Predictability – an enabler of weld production development
Doctoral thesis, 2016

Predictability enables proactive control of the production instead of reactive inspection. The research presented in this thesis provides insights and tools to enable predictability in weld production. The research shows that sufficient use of process information facilitates predictability and can support the reduction of unnecessary and costly safety margins in production. This will, in the short term, affect the productivity of the company. Even more influential is the effect predictability can have on product and process development in the long term, enabling welding companies to reduce weight of their fatigue loaded structures. The result can be lower fuel consumption and increased payloads, which will increase the companies’ competitiveness. Knowledge of the process is the key to evolve towards predictable weld production. To understand variation and how the evaluation process should be designed is therefore important. A model describing evaluation process development is presented. It emanates from the internal customer’s need for information about the product or the process. Several aspects are decided on before the evaluation method is chosen, such as what information is needed and suitable ways to present that information. Understanding the variation occurring in all parts of the process is necessary to achieve predictability. Tools long known in the quality society have proven to be useful. MSA, measurement system analysis, has shown to be a useful tool to understand the variation stemming from the evaluation process. Control charts seem to be effective to visualize variation and facilitate improved decision making by creating a common understanding. To have a critical mass of people sharing the same nomenclature and definitions is also necessary. The studies show that soft issues are often as important as technical solutions. Implemented results from the research indicate a significant financial effect. The research could have a bearing in a wider context, which has been demonstrated by interview studies including companies in the welding industry.

production

weld

variation

quality

process control

predictability

proactive

Virtual Development Laboratory, Chalmers Tvärgata 4C, Chalmers University of Technology
Opponent: Professor emeritus Bo Bergman, Division of Service Management and Logistics,Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden

Author

Anna Öberg

Chalmers, Materials and Manufacturing Technology, Manufacturing Technology

Impact of Gaps on Resource Efficiency in Heavy Welding Industry.

Paper presented at the 6th Swedish Production Symposium, 16–18 September 2014, Gothenburg, Sweden.,;(2014)

Paper in proceeding

Facilitating decision-making by choosing an NDT method based on information need

Welding in the World, Le Soudage Dans Le Monde,;Vol. 60(2016)p. 979-985

Journal article

The Influence of Correct Transfer of Weld Information on Production Cost

Proceedings of The 5th International Swedish Production Symposium,;Vol. 2012(2012)p. 295-302

Paper in proceeding

A Different View of Quality Assurance for Fatigue Loaded Structures

2nd Swedish conference on design and fabrication of welded structures, October 9-10 2013, Borlänge,;(2013)

Paper in proceeding

Förutsägbarhet möjliggör proaktiv styrning av produktionen i stället för reaktiv inspektion. Forskningen som presenteras visar att genom att använda processinformation på ett bra sätt åstadkoms en förutsägbarhet som gör det möjligt att minska onödiga säkerhetsmarginaler i produktionen. Detta kommer öka produktiviteten i företaget och hjälper på lång sikt svetsföretagen att minska vikten på sina utmattningsbelastade konstruktioner. Det leder till lägre bränsleförbrukning och ökade nyttolaster. Forskningen ger insikter och verktyg för att möjliggöra förutsägbarhet i svetsproduktionen. Att förstå variation och hur utvärderingsprocessen bör utformas är viktigt. En modell som beskriver hur en utvärderingsprocess bör utvecklas presenteras. En mätsystemanalys är användbar för att förstå varifrån variationen i utvärderingsprocessen kommer från. Styrdiagram är effektiva för att visualisera variation och förbättrar beslutsfattande genom att skapa en gemensam förståelse. Att en kritisk massa av människor delar samma nomenklatur och definitioner är också nödvändigt. Studierna visar att mjuka frågor ofta är lika viktiga som tekniska lösningar. Resultat från forskningen som implementerats tyder på en betydande ekonomisk effekt. Forskningen kan vara relevant också i ett större sammanhang, som har påvisats genom intervjustudier med företag inom bland annat svetsindustrin.

Predictability enables proactive control instead of reactive inspection. The research presented shows that the use of process information facilitates predictability and can reduce unnecessary safety margins in production. This will increase the productivity of the company and, in the long term, help companies to reduce weight of their fatigue loaded structures. This means lower fuel consumption and increased payloads. The research conducted provides insights and tools to enable predictability in weld production. To understand variation occurring in all parts of the process and how the evaluation process should be designed is important. A model describing evaluation process development is presented. MSA, measurement system analysis, has shown to be a useful tool to understand the variation stemming from the evaluation process. Control charts are effective to visualize variation and facilitate improved decision making by creating a common understanding. To have a critical mass of people sharing the same nomenclature and definitions is also necessary. The studies show that soft issues are often as important as technical solutions. Implemented results from the research indicate a significant financial effect. The research could have a bearing in a wider context, which has been demonstrated by interview studies including companies in the welding industry.

Subject Categories

Production Engineering, Human Work Science and Ergonomics

Other Mechanical Engineering

Manufacturing, Surface and Joining Technology

Driving Forces

Sustainable development

Areas of Advance

Production

Materials Science

ISBN

978-91-7597-457-6

Doktorsavhandlingar vid Chalmers tekniska högskola. Ny serie: 4138

Virtual Development Laboratory, Chalmers Tvärgata 4C, Chalmers University of Technology

Opponent: Professor emeritus Bo Bergman, Division of Service Management and Logistics,Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden

More information

Created

10/7/2017