Nazrul Idzham Kasim

Improvement of Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) through Implementation of Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) in Manufacturing Industries

Today competitive manufacturing requires innovative approaches in the production management, as well as for customer satisfaction. Production management requires an effective and efficient maintenance management system. One approach to improve the performance of the maintenance system is through the implementation of Total Productive Maintenance (TPM). The key performance index to measure the effectiveness of TPM implementation is Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE). The TPM activities will eliminate equipment losses related to availability, performance rate, and quality rate. Hence, the TPM implementation will increase the OEE value. This paper outlines the theories of TPM and OEE. The paper also presents the studies carried out by different authors to show the improvement of OEE through implementation of TPM in manufacturing, such as electronic industry, steel manufacturer, as well as locomotive components manufacturer.

Detection of Nut Welding Using Poka-Yoke Roller Coaster Jig

This paper describes the proposal of Poka Yoke Roller Coaster (PKYC) jig as a device to detect nut weld missing of door patch base line model (BLM) at assembly line station. The PKYC was proposed in order to detect nut weld missing problem and to reduce cycle time and manpower that lead to higher cost by applying quality management concept as a problem-solving tool. This special purpose tool was capable to meet specific job based on industrial need by providing repeatability, interchangeability and accuracy in the manufacturing of products. A Quality Control (QC) approachcalled the Zero Quality Control (ZQC) was used to achieve zero defects at production line. In order to reach zero defects, poka yoke method was applied in this research. Outcomes indicate that PKYC can be utilised as a custom-tailored jig for detecting nut weld missing as well as fulfilling other objectives.

A Review on Ultrasonic Welding Capability: Breakaway from Traditional Plastic

The joint technology using ultrasonic welding is used to bond plastic material. Currently there are many researches to study the feasibility of using ultrasonic bonding to joint other materials. This paper reviewed the study on using ultrasonic bonding to joint multi metal, surface mount component, and textile material. The process configurations of each material are discussed and the results for each study are also presented. The multi metal materials bonding result shows that these materials bonded well to each other. The ultrasonic bonding strength for SMT components was as good as reflow oven and it was cosmetically accepted. The configuration of textile materials is investigated using vibrating ultrasonic horn and stationary anvil using high mechanical vibration and the result show it can be integrated ultrasonically. With advancement of computer control in ultrasonic welding, this technology can be used for any material in future to achieve world class manufacturing.

Improvement of Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) through Implementation of Autonomous Maintenance in Crankcase Line

A study on Autonomous Maintenance (AM) implementation was conducted for CNC machine at automotive components manufacturing line in order to identify and measure equipment losses related to availability, performance and quality rate. These values were used to determine the overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) of the manufacturing line before and after AM implementation. The project started with AM team formation before it was continued with 5S activities and fuguai (abnormality) detection and restoration. Kaizen was used for continuous improvement to restore deteriorated parts and components of the machine. Autonomous Maintenance standards such as cleaning, lubricating and inspection were developed. The AM team members consistently followed the operator maintenance standards to ensure that machine is always in good working condition. The OEE results were taken daily after AM implementation and compared with the data before the implementation. The average OEE result shows significant improvement from 65.8% to 80.4% after the AM implementation. However, the result still did not achieve the company’s target. The main reason was because the machine was very old, which almost reaches deterioration stage according to the bath tub curve. Some recommendations are suggested as to push the OEE value closer to the company’s target including a review on other pillars in Total Productive Maintenance (TPM).

Cab Transfer Process Improvement at an Automotive Manufacturing Facility

This project is related to the improvement of cab transfer process from Painted Body Storage (PBS) area to General Assembly (GA) line. The objectives of this project are to eliminate the root cause of cab defect and to streamline the transfer process with the reduction of process cycle time. From the current process study, it is found that the lifting method causes the quality defect to the cab and the usage of different type of trolley between PBS and GA contribute to the high cycle time. The new process design has been introduced from the findings with the use of towing method and the use of common trolley for both PBS area and GA line. With the new and improved cab transfer process, the cab changing process can be eliminated. Hence, the number of operator required has been reduced, from two operators to only one operator. A trial run has been conducted with a prototype trolley and a forklift. The objectives of this project are fulfilled with the new towing method that eliminate the quality defect and the use of common trolley for both PBS and GA line resulting new cycle time of 7.13 minutes per unit from 9.77 minutes per unit. Further studies are needed for commissioning and monitoring to the new cab transfer process with the actual trolley and tow tug or buggy.

Realizing Lean Concept in Automotive Parts Production: Child Parts in Sub-Assembly Line

This paper addresses the application of a promising and concept known as Lean Manufacturing (LM) concepts that can be used to prevent incorrect parts size at subassembly 1 and 5. In the context of size versus volume, the possibility of small parts to encounter defects is much greater compare to huge size. This undesirable circumstance will lead to the financial deficits in terms of waste. At this stage, this paper will identify and investigate the sources of inputs that cause the failure in the manufacturing system. The finding of the failure will be analysed and extending to the problem solution by suggesting the lean approach at the allocated area. By adapting some of this approach, it will deliver to the performance of production line that includes an assessment of fulfilling the objectives in terms of preventing parts incorrect size, reducing related cost from waste and providing customer with quality products. Taking into account of the objectives, the implementation of this approach in the sub assembly line is then described. Nevertheless, further investigations are necessary to improve the proposed applications which currently function with limitation due to small area of production line.

Positional Accuracy Based on a Load Identification Optimization on a Linear Motor Sheet Forming Feeder

Precision feeding is essential for micro-stamping, especially in multi-stage progressive forming operations, where necessary feeding rates also have to be maintained. Research in micro-stamping of thinner sheet metals (<100 microns) led to investigations of the performance of existing sheet-metal feeders, regarding their accuracy and repeatability in high speed micro-stamping. The results indicated that the pursuance of higher feeding accuracy and repeatability which aimed at 5-15% of the strip thickness was unachievable with the existing micro-feeders. A new high-precision and high-speed feeder was, therefore, developed for micro-sheet-forming. Initial non-optimized experimental results had showed high accuracy and repeatability were achieved.

Grain and Feature Size Effect on Material Behavior for Micro-Sheet-Forming

Negligible factors in bulk materials, such as grain-size effects, have proven inappropriate to be neglected for micro-forming processes. Studies had shown that material behavior varies greatly with the increasing of the scale in the micro-forming world. Therefore, in every micro-forming-related process, especially in micro-stamping, studies and analyses of each material used for the process have to be considered as indispensable in order to be able to understand their behavior and to be able to correlate their behavior with the process. Uniaxial tensile-testing experiments have been carried out to determine the strip’s properties, behavior and its correlation with the feeding process in micro-stamping/micro-sheet-forming application. Based on the results of the uniaxial tensile-test experiments conducted, the flow stress was found to decrease with the decrease of the strip thickness and vice versa, due to the size/scale effect. A surface model was used to explain the findings.