At their United Kingdom facility in Whales, an engineering team sought a tooling solution to resolve an ongoing risk with some fastening applications. The project was for AC units that they produce for Volvo automobiles.
They were interested in a power tool to enhance the process reliability and production efficiency to prevent product defects and reduce scrap rates. The engineering team was looking for a torque control system with error-proofing capabilities and the ability to program multiple torque
settings.
The automotive AC product required screws tightened in a fastening sequence and three different torque settings (2 N.m, 3.6 N.m, and 4.2 N.m). The fastening process also needed an electric screwdriver with a programmable “soft start” setting. This feature would let the power tool start slower, allowing a fastener to engage the threading properly and eliminate the risk of cross-threading events. The power tool’s speed would ramp up automatically afterward.
With ongoing issues of a product getting rejected because of incomplete fastening events and missing screws during the QA review stage, the engineering team needed an error-proofing tool that provided real-time monitoring of the assembly process and a method for recording and storing the torque and fastening data.
Manufacturing Challenges
- Issues with quality assurance due to missing screws impacting productivity delays and rework costs
- Ensuring fasteners are tightening in the proper sequence
- Cross-threading issues causing defective products
Torque Solutions Applied
- Screw counting process eliminates the risk of cross-threading, omissions, unfinished rundowns
- Fastening automation workflow process preventing operator errors
- The soft-start feature reduces the risk of cross-threading
Results
- Enhanced quality and reduced scrap rates
- Optimized manufacturing process and removed human error risk
- Automated data capture throughout the assembly, ensuring conformity with quality standards
Automotive Case Study
Error-proofing the assembly process improved their quality by reducing the number of defective products rejected during the quality review stage and eliminating the risk of product failures in the field. The poka-yoke system provides real-time monitoring and error detection.
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Mountz, Inc. knows the importance of the precise application of torque and accurate records. To find out what Mountz manufacturing tools can help your company optimize productivity and improve quality, contact us anytime to ask a question. To purchase shop our store: If you’d like to see our equipment in person, schedule an appointment. To get the latest torque-related news, follow us on LinkedIn.
