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Research Publications (Engineering and Built Environment)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://ir-dev.dut.ac.za/handle/10321/215

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Author: search.filters.author.Dewa, MendonSubject: search.filters.subject.09 Engineering

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    Deploying built-in quality to reduce scrap in an automotive component manufacturer
    (SAIIE, 2024-05-31) Dewa, Mendon; Makua, Edward
    Automotive component manufacturers face global competitive challenges, and the paradigm has shifted from product price as the determining factor of competitiveness to the quality of the product. An automotive component manufacturer was struggling to manage the outflow of defects, and adding inspectors as quality gates to the rear-step bumper production line had severe cost implications. This study aimed to reduce the number of defects by deploying a strategic path of implementing built-in quality. Quality tools were used, and the study’s results included significant manpower reduction, improved quality capability, and reduced scrap rates and reworks.
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    Use of kaizen principle and line balancing technique for process improvement in the assembly of automotive components
    (SAJIE, 2022-11-11) Govender, Prenisha; Dewa, Mendon
    Continuous process improvement is critical for organisations to stay in business. An automotive component manufacturer faced productivity challenges after the launch of a new hybrid C-SUV automobile in South Africa. This paper aims to improve the seat cover sewing process line through a line balancing technique. The use of process standard times to balance the production process initially led to bottlenecks, and the cycle time was above the takt time of the assembly line. Through the use of work-study analysis and time studies, the bottleneck processes were identified. Elements were then categorized, and kaizen implementation occurred at the processes. The processes were then rebalanced to meet the calculated cycle time. A root cause analysis was also conducted to investigate the sources of muda and the factors affecting the rate of working. The assembly line was then rebalanced, and the balance delay decreased by 33%.