Implementation of a quality framework on the launch phase of an automated assembly line for top class automotive chassis

Today the assembly lines of cars chassis are highly automated by robotic operations. Even in the top class automotive sector, the production of aluminium chassis involves numerous automated operations, such as TIG and MIG welding, riveting and gluing. This practice allows, on the one hand, to reduce time and costs, improve process repeatability and quality standards. On the other hand, it requires the quality improvement of the whole process (from supplied parts approval to welding reworks minimization). The industrialization phase of a new car chassis and the launch of its automated assembly line are particularly critical, even more if the line has already been designed and only minimally modifiable. Therefore, this paper proposes the implementation of a quality framework to manage the launch of an automated assembly line of a new aluminium chassis of top class cars, selected as a case study. The framework was implemented, aiming at improving the entire process quality, and finally validated by critically comparing the results obtained with those relating to models currently in production. Due to their importance to the final quality, we focused on the welding operations, which require actions both on process parameters and supplied parts approval (e.g. tolerances on parts end cuts). The new line shows a clear improvement compared to the past, with highly significant reduction of welding non-conformances, high quality level and lack of many critical issues of the previous lines thanks to corrective actions taken in the early process stages, during the pilot phase.