Manufacturing defects are expensive and removing these errors prior to equipment leaving the production floor is an achievable result when utilizing the proper assembly equipment. In the below case study, implementing proper tooling resulted in a significant reduction in warranty, service work, and recalls.
Customer
A global manufacturer of grain and sugar cane harvesters located within the Southeastern United States.
Challenge: Warranty, Service Work, and Recalls
During the manufacturing process; a sub assembly cell was responsible for proper tightening of fluid hose clamps. The specified torque and angle of these hose clamps was not being achieved by current in plant tooling. This failure was a direct result of joint conditioning and relaxation associated with the hose clamp tightening process. In order to confirm clamps were properly tightened a manual QC measure was put into place in order to catch the issue prior to units leaving for in field use. However, manual processes are reliant on operator execution and improperly tightened units continued to leave the production floor incorrect. This issue was exaggerated once units reached final destinations for use within the field, as inadequate torqued hose clamps, were continuing to loosen causing costly warranty, recall, and infield technician repairs.
Air Power’s Solution
In partnership with the customer, Air Power implemented an Ingersoll Rand QX Precision fastening System. The hand held, battery operated, transducerized tooling solution provided an accurate final torque, while providing the operators with tightening status feedback, actual torque values, and 1,200 rundowns of tightening data for review. A proper torque strategy was developed allowing the hose clamp to be properly torqued, relaxed (conditioned), then final torqued; all within a single trigger pull delivered by the operator. The need for a manual QC measure was removed as the torque data was verified, tracked, and retained by the manufacturing facility for spot check and validation.
Result
Currently, thirteen (13) right angle tools are being utilized within this facility allowing production to reach new heights of process control. Proper tightening of the hose clamps, torque data retention, and date/time stamping have reduced warranty, service work, and those costly infield technician repairs. The Air Power solution ensures that product leaving the production floor is assembled correctly, the first time.
