manufacturing technology
Analyzing and Improving Preweld Activities To increase arc-on time and throughput, there must fi rst
be effi cient prewelding processes in place. Although certain preweld activities are essential, they can still be streamlined. AWIM systems can help identify what preweld activities
are currently taking place, and help to identify which activi- ties should or should not be occurring. By examining these activities, management can determine if the time being spent on prewelding activities is reasonable or if there is room for improvement, and, if so, where that improvement needs to be made. In some cases, it may be upstream in the operation.
part numbers and quantities. This ensures the operator has all of the correct and necessary parts to complete the task. In addition, these systems can provide details on how to load the part properly into the appropriate fi xture and provide a tack welding procedure that ensures consistency in the sizing and location of the tacks. By offering insight into such activi- ties, the welding operators are set up for success in the weld cell when welding takes place.
Improving Effi ciencies in the Weld Cell In order to increase arc-on time and/or throughput, it is criti- cal to have an understanding of what is happening in the weld cell when the welding operator isn’t actually welding. This is especially important, since in many cases the arc-on time in a welding operation is usually much lower than one might expect. AWIM systems can help identify where there is room for
improvement. They can be used to gather input on every activity taking place and determine whether these activities need to occur within a weld cell, or perhaps can be ad- dressed more effi ciently and cost effectively elsewhere. In many cases, nonwelding activities are invaluable to the
AWIM systems can bring benefi ts to welding operations for motorized vehicles from heavy equipment to subcompact cars.
For example, data may reveal welding operators spend an excessive amount of time addressing tolerance issues, waiting on parts or preparing joints that require the removal of mill scale. If this is the case, management can take steps to address the activities occurring prior to a part reaching the welding operation. Such analysis and actions help to identify and maintain accountability in the respective departments re- sponsible for the issues; it can also provide managers some insight to improve the overall operation. To further support activities that will happen later in the weld cell, AWIM systems help standardize work instructions by identifying what parts a welding operator needs, as well as
welding process, but not every task needs to be performed by a skilled welding operator. For example, rather than having a professional welding operator grind and prepare parts for painting—which could result in less arc-on time—a company could instead assign a dedicated employee to this task to free up valuable welding time for multiple welding operators. AWIM systems also enable welding operators to indicate when consumable changeovers take place as another means to identify nonwelding activities and generate greater effi cien- cies. This feature allows management to identify whether welding operators are replacing consumables too often, and if switching to a higher-quality, longer-lasting product may ultimately be a more cost-effective solution and contribute to greater arc-on time and/or throughput. Similarly, wire change- over may also be monitored as a non-welding activity to ensure that the most effi cient type of packaging is being used.
Analyzing and Validating Productivity AWIM systems can monitor wire feed speeds and deposi- tion rates, providing insights into how adjusting parameters might yield better results. The data from these systems may also reveal an opportunity for a wire conversion to augment efforts that gain productivity and quality improvements.
60 — Motorized Vehicle Manufacturing 2015
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