Abstract

Process and product development are crucial objectives in most manufacturing companies. Optimal operation conditions setup plays a critical role in these objectives. Also, total efficiency and effectiveness with which the development process is performed are often a key role in organizational success. Design of experiment (DOE) represent very powerful tool for process improvement. This technique is mostly used by large and manufacturing automotive companies. Presented paper is focused on use of DOE in engine block manufacturing system, such study has several purposes. Firstly, it provides example of successfully implemented low cost design of experiment studies. Secondly, detailed description of process improvement effort based on steepest ascent methodology. Moreover, performed experiment identifies key factors, which influence the efficiency of the system. Results show that the pressure of vacuum chamber is the most significant factor on the system Based on the final model, to maximize the productivity, the factors should be placed on the optimal set up of all-natural variables, especially pressure of vacuum chamber, which is 94 kPa instead of 99 kPa as well as soap temperature, which is 97.98 ⁰F instead of 104 ⁰F . Also results showed the system became more robust due to eliminating repeated air leak tests and that led to increase the throughput and enhance the entire efficiency of the system.