Abdullah Ansari

Casting Direct Pass Ratio Improvement

(Macro Report)At SUPPLIER – India

Duration Jan-2009 to Mar-2011Project Leader – Abdullah Ansari (ASQ CSSBB)

Team members – Seenivasa RagavanSenthil NathanChirag PanchalVicky Dongade

Dhaval Vyas

Background

• Involvement– In Dec-2008 CUSTOMER Supplier Quality received information that

SUPPLIER has started manufacturing castings for CUSTOMER– CUSTOMER SQM got involved for routine inspections and setting up

system for material clearance from SUPPLIER to CUSTOMER– 2 member team Abdullah Ansari & another member visited SUPPLIER

in Dec-2008 for system assessment & inspections.

Castings produced in first phase and status in nutshell

0

20

40

60

80

Qty

Produced 26 18 60 13 2 10 12

Rejected 26 18 60 13 2 10 12

Yet to be checked 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

2.1 MW Main Beam

2.1MW Main Beam

2.1MW Cross

2.1MW Hub body

2.1MW Main Frame

1.5 Main Beam

1.5 Cross Beam

Major Reasons for non-acceptance Casting Defects

DrossPorositiesBlow holesFailed in Mechanical properties

VisualPoor surfaceMismatch

Dimensions

Casting Acceptance – Pre Project Status

For castings produced in First phase prior to 31 Dec 2008

Direct Pass Ratio – ZERO 0%

Define: Project Kick-off

• Project Scope – To participate with Team of SUPPLIER in developing fully finished

casting components for CUSTOMER WTGs– Castings acceptable to global standards such as EN1563, EN12680 etc

• Team– Abdullah Ansari – Project Leader CSSBB-ASQ & SPOC from CUSTOMER– Seenivasa Ragavan – SUPPLIER QA Head– Senthil Nathan – NDT Expert– R. Subramanian – Inspection & Testing– Chirag Panchal – Analyst– Vicky Dongade – Analyst– Dhaval Vyas – Analyst

Define: Strategic Planning

• Component Prioritization– Hub body & Main Frames are heavy section castings, CUSTOMER running short

of supplies – Priority with Average weight per piece 12MT– Small castings such as main beam, cross beams analyzed thru make or buy

matrix. Found suitable to be bought from other source than SUPPLIER• Core Tool

– Plan – Do – Check – Act (PDCA) at each stage– Various tools as per applicability e.g. Pareto, trend chart, FMEA, CE matrix

• Key Measurement– Direct pass Ratio wrt to Inspected– Why Direct pass Ratio only to be measured?

• Direct indicator of acceptance/scrap• Gives indication of process & action effectiveness• Doesn’t count parts accepted under deviation• Triggers prioritization & further detailing on which part/defects actions to be

initiated.

Define: Generic Process Flow

Pattern & core box

Raw Material Receipt Molding Core making

Mold assemblyMeltingMagnesium TreatmentPouring

Knockout Fettling & Shot blasting

Destructive & Preliminary

NDT

Machining & Inspection

Non Destructive

Testing

Surface preparation &

Coating

Coating Inspection

Packing & Forwarding

Measure & analyze

• Old Casting Data– Old castings rejected for multiple defects are around 141nos– Now prioritized castings are Main Frame & hub body, amount to 13

Nos out of 141nos.– Castings were mainly rejected because of

• Failed in tensile• Failed in impact• Failed in Nodularity• Failed in visual acceptance• Failed in Ultrasonic inspection• Failed in Magnetic particle inspection• Failed in as cast dimensions• Failed in Machined dimensions

Analyze: Casting Process Control

Sr. No Process Stage Key controls Output

1 Receipt Inspection Receiving inspection of all major raw material.

Inspected and certified raw material for production.

2 Sand mixing Ratio of new/old sand, ratio of resin and catalyst

Quality sand with required bonding properties.

3 Core making Ramming to ensure fully filled core. Core without any cracks and damages.

4 Molding Ramming to ensure fully filled core. Mold without any cracks and damages.

5 Mold closing Alignment of cope and drag by locating pin. Vent provision for gases

Closed mold ready for pouring without any damage & with required cavities

6 Melting C, Si & CE and spectro analysis, Liquid metal temperature

Liquid metal with required chemistry ready for Mg treatment

7 Mg treatment Ramming of Mg alloy and covering Mg treated metal in required quantity and quality

8 Pouring Pouring should finish within prescribed time after treatment, metal temperature Poured mold

9 Knockout Cooling time to be maintained for each item Casting with runner & risers.

10 Cleaning & Fettling Manual operations Dressed casting, ready for machining.

Analyze: Cause & Effect Matrix (Casting)

10 10 10 7 10 8 8 101 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Tens

ile

Impa

ct

Nod

ular

ity

Visu

al

Ultr

ason

ic Q

ualit

y

Mag

netic

Pa

rticle

As ca

st

dim

ensio

n

Mac

hine

d Di

m.

Tota

l

1 Molding Gating system 8 10 8 8 3002 Melting & pouring Chemical composition 8 8 8 2403 Molding Sand mixing ratio 8 8 8 2004 Melting & pouring Time to pour after Mg treatment 8 10 1805 Molding Chills 6 8 6 1706 Melting & pouring Residual Mg 8 8 1607 Knockout Time to Casting cooling 8 8 1608 Melting & pouring Deslagging 10 8 1509 Melting & pouring Pouring temperature 8 8 136

10 Molding Venting 8 6 12811 Melting & pouring Inoculation 8 6 12212 Melting & pouring Treatment temperature 8 8013 Molding Refractory painting 8 56

Rating of Importance to Customer

Sr. No Process InputsProcess Step

Analyze: Cause & Effect Pareto (Casting)

Gati

ng s

yste

m

Chem

ical

com

posi

tion

Sand

mix

ing

ratio

Tim

e to

pou

r aft

er M

g tr

eatm

ent

Chill

s

Resi

dual

Mg

Tim

e to

Cas

ting

cool

ing

Des

lagg

ing

Pour

ing

tem

pera

ture

Venti

ng

Inoc

ulati

on

Trea

tmen

t tem

pera

ture

Refr

acto

ry p

ainti

ng

050

100150200250300350

Cause & Effect Matrix

Cause

Effec

t Sco

re

Improve – Actions Taken (on Casting)Improvement Need Score Actions Tool To address issue of

Gating system 300Correction in ingate size, Runners & Risers

Magma Simulations for mold filling & solidification

Visual, UT, As cast, Machined

Chemical composition 240 Establishment of charge mix DOE, Regression Tensile, Impact, nodularity

Sand mixing ratio 200 Sand mixingControl plan for mixing ratio of sand, resin & hardnere

Visual, As cast, Machined

Time to pour after Mg treatment

180Establish time range to be followed

DOE Impact, Nodularity

Chills 170 Fixing chill positions & sizesMagma Simulations for mold filling & solidification

Visual, UT, MPI

Residual Mg 160 Establishment of charge mix DOE, Regression Impact, Nodularity

Time to Casting cooling 160Establish time range to be followed

Generic recommendation & trials Tensile, Impact

Deslagging 150Establish Deslager quality & training

Supplier development & training Visual, UT

Pouring temperature 136 Establish temperature range Generic recommendation & trials Nodularity,Visual

Venting 128Correction in ingate size, Runners & Risers

Magma Simulations for mold filling & solidification

UT, MPI

Inoculation 122 Establishment of charge mix DOE, Regression Nodularity,Visual

Treatment temperature 80 Establish temperature range Generic recommendation & trials Nodularity

Refractory painting 56 Even coated film on mold Training Visual

Improve – Actions Taken Summary (Overall)

Sr Issue Actions for improvement

1 Skill enhancement Establishment of Quality System & training

2 Process Control FMEA, Control plan, Process adherence audits

3 Casting Defects Raw material combinations, Process control

HR On the job trainings, Process redesign

class room trainings on International Standards

4 Machining Explanations on drawing & specifications

5 Corrosion Protection Coating specifications, acceptance criteria, training

6 Packaging Development of specification & prototyping

7 Tracking Establishment of tracking mechanism for each castings

8 Inspection & testing Establish testing laboratory & right practices

Improvement Trend

09-10 Q1 09-10 Q2 09-10 Q3 09-10 Q4 10-11 Q1 10-11 Q2 10-11 Q3 10-11 Q4

Direct Pass %

17.6470588235294

6.66666666666667

53.757225433526

61.75 74.2603550295858

73.7430167597766

82.6887661141802

93.3649289099526

5.00

15.00

25.00

35.00

45.00

55.00

65.00

75.00

85.00

95.00

Direct Pass Ratio over 8 Quarters

Dire

ct P

ass %

Take Away of Project - Quality

Supplier ISO certified & Quality culture established Trained & Skilled human resource Control parameter establishment thru FMEA Technical Register for melting Inspection & test procedures Lessons learned for defects & causes Knowledge of errors in testing leading to flaws in acceptance Process for Corrosion protection & acceptance criteria Validated Packing guidelines Tracking mechanism of each individual component Ongoing measurement of process adherence index Ongoing measurement of Direct Pass Ratio All components PPAP completed

Take away of Project - Commercial

SUPPLIER 1st Indian Supplier to develop & supply >80% of CUSTOMER requirements of hub & main frame castings in fully finished condition

During Project at SUPPLIER, important numbers (Cummulative) [Average Casting weight considered-12MT]– Details Qty. Weight %– Castings Produced : 2653 Nos. 31836 MT 100– Castings Direct OK : 1859 Nos. 22308 MT 70– Castings Conc OK : 288 Nos. 3456 MT 11– Castings Rejected : 506 Nos. 6072 MT 19

Castings direct OK in last quarter of Project – 93.36% Development at SUPPLIER

– Main Frame & Hub for all CUSTOMER WTG models, Total 4 models

Important Numbers

During Project:Castings Produced :2653 Nos.Castings Direct OK :1859 Nos.Castings Conc OK : 288 Nos.Castings Rejected : 506 Nos.DPR % @project handover:93.3

4 quarters data after project handoverCastings Produced :1251 Nos.Castings Direct OK :1102 Nos.Castings Conc OK : 08 Nos.Castings Rejected : 42 Nos.Castings WIP: 99 Nos.DPR % @ Q4 FY11-12:97.2

Effectiveness of Project

More than 15000 Metric Ton of castings produced after project with DPR more than 93.3 consistently

Abdullah Ansari

The search for excellence is never ending…

Thank You