Maintenance cost reduction and process optimization of the Hot Stamping line: Gestamp Aveiro case study

• Autor(a) principal: Moreira, Miguel Ângelo da Cunha
• Data de Publicação: 2021
• Tipo de documento: Dissertação
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
• Texto Completo: http://hdl.handle.net/10773/33706
• topic: Hot stamping; Ceramic rollers; Mechanical presses; Hydraulic presses; Industrial furnace; Laser trimming; Laser referencing black marking; Preventative maintenance; Cost reduction; Process optimization

This work was developed as part of a curricular internship at Gestamp Aveiro, to reduce maintenance costs associated to the hot stamping production line. For the development of this report, an in-depth study of the entire production line was carried out (from the entry of raw material in the process to the exit of the final part), to identify the possible existing problems. These problems were related to early wear or repetitive equipment failures. The causes and consequences of these failures were investigated. The impact of each of the problems was studied to access which of those were to be worked on. The selected criteria were the percentage of the maintenance budget each represented. Research to implement new solutions and improvements carried out by the company were also analysed. The areas identified as most relevant were the wear of ceramic rollers in the kiln/furnace and its implications, the excessive wear of the blank referencing presses and the excessive contamination of the shop floor by metallic dust from the laser cutting process, with special impact on the laser tool head’s components. Then, a research was conducted to discover and propose improvements, to eliminate or minimize the problems identified and to implement those proposals. Criteria were sought for the evaluation of these proposals and the results were analysed. Due to external factors, not all proposals or solutions were applied. Therefore, a plan was developed for their implementation and subsequent analysis and evaluation of their results. Revisions to preventive maintenance plans were made and an internal procedure was developed as part of the improvement propositions. In conclusion, the main objectives of this work were achieved and considering all proposed solutions, significant costs reduction was achieved. Future research and work were proposed to proceed and improve some of the problems identified in this thesis.