AZ Automotive Weld Tooling & Assembly Equipment Standards Revision 1.4 17Sep2004
PRINTED COPIES ARE UNCONTROLLED
Deviations that improve safety, quality, or cost ARE ALWAYS WELCOME.
SECTION 14
These procedures address the follow-up on construction, certification, buy-off, and installation of tools and equipment. This includes the design, function, process & machine capability, preliminary runs and technical support functions required of the supplier.
During the line-up for quotes and/or job placements, the suppliers shall be notified of the tool/ equipment process, design intent, follow-up, certification, buy-off, and installation procedures.
Upon job placement, the designated tool follow-up person shall review with the supplier the process, design intent, standards and all related specifications.
A design safety sign-off shall be completed prior to construction
by the appropriate AZ Automotive representatives.
The form is available here as "Equipment INSPECTIONS.htm" to be printed in landscape orientation.
Follow-up person shall conduct weekly meetings, or as required, at the supplier's location up to completion of construction. The supplier shall record and publish meeting minutes, copies shall be distributed prior to the next meeting.
Note: Supplier shall be notified that any deviation from AZ Automotive standards/specifications is not acceptable without the signed approval of AZ Automotive.
Follow-up person shall update the Tool Follow-Up Status form for this tool on the AZ Intranet in the Weld Council Directory. Further information can be obtained from the AZ Weld and Assembly Manager.
14.1.6
The design, construction, certification, buy-off, shipment, and installation of all tool, equipment and controls shall conform to the following standards:
- Manufacturing Engineering Design standards & specifications.
- Safe guarding of robots & robot systems.
- General safety specification for industrial equipment.
- Sound level specification for industrial machinery and equipment.
- Welding standards car/truck assembly group (robot/portable weld guns).
- Preparing machinery or equipment for storage.
- Electrical standards for mass production equipment.
- Hydraulic standards for industrial equipment and general purpose machine tools.
- Approve parts source list.
- Lubrication specification for industrial equipment.
- Fluid power standards.
- Tooling and equipment supplier quality assurance.
- Health and safety consideration for laser systems.
- Follow-up certification and buy off procedures.
- Automation Safe Guarding Requirements
- Industrial Hygiene Considerations For Manufacturing Processes
Upon completion of each tool/equipment, the supplier shall conduct a dimensional certification at the build source, using CMM's, holding fixtures, theodolite, laser interferometry, and/or related measurement systems where applicable to assure an accurate means of obtaining measurements.
Principle Locating Points Correct
to the Math Data
The PLPs must be certified by the toolmaker to be located properly by using a three-dimensional locating system (e.g. Theodolyte). The Theodolyte data must then be compared to the math models/blueprints to ensure that they are properly located. Note that the location of the datums in each tool must be compared to the location of the datums in the math models for the parts, not compared to the location of the datums in the weld tool design. A matrix that describes the location (X,Y,Z coordinate) of each datum in the weld tool, the location (X,Y,Z coordinate) of each datum in the part math model/blueprint, and a column stating explicitly whether or not they match must be provided by the tool builder. A matrix must be provided for each weld tool.
14.3.
50/20 Dry Run & 15/30/60
Programs
The goal of this run is to identify and eliminate all operational problems before delivery to the AZ Automotive facility. [NOTE: For tooling built directly on the floor at AZ Automotive, the following sections will need to be customized.] All tests, except the 15-30-60 run shall be performed by the supplier and monitored by AZ Automotive personnel.
The 50 hour quality test applies specifically to robots. This test requires that robots cycle for 50 hours under the following conditions:
- Maximum rated load
- Full rotation through all axes
- All motions at maximum rated velocity
- Motion to encompass the specific envelope
14.3.2.1 The integrator shall program and operate in their facility, each robot for a period of (50) hours. The robot shall be programmed to include motions of all axis. The robot shall be operated at its rated load and velocity.
14.3.2.2
Duration shall be 50 hours; run time does not have to be continuous. However, if the burn in period is not completed within five (5) working days or requires more than five (5) restarts, AZ Automotive and the supplier together shall decide what corrective action will be taken, and whether the test will then proceed or be restarted.
14.3.2.3
The integrator shall design and supply the dummy load used for this burn in period. This load center of gravity shall be mounted at a distance of ten (10) inches out from the mounting face on the end of the robot and five (5) inches off the centerline of the robot wrist.
20 Hour continuous uptime or two 10 hr. periods of continuous uptime applies to all machinery, tools, and equipment. It also includes all robots within equipment systems.
20 Hour continuous reliability run applies to all machinery, tools and equipment. It also includes all robots within equipment systems. This test requires that the equipment cycle for 20 continuous hours with out failure.
14.3.3.1
The tryout of all machinery, tools, and equipment shall include an automatic run of twenty (20) hours continuous uptime or two ten-hour periods of continuous uptime. Guidelines governing this requirement are as follows:
The tryout of all equipment shall include a twenty (20) hour automatic run. Guidelines governing this requirement are as follows:
1.Duration shall be twenty (20) continuous hours without malfunction. Interruption of this run, shall necessitate starting over. On discretion of AZ Automotive minor failures do not require a restart.
2.Each machine shall cycle for a period of one (1) hour, in the automatic mode, prior to the beginning the "20 Hour Run".
3.An AZ Automotive representative shall attend the run throughout its entirety.
4.This run shall be performed without sheet metal. The weld mode shall operate with minimum current setting. Curing operations will operate at normal heat. All machine motions shall sequence each cycle. The Supplier shall be responsible for any and all temporary provisions that may be necessary to accomplish this, while considering safety to personnel and equipment.
5.The Supplier is responsible for supplying the required manpower to run and service the system during the (20) hour tryout.
6.The Supplier is responsible to complete all the control changes required for the "20 Hour Run" and supply two (2) magnetic tapes/diskettes of the "20 Hour Run" logic.
7.All F.I.S. programming shall be complete and included into the machine program prior to beginning the (20) hour tryout on the supplier's floor.
8.This run shall exactly emulate actual production operation (minus the sheet metal). To ensure that the operation is to Process intent, the build source shall acquire, and permanently secure at the process station, a current copy of the Weld Study. This shall be obtained from the designated Process Engineering supplier and must be accurate to the latest engineering changes. This Weld Study shall be made available at the tooling site prior to commencement of the 20 Hour Run.
14.3.3.2
Logs of all test runs will be kept. Downtimes will be documented as to minutes lost, technical deficiency, and who is responsible for implementing a permanent corrective action.
14.3.3.3
If it becomes necessary to ship any machinery, tools, or equipment before the required 20 hour run, the 20 Hour Run log must be signed off by AZ Automotive before the tooling leaves the supplier. If it becomes necessary to ship any machinery, tools, or equipment before the one-hour auto cycle, the final buy-off sheet must be signed by the platform Director before the tooling leaves the supplier. The 20-hour run shall be performed at the receiving plant and it is the responsibility of the Supplier and appropriate AZ Automotive technical support function to complete the 20-hour run. At this time the Supplier will be responsible for any and all corrections to the machinery, tools, or equipment.
The 20-hour run is to be performed by the supplier prior to shipment of completed tooling/equipment.
The 20-hour run is intended to reduce failures during the launch period.
The objective of these procedures is to demonstrate that the machinery is free of cycle variations and that the process does not drift over time.
14.4.
15-30-60 Minute Verification
Run
The fifteen, thirty and sixty minutes run will be conducted at the assembly plant in a production mode, supplier will assist.
Review construction standards, system specification package, certification data (supplier's and independent source).
Each tool/equipment shall be inspected to ensure compliance with design, process, function, safety, and requirements to specifications and standards.
To buy-off the tooling, the Supplier shall prove capability by doing the following:
14.5.3.1
The Supplier shall first run six consecutive parts that fit the check fixture 100%. If the parts do not meet specification, make corrections and start over with the six-part check.
14.5.3.2
If the parts meet specification, begin the full buy-off run. The exact quantities required to be run will be determined by AZ Automotive and provided to the Supplier one month prior to the scheduled run date. The quantity will usually be between 100 and 300.
14.5.3.3
During this run, check the 10th, 20th, 30th, 40th, 50th, 75th, 100th, 150th, and 200th parts over the fixture (parts to be checked limited by the overall quantity run). Stop the run at any time that one of these parts is out of specification. Make corrections and begin the process again. If detail part availability is an issue, AZ Automotive will direct the Supplier on how to proceed.
14.5.3.4
The Supplier shall pull 50 pieces randomly from the buy-off run for a dimensional capability study on the measurement points designated as Capability Study Points. The measurement points to be used for the capability study should be designated in the model or on an attached measurement point matrix. If not, please contact AZ Automotive for this information.
14.5.3.5
All product produced during this run must be labeled with the nine-digit AZ Automotive Job Number, the production date, and the manufacturing location. Until or unless the parts are certified, they must have "Do Not Use" labels.
14.5.3.6
Each Capability Study point must have minimum Ppk of 1.67. The Supplier shall provide run charts and a statistical summary sheet on each Capability Study Point. The Capability Study Points are also known as buy-off points and KPC points.
Weld Integrity
All welds must be analyzed to validate that the weld tooling is capable of producing welds that meet the customer’s weld specifications. Below is the procedure to verify that new weld tools are producing welds, which conform to the applicable weld standard.
The Tool integrator shall certify each tool individually. For resistance spot welding, coupons representative of the metal to be welded in the tool will be used, with the coupons being torn down to verify the integrity of the weld. AZ Automotive Engineering and Maintenance shall be involved in the process, and will verify weld validation. It is important that the production process be simulated as closely as possible during this certification. For example, for resistance spot welding, if a weld gun puts 15 spot welds on a part, all 15 welds should be applied and tested, not just the first one.
1. At this point, all process parameters and weld practices (torch angles, travel speed, etc.) must be recorded. Also, these parameter settings must be controlled, and unauthorized changes prohibited.
2. Upon availability of detail parts, the weld tools shall be certified again. AZ Automotive shall lead this process, with the support of the tool integrator. Any changes made to process parameters will be recorded and controlled.
3. Upon certification of each tool using detail parts, the first full assembly shall be run. The first assembly off the line shall be used to test the integrity of each weld. If any welds are discrepant, the line shall be stopped and the applicable weld tool recertified.
4. Upon successful test of a full assembly, the line shall be considered ready for the Buy-Off Run (see section 14.5.3).
5. During the Buy-Off Run, the welds on the first six assemblies (the same assemblies checked for dimensional correctness) must be checked and validated as meeting the applicable specification. For MIG welds, which welds are to be checked and where to check them will be directed by AZ Automotive.
6. If any of the welds do not meet specification, stop the run, make corrections, and begin the run again.
7. If all welds do meet specification, check the welds on the check the 11th, 21st, 31st, 41st, 51st, 76th, 101st, 151st and 201st parts.
8.The Supplier shall record and
save the results of all the weld checks. The Supplier shall provide a copy of the inspection records to
AZ Automotive, and shall keep a copy in their filing system for two years.
The following individuals/departments shall be invited to all system and safety buy-offs:
Plant Manager
Quality Engineer
Safety
Maintenance
After delivery and installation at the AZ Automotive facility, machinery shall be subjected to short term process performance analysis using production approved parts from subgroups totaling 125 units, and a long term process performance analysis in a production mode from data collected for at least 25 working days. This is in addition to the 20 hour dry run.
Supplier responsibilities to include examination and documentation of machinery parameters prior to pre-qualification and/or short term process performance studies, identification and parts traceability, training and technical support.
14.7.
15-30-60 Minute Verification
Run
This procedure is designed to monitor the test run of a system for a specific period of time in a production mode, as dictated by the tool process and operation description sheets.
The test will run for the specified time.
Fastest cycle time (computed jobs per hour) and total jobs run are to be recorded.
Recorded data will be compared with the projected process information.
The root cause of any deficiencies or break downs shall be recorded.
The corrective action taken shall be recorded.
14.8.
15 Minute Verification Run
Determined system cycle time will verify:
-Material flow.
-Man assignments.
-O.D. Sheets.
-Facility requirements.
-Safety systems.
-Five-part dimensional analysis and one part weld inspection.
-Dimensional and weld corrections (as required).
-Sealing process (as required).
-In system damage.
14.9.
30 Minute Verification Run
Determined system cycle time will verify:
-Corrections from the 15-minute run.
-In depth analysis of cycle time.
-Operator workstations.
-Potential equipment problems.
-Fine tuning of the system.
-Ten-part dimensional analysis of corrections made after the 15 minute run.
-Weld destruct two parts.
-Final dimensions and corrections if required .
-Sealing process (as required).
-In system damage.
Determined system cycle time will verify:
-Corrections from the 30-minute run.
-Finalization of production operator workstations.
-In system damage.
-Machine process e.g. weld stepper schedules and tip dresser.
-15 part dimensional verification (three subgroups of five).
-Three part weld certification.
-Sealing process (as required).
14.11.
Buy-Off Run At AZ Automotive
Facility