Integration of dimensional quality and locator reliability in design and evaluation of multi-station body-in-white assembly processes

Research efforts have been made to develop a Quality and Reliability chain (QR chain) model to integrate manufacturing system component reliability and product quality in multi-station manufacturing processes. Based on a previously developed state space model, which captures the variation propagation throughout all stations, a general QR chain model is developed for Body-In-White (BIW) assembly processes. The effectiveness of the QR chain modeling strategy is demonstrated by thoroughly studying the relationship between locator performance and product quality in assembly processes. Based on the analytical result of system reliability obtained from the QR chain model, optimal locator wear rate assignment is further investigated. A case study is conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness and potential usage of the QR chain model for the BIW assembly system design evaluation and optimization.