The use of cast aluminium components in automotive applications is increasingly rapid. Today, it is no longer a niche application among castings. Cast aluminium chassis components have already penetrated the high-volume car segments. Several examples can be found for this trend like the Volkswagen/Audi platforms PQ24, PQ35, C5 or the BMW E39, E60, E65 series. The high demands on chassis components with respect to ductility and strength can be met by the processes of high pressure die casting or gravity die casting. Anyway, the need for sophisticated chassis cast solutions led to the development of new production processes, such as the counter pressure casting process. Besides weight reduction, these casting processes can offer significant cost advantages. The fact that these components are regarded as critical with regard to safety, causes particular efforts in controlling the production process and the corresponding quality parameters. Since a modern foundry is characterized by a highly integrated manufacturing process, this control has to cover the whole process chain from melting shop to machining. The project 'Qmax' was launched to stabilize the whole process chain at an optimized quality level by installing the necessary control mechanisms. It is focusing on team- work and is based on the Six-Sigma methodology. Levers were identified by the five step DMAIC approach and sustaining improvements were made by implementation of a management control and reporting system (MCRS) in melting, casting and follow-up operations. As a result, crucial quality parameters in the melting shop are controlled by positrol plan, SPC and Kanban storage of in-house scrap.


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    Title :

    Process optimisation of cast aluminium chassis components


    Additional title:

    Prozessoptimierung von gegossenen Aluminium-Karosserieteilen


    Contributors:
    Zeuner, T. (author) / Würker, L. (author)


    Publication date :

    2003


    Size :

    14 Seiten, 12 Bilder


    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    Print


    Language :

    English




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