Reengineering of manufacturing process design for quality assurance in axle- hubs of a modern car — a case study

This industrially-oriented research paper reports a reengineered manufacturing process design so as to assure appropriate hardness in the axle-hubs of modern motor-cars. The systems design approach and Cause-and Effect analysis tool have been applied to ensure appropriate hardness as per quality standards for the axle-hubs of the vehicle. The experimental work involved use of forging press, heat-treatment furnace, a sealed quench furnace (SQF), and a high-precision microhardness testing machine. The product (axle hub) was modeled to solve the problem of lower hardness in the axle hub. The material-processing system was then analyzed to make corrective recommendations for reengineering of heat-treatment process parameters; which were then implemented to develop a new (improved) manufacturing design to meet quality requirements for the front-axle hub of the car.