AISTech 2017, Nashville TN
Integrated Quality Control Solutions for Hot Sheet Metal Forming
Michael F. Peintinger, Henry Peters, Sorin Duta, Ryan Kim, Chris Wood
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Hot sheet metal forming has become a state-of-the-art technology for the automotive industry. Providing parts with highest geometrical complexity and ultra-high strength requires profound process know-how in order to comply with customer requirements with regard to safety requirements and weight specifications. This paper presents highly innovative solutions for a fully integrated quality control system that monitors hot stamping process and part data in order to assure quality, build knowledge and improve production processes.
With the help of a rule-based quality software system, production data is constantly checked against specifications. The recent quality trend and production performance is visualized live on large screens situated directly at the press. Having all relevant quality data directly at the line allows quick reaction times from operators to correct any unexpected problems.
Live production results are also displayed in the quality laboratory where lab-testing is performed, so that samples from specific dies can be requested. Testing data from the laboratory is stored within the system’s database so that it can later be used for statistical analysis using the rule management tool, allowing a steep learning curve on the hot metal forming process.
Results show, that a better understanding of quality data and their correlation and improved process know-how assure consistent and reproducible product quality. This is in particular a challenge, as steel is transformed from simple geometries like strip or bars into complex components as the result of the hot press forming.
It has also turned out that an easy access to all process and product quality data allows significantly faster product development as well as reduction of cycle time leading to more efficient production. Furthermore, process engineers are able to react more quickly to production problems and assure process efficiency.
We finish with an outlook on future developments visualizing the production process as a fully-featured 3D model flagging production inconsistencies, material flow and giving expert advice at the line when it is needed.
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CHS2 2017, Atlanta GA
Integrated Manufacturing Quality Control for Press Hardening Steel
Michael F. Peintinger, Chris Wood
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Hot sheet metal forming has become a state-of-the-art technology for the automotive industry. Providing parts with highest geometrical complexity and ultra-high strength always meeting customer requirements with regard to safety and weight specifications requires profound process know-how. This paper presents highly innovative solutions for a fully integrated manufacturing quality control system implemented at Marwood Metal Fabrication in Ontario, Canada, that monitors hot stamping process and part data in order to assure quality, improve production processes and know-how gaining customer trust.
All quality relevant process and part data collected from gauges, thermal cameras or business systems is connected, structured and prepared allowing full data handling. With the help of a rule-based quality software tool, production data is constantly checked against specifications that are individually determined by rulesets according to current recipes. The recent quality trend and production performance is visualized live on large screens situated directly at the press. Having all relevant quality data on one screen gives quality managers and operators the opportunity to receive instant feedback on up building quality issues and to quickly react on any unexpected problems.
Live production results are also displayed in the quality laboratory where lab-testing is performed, so that samples from specific dies can be requested. Testing data from the laboratory is stored within the system’s database so that it can later be used for statistical analysis using the rule management tool, allowing a steep learning curve on the hot metal forming process.
Results show, that improved process know-how and a better understanding of quality data and their correlation assure consistent and reproducible product quality. This is in particular a challenge, as steel is transformed from simple geometries like strip or bars into complex components as the result of the hot press forming. Automatically generated quality reports, product certificates and shift reports give manufacturers a solid discussion basis for negotiations as well as faster product development and certification. It has also turned out that an easy access to all process and product quality data leads to reduction of cycle time and thus to more efficient production.
We finish with an outlook on future developments visualizing the production process as a fully-featured 3D model flagging production inconsistencies, material flow tied in with a knowledge conserving and improvement mechanism (“advice-feedback-cycle”) and giving expert advice at the line when it is needed.
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