized ducts, improper fan settings, clogged filters, or high static pressures from duct restrictions, significantly hinders cooling capacity. The objective of this study is to develop a predictive model for passenger vehicle AC system performance under controlled environmental conditions. Discrepancies between predicted and desired performance will trigger a structured problem-solving process involving iterative testing, root cause analysis, and the development of corrective measures. The improvements will be focused on the vehicle-level HVAC design, adhering to customer specifications. This research will also establish an experimental validation
Meena, Avadhesh KumarAgarwal, RoopakSharma, KamalKishore, Kamal
This study demonstrates the application of the T-Matrix, a Total Quality Management (TQM) tool to improve thermal comfort in automotive climate control systems. Focusing on the commonly reported customer issue of insufficient cabin cooling, particularly relevant in hot and congested Indian driving conditions, the research systematically investigates 36 failure modes identified across the product lifecycle, from early design through production and post-sale customer usage. Root causes are first categorized using an Ishikawa diagram and then mapped using the T-Matrix across three critical stages: problem creation, expected detection, and actual detection. This integrated approach reveals process blind spots where existing validation and inspection systems fail to catch known risks, particularly in rear-seat airflow performance and component variability from suppliers. By applying this TQM methodology, the study identifies targeted improvement actions such as improved thermal targets
Jaiswara, PrashantKulkarni, ShridharDeshmukh, GaneshNayakawadi, UttamJoshi, GauravShah, GeetJaybhay, Sambhaji
Eaton's decompression engine braking technology for medium and heavy-duty diesel engines delivers high braking power and provides several advantages to the commercial truck owner. Eaton offers rocker arm-based 1 stroke, 1.5 stroke, and 2 stroke systems for overhead cam and cam in block engine architectures. The Compression Release (CR) engine brake avoids overheating and fading of primary friction brake. It reduces or eliminates the need for a driveline retarder. One of the failure modes for Engine Brake (EB) system is excessive lateral displacement of the exhaust valve, caused by non-uniform pressure distribution across the valve during Brake Gas Recirculation (BGR) and Compression Release modes. This excessive deformation is referred to as Valve Wagging. Valve wagging significantly affects the structural stability of the engine brake mechanism. Analyzing its behavior is essential to minimize excessive wear on valve guide and Valve Seat Insert in new designs. Since evaluating the
Soni, Lalitkumar R.Joshi, HimanshuJ, GokulakrishnanDe Giovanni, Pierfrancesco
This document establishes re-certification guidelines applicable to fiber optic fabricator technical training for individuals involved in the manufacturing, installation, support, integration and testing of fiber optic systems. Applicable personnel include: Managers Engineers Technicians Trainers/Instructors Third Party Maintenance Agencies Quality Assurance Production
AS-3 Fiber Optics and Applied Photonics Committee
Heavy-duty vehicles emissions are a serious problem, and remote monitoring platforms are a key means of emission control for heavy-duty vehicles. However, the frequent occurrence of anomalies in the remote monitoring data has seriously limited the monitoring efficiency of the remote monitoring platform. Therefore, this paper takes 500 National VI heavy-duty vehicles as the research object, and proposes a whole-process data quality control system of “anomaly identification-dynamic correction-accuracy verification”. First, four types of anomaly patterns, namely, lost, invalid, outlier and mutation, are defined, and polynomial fitting, median filtering and contextual interpolation are adopted to realize differentiated correction. Second, a data accuracy validation framework based on correlation analysis was constructed. The results show that the accuracy of key parameters is significantly improved after correction, and the data fitting degree R2 is greater than 0.97. The research results
Liu, YuZhang, ChengZhang, HaoYu, HanzhengnanLi, JingyuanAn, XiaopanMa, KunqiLiang, YongkaiXu, Hang
Target tracking is an important component of intelligent vehicle perception systems, which has outstanding significance for the safety and efficiency of intelligent vehicle driving. With the continuous improvement of technologies such as computer vision and deep learning, detection based tracking has gradually become the mainstream target tracking framework in the field of intelligent vehicles, and target detection performance is the key factor determining its tracking performance. Although remarkable progress has been made in current 3D object detection networks, a single network still struggles to provide stable detection for distant and occluded targets. Besides, traditional tracking methods are based on single-stage association matching, which can easily lead to identity jumps and target loss in case of missed detections, resulting in poor overall stability of the tracking algorithm. To solve the above problem, a hierarchical association matching method using a dual object
Wu, ShaobinChu, YunfengLi, YixuanSu, ShengjieLiu, ZhaofengLi, XiaoanSi, Lingrui
The United States Marine Corps enlists the JCB 4CX backhoe loader as its latest recruit. JCB recently announced that it has secured a contract to provide 4CX backhoe loaders to the United States Marine Corps. According to JCB, the agreement includes not only machines but also attachments testing and hands-on operator training. “The 4CX is the direct result of more than 70 years of continuous improvement,” said Chris Giorgianni, vice president of government and defense for JCB North America. “It's built to perform in the most demanding environments, whether that's military engineering missions or high-pressure construction jobsites.”
Wolfe, Matt
Celebrating its 35th year, the National Aerospace Defense Contractors Accreditation Program (Nadcap) continues to advance quality assurance and regulatory compliance for aviation, defense, and space OEMs and suppliers. This article summarizes how Nadcap accreditation works, its benefits for manufacturers, and its role in expanding additive manufacturing through industry-wide consensus. The Nadcap program was first established in 1990 by a small group of aerospace and defense OEMs. Their goal was to create an accreditation initiative that provides a common approach to auditing the manufacturing and production processes used by companies supplying parts, components, structures, and services to major aerospace and defense OEMs. This foundation set the stage for Nadcap's continued focus on quality assurance and regulatory compliance in the industry.
The effective reduction of particulate emissions from modern vehicles has shifted the focus toward emissions from tire wear, brake wear, road surface wear, and re-suspended particulate emissions. To meet future EU air quality standards and even stricter WHO targets for PM2.5, a reduction in non-exhaust particulate (NEP) emissions seems to be essential. For this reason, the EURO 7 emissions regulation contains limits for PM and PN emissions from brakes and tire abrasion. Graz University of Technology develops test methods, simulation tools and evaluates technologies for the reduction of brake wear particles and is involved in and leads several international research projects on this topic. The results are applied in emission models such as HBEFA (Handbook on Emission Factors). In this paper, we present our brake emission simulation approach, which calculates the power at the wheels and mechanical brakes, as well as corresponding rotational speeds for vehicles using longitudinal dynamics
Landl, LukasKetan, EnisHausberger, StefanDippold, Martin
Tire and road wear particles (TRWP) have emerged as air quality hazardous matters and significant sources of airborne microplastic pollution, contributing to environmental and human health concerns. Regulatory initiatives, such as the Euro 7 standards, emphasize the urgent need for standardized methodologies to quantify TRWP emissions accurately. Despite advancements in measuring tire abrasion rates, critical gaps persist in the characterization of airborne TRWP, particularly regarding the influence of collection system design and influencing parameters on measurement accuracy and repeatability. This study addresses these challenges by designing a controlled methodological framework that aims to minimize the influencing effects and ensure comparability in TRWP emission quantification results. At the German Aerospace Center (DLR) dynamometer testbench in Stuttgart, Germany, a methodical framework was established to ensure the repeatability and comparability of TRWP measurements
Celenlioglu, Melis SerenEpple, FabiusReijrink, NinaLöber, ManuelReiland, SvenVecchi, RobertaPhilipps, Franz
One of the most critical and challenging aspects of modern aerospace and defense manufacturing is the need to infuse quality and reliability into every phase of product development - from initial design and material selection to prototype production, rigorous testing, manufacturing and standards qualification. After all, lives are at stake, so there is no margin for error when ensuring the safety and performance of technologies that must operate flawlessly despite prolonged exposure to extreme environmental, mechanical and thermal stressors. This article will provide pragmatic insights and best practices for balancing connector design, manufacturing and testing requirements are needed to meet evolving demands for product reliability and durability.
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