Automobile Assembly Research Articles

Securing Your Eggs in Multiple Baskets — Assuring a Resilient and Secure Supply Chain

AbstractThe global supply chain is a complex system of systems made up of and relying on other complex systems of systems (SoS) to achieve its goals. To take a typical example, Enterprise A is supplied essential parts on a regular basis to manufacture its products. To place the order requires global financial systems, integrated email systems, the internet, multiple telecommunications systems, and supply software provided by large companies. To deliver the parts may require air and maritime transportation systems, the rail network, interstate highway systems, road haulage companies, state and local transportation systems and so forth. When any of these complex systems fail, the impact can be global, and the results catastrophic. Recent examples include the shortage of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) during the COVID pandemic, computer chip shortages delaying the assembly and sales of cars, and, most recently, the baby formula shortage. These were due to disruptions in the supply chain caused by an overreliance on single sourced suppliers who failed to deliver, transportation disruptions, outsourcing of critical parts, supplies, medicines to distant countries, and/or an overreliance on “Just In Time” for inventory management. This is the case of placing too many eggs in too few baskets, and often just one basket. Counterfeit or substandard parts and products can enter the supply chain via graft, breaks in chain of custody, or carelessness. This has included critical mechanical parts on aircraft, chips containing spyware, and substandard or out of date medicines substituted for the real thing resulting in serious illness and death. This complex SoS needs to be examined, studied, and understood in the same way as a mission critical system; threats, vulnerabilities, and risks need to be identified and mitigated and assurance cases defined to ensure a solid and reliable supply chain. This paper will look at the supply chain of an example factory system to determine how some of these problems can be predicted, prevented, mitigated, and solved using the UAF, RAAML and assurance case techniques.

Successful Foreign Direct Investment Through the Development of Parts Supply Industries in the Host Country: A Study of India's Automobile Manufacturing Sector

Several large multinationals and a few local assemblers dominate the Indian automobile industry. The largest multinational, Maruti Suzuki, entered the Indian automobile industry with a policy of developing local automotive parts manufacturers to achieve high local content ratio. This study seeks to determine the extent to which foreign direct investment (FDI) in host countries contributes to the growth of automobile parts manufacturers. We use district‐level panel data from 2000 to 2008 to assess the linkage between the production of major automobile assemblers and the development of automotive parts suppliers located in the same and adjacent districts to those assemblers. Our regression results show the heterogeneity of the linkages, suggesting that the formation of industrial clusters by local parts suppliers and the expansion of their production capacity are likely to be key determinants of the success of FDI in the Indian automobile industry, rather than relying on in‐house parts production or imports.

Modeling of Automobile Assembly Line Performance Using ARENA Simulation Software

Due to the intense competition in today's business environment, companies must continuously analyze and enhance their existing manufacturing systems. Discrete event simulation, which is especially helpful for simulating queuing systems, involves describing the system as it evolves. The building and study of a simulation model of an existing production line are the main topics of this paper. The findings demonstrate that the current system's throughput is low due to bottlenecks, extended processing times at workstations, and inefficient resource utilization, all contribute to productivity losses in automotive assembly lines. This paper aims to evaluate the efficiency of the production line performance of automobile assembly lines using Arena modeling and simulation. Data provided by the company's management is utilized to calculate the processing time and standard time for each step in the production line. Additional information is gathered through direct observation of the assembly line. A car assembly manufacturing line was selected as a case study, and Arena 16.0 software was employed for basic modeling and analysis to achieve these objectives.

Multi-Objective Optimization of an Assembly Layout Using Nature-Inspired Algorithms and a Digital Human Modeling Tool

OCCUPATIONAL APPLICATIONS In the context of Industry 5.0, our study advances manufacturing factory layout planning by integrating multi-objective optimization with nature-inspired algorithms and a digital human modeling tool. This approach aims to overcome the limitations of traditional planning methods, which often rely on engineers’ expertise and inputs from various functions in a company, leading to slow processes and risk of human errors. By focusing the multi-objective optimization on three primary targets, our methodology promotes objective and efficient layout planning, simultaneously considering worker well-being and system performance efficiency. Illustrated through a pedal car assembly station layout case, we demonstrate how layout planning can transition into a transparent, cross-disciplinary, and automated activity. This methodology provides multi-objective decision support, showcasing a significant step forward in manufacturing factory layout design practices.

A Case Study of Ergonomic Risk Assessment in Slovakia with Respect to EU Standard.

Attention on work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) involves statistical surveys showing an increasing trend in the incidence of WMSDs. Technological development has led to new tools and methods for the assessment of physical load at work. These methods are mostly based on the direct sensing of appropriate parameters, which allows more precise quantification. The aim of this paper is to compare several commonly used methods in Slovakia for the assessment of ergonomic risk reflecting current EU and Slovak legislative regulations. A Captiv wireless sensory system was used at a car headlight quality control assembly workplace for sensing, data acquisition and data processing. During the evaluation of postures and movements at work, we discovered differences in the applicable standards: Decree 542/2007 Coll. (Slovak Legislation), the STN EN 1005-4+A1, and the French standards default in the Captiv system. Standards define the thresholds for hazardous postures with significant differences in several evaluated body segments, which affects the final evaluation of the measurements. Our experience from applying improved risk assessment methodology may have an impact on Slovak industrial workplaces. It was confirmed that there is a need to create uniform standards for the ergonomic risk assessment of body posture, including a detailed description of the threshold values for individual body segments.

Высокотехнологичное автосборочное производство

In modern automotive production, high-tech robotic complexes and assembly lines are widely used for all four main production stages: pressing, welding, coating and assembly. The paper views industrial robot-assisted high-tech incomplete vehicle production using robotic manipulators. Studies have been conducted on the efficiency and productivity of automotive production through the use of a robotic assembly. Studies have been conducted on the efficiency and productivity of automotive production using a robotic assembly. A brief overview of scientific works on automation of production using robotic systems is presented. The discussed robotic complexes include various robots: assemblers, manipulators, auxiliary robots. The payback period of the robotic complex ranges from three to five years. Robotic complexes are successfully used in various factories, e.g. 115 robots are used at Volkswagen, 112 robots are used at Renault, 106 robots are used at Nissan. The average time period for assembling one basic vehicle product at the factory is 25 hours. The main characteristics of a robotic automobile assembly such as cycle of the assembly line; work pace; assembly line load factor are viewed. The influence of the main characteristics of the assembly line on productivity in robotic automotive production is estimated. The results show an increase in product output of up to 10% with an increase in the load factor by one tenth. The robotic assembly line efficiency calculation for automotive production shows that within five years the increase in net profit when using just one robotic assembly line will amount to about five million rubles. In addition, the output of products will significantly increase with RPA in automotive production. The effectiveness of using a robotized assembly line in automotive production is also shown.

ВЛИЯНИЕ НАДЕЖНОСТИ АВТОМОБИЛЕЙ НА ЗАТРАТЫ НА ПРИОБРЕТЕНИЕ ЗАПАСНЫХ ЧАСТЕЙ

The operation of road transport is associated with maintaining the serviceability of vehicles. Companies that operate vehicles have different approaches to ensuring their serviceability. Small ones, as a rule, carry out maintenance and repair of vehicles at service stations, while large and medium-sized companies provide conditions for carrying out technical service at their own base. In this case, they are faced with the need to stock with spare parts. It was found that the costs of spare parts account for up to 45 % of all operating costs, their reduction is possible with the correct approach to planning and organization of spare parts supply. This confirms the relevance of the research. As the main factor affecting the cost of spare parts purchasing, the authors proposed to consider the reliability of car units and assemblies. A regularity was established: the reliability of a vehicle decreases with the increase of its service life, while the need for spare parts and, consequently, the purchasing cost of spare parts increases. Spare parts stocks are planned in two groups – for maintenance and repairs. It is possible to plan the consumption of spare parts for maintenance based on the vehicle fleet and on the recommendations of the manufacturer, which regulates the frequency of replacement and the list of spare parts. It is advisable to plan the nomenclature of spare parts for current repairs based on vehicles reliability. Forecasting of spare parts stock based on reliability will allow to manage spare parts stock effectively, to minimize their shelf life and to avoid the purchase of unclaimed spare parts.

Enhanced YOLO- and Wearable-Based Inspection System for Automotive Wire Harness Assembly

In response to the challenges associated with the misassembly, omission, and low manual inspection efficiency in automobile wiring harness relay assemblies, a novel online detection system has been engineered. This system consists of a mobile-based visual imaging system and an improved YOLOv5-based detection algorithm that tracks human movement to acquire images and videos. The system is coupled with deep learning for real-time detection and recognition for error-proofing the installation process of automotive wiring harness relays. This innovation aims to facilitate error-proof inspection during the assembly process of automotive wiring harness relays. The YOLOv5s model is augmented with an Adaptive Spatial Feature Fusion (ASFF) module, enhancing multi-scale feature integration capabilities. A Global Context Network (GCNet) is incorporated into the C3 module to emphasize target information from a global perspective. Additionally, the replacement of standard Convolution (Conv) modules with Global Sparse Convolution (GSConv) modules in the Neck section effectively reduces computational costs while sustaining overall performance efficacy. The experimental results show that the detection system achieved a comprehensive accuracy rate of 99.2% and an F1 score of 99.29. The system possesses high accuracy and stability, enabling flexible and intelligent target detection applications in the automotive industry.

A new resistance insert spot welding method for injection-molded FRP–steel component

For weight reduction, multi-material designs comprising metal and fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) components in vehicle body structures have been increasingly used. However, the commonly used resistance spot welding (RSW) technology for car body assembly cannot be employed to join sheet metal and FRPs, limiting the use of FRPs. To solve this problem, a novel resistance insert spot welding (RISW) technique was developed in this work for RSW of steel parts and FRP structure parts made by injection molding. Small inserts were developed by using finite element method and experiments that may be welded to different micro-alloyed and dual-phase sheet steels using the projection welding method. The usual flange width of original equipment manufacturers could be kept unchanged. Using the developed insert and welding parameters, the maximum temperature in the FRPs surrounding the inserts was limited to 255 °C, minimizing the damage to polyamide 6 (PA6) material (with 40 wt% glass fiber). A weldability range between 2.5 and 7 kA could be achieved. The joining strength of RISW between a micro-alloyed HC340 steel in 0.75 mm and 1.5 mm thickness and a 2.5 mm/3.0 mm PA6-GF40 material is 20 to 80% higher than self-piercing riveting (SPR). For high-speed loading, RISW strength increases by 39 to 56% further. Finally, RISW was successfully applied to an FRP–steel roof-frame sub-assembly that consists of 19 simultaneously integrated inserts, achieving 10% weight reduction.

Analysis of Non-Fuel Evaporative Pollutants Emitted by Automobile Seats

With the increasing stringency of emission standards, the challenge for conventional passenger vehicles to meet evaporative emission requirements has intensified. Evaporative emissions from vehicles are primarily derived from the fuel system and the non-fuel system, with the latter accounting for 30% to 50% of total vehicle emissions. Thus, the study of non-fuel system evaporative pollutants in passenger vehicles has become especially important. This research conducted tests on automobile seat assemblies and their components to identify the main pollutants. Through the contribution of concentration ratios, a predictive formula was established to validate tests related to seat assemblies and components, aiding enterprises in effectively controlling non-fuel evaporative pollutants from automobile seats.

Prospects for the Development of Vehicle Assembly Plants of Chinese Automobile Brands in Kazakhstan: An Example of Multi-Sectoral Diversification of the Economy to Increase Its Sustainability

This article discusses the problems that arise and must be resolved in order to ensure the efficiency and sustainability of Chinese-brand automobile assembly in Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan is shown as a model of an oil-driven economy seeking industrial modernization and the most dynamic car assembly case in Central Asia in the past 5 years. Since the automotive industry development strategies in different countries have various specific characteristics and provide an overview of the main global and regional trends in the development of the automotive industry, the problems of industry development also leverage the accumulated experiences of different countries where government initiatives have fostered the growth of their domestic automotive industry. Although we use standard and well-proven methods of analysis, planning, and forecasting, the novelty of the approach lies in the fact that any new company entering the market and opening a new production facility should focus on maintaining the sustainability of the country’s automotive industry within the framework of the adopted industry development strategy. We have developed such an algorithm for planning a strategy. The blend of traditional methodologies and their adaptation makes the suggested methodology new. We also considered the fact that, due to a lack of knowledge, there are significant challenges when determining whether localizing automobile components is feasible. An assessment of the prospects for the automotive industry in Kazakhstan based on data from open sourcesmade it possible to develop options for possible strategies from which the most appropriate one can be selected. The conclusion chapter presents findings, limitations of the study, and directions for future research. The use of this approach allows for considering the interplay of the factors at the stage of an industry development strategy emerging and establishing long-term plans that take into account the specific characteristics of Kazakhstan’s development.

Transnationalizing intrapreneurship of Chinese private investment in Africa

The paper investigates the structures, forces, and actors that drive and constrain transnationalizing intrapreneurship—the overseas business initiatives taken by subsidiaries—under Chinese private investment in Africa. Drawing upon the economic-geographic literature on entrepreneurship, it integrates process- and agency-perspectives to understand the interplay between political-economic contexts, institutional structures, and leadership actions in shaping the intrapreneurial endeavors of Chinese private firms. The process perspective entails seeing intrapreneurial ventures not as singular events but a recursive development of resources, capabilities, and networks in transnational contexts. The agency perspective emphasizes the motivations and actions of subsidiary leaders in charting out new spaces of business opportunities, while also acknowledging the embeddedness of these intrapreneurs in the broader institutional and political-economic landscapes of both host and home countries. The empirical analyses draw upon a multi-year ethnographic research with a Chinese automobile assembler in Ethiopia. Discussions of the firm’s internationalization trajectory—initial market venture, subsidiary business expansion, and recent decline in intrapreneurial momentum—over the past two decades offer a nuanced understanding of the contingent, context-specific, and fluid nature of transnationalizing intrapreneurship associated with Chinese private investment in Africa.

EVALUATION THE STRUCTURE EFFICIENCY OF TESTING EQUIPMENT FOR MANUFACTURE OF AUTOMOBILES

Nowadays, the automotive industry plays a significant role in the structure of domestic me- chanical engineering. There are a large number of enterprises engaged in the production and assembly of cars and trucks of various well-known brands on the territory of our country. A necessary stage in the pro- duction line of automobiles is testing (diagnostics). To diagnose the flow of produced cars, various options for placing technological equipment can be used. In this article, the authors have conducted a study of sev- eral layouts of diagnostic equipment for testing vehicles according to the criterion of the highest throughput using the method of mathematical modeling. As the research results have shown the most efficient equip- ment layout corresponds to the organization of the technological process with a six-post two-beam line. This variant of the organization of the technological process makes it possible to increase the efficiency of the di- agnostic line by almost 2 times. The results of the investigations can be applied to the effective organization of the process of testing automobiles at the enterprises for the production of transport equipment.

Car Door Sound Quality Assessment - A Review for NVH Performance Research

Customer comfort in terms of NVH is a tangible and in-tangible effect. NVH is directly and indirectly connected to the psychoacoustics of human beings and lives. As a part of the advanced NVH analysis, the effects of noise have been studied in terms of psychoacoustic parameters such as loudness, sharpness, roughness, fluctuation strength, tonality, etc. Car door or door assembly is an integral part of the car or vehicle. The door is softly and flexibly connected to the main body of the vehicle; it protects passengers from weather effects and accidental impacts. Because of the inherent flexibility of the door, its flexible connections, sharp - transient closing, and vehicle operational excitations, the door assembly is one of the main sources of noise and vibration in vehicles. It is a prime requirement to understand the NVH effect of doors on vehicles, its analysis and ways of improvement. To understand the current status of the basic and advanced NVH analysis of the door, an extensive survey and in detail study was conducted. The main focus is given on technical papers published related to noise/ sound quality (SQ) during the last two decades, i.e., between 1999 – 2022. Total 31 technical papers were scrutinized and summarized in different categories. Broadly divided into: the number of papers published each year, Number of papers on types of SQ assessment, and the number of papers discussed SQ parameters. This study of these 31 papers published between 1999 – 2022 has given a ready reference for the work done on sound quality, mainly related to the vehicle and its door NVH. The total number of parameters considered by different researchers and approaches used by them to assess the psychoacoustic parameters of noise/ sound. Finally, these parameters and their level help to determine the quality of the sound produced or generated by any source.

David vs Goliath: How Electric Vehicle Penetrate the Conventional Automotive Market in ASEAN

Electric Vehicle is an automotive industry that is predicted to be the future. In particular, in ASEAN, which has two car assembly centers, one of the largest in the world, namely Indonesia and Thailand. But is this industry able to take the market from the fossil fuel car industry? which has been a giant for decades. This study uses an exploratory qualitative approach to process the data found from secondary data and mixed them with deep literature review. The final analysis is also equipped with digital analytical analysis to determine consumer interest in ASEAN. This study finds several strategies for the electric car industry to develop, first the crucial role of government, second is the technological innovation that makes the cost and selling price of electric vehicles become affordable and third, the collaboration of manufacturers in developing this industry in Southeast Asia is mandatory.

Evaluating the advantages of passive exoskeletons and recommendations for design improvements.

Construction and manufacturing workers undertake physically laborious activities which put them at risk of developing serious musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). In the EU, millions of workers are being affected by workplace-related MSDs, inflicting huge financial implications on the European economy. Besides that, increased health problems and financial losses, severe shortages of skilled labor also emerge. The work aims to create awareness and accelerate the adoption of exoskeletons among SMEs and construction workers to reduce MSDs. Large-scale manufacturers and automobile assemblers are more open to adopt exoskeletons, however, the use of exoskeletons in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) is still not recognized. This paper presents an experimental study demonstrating the advantages of different exoskeletons while performing workers' tasks. The study illustrates how the use of certain upper and lower body exoskeletons can reduce muscle effort. The muscle activity of the participants was measured using EMG sensors and was compared while performing designated tasks. It was found that up to 60% reduction in human effort can be achieved while performing the same tasks using exoskeletons. This can also help ill workers in rehabilitation and putting them back to work. The study concludes with pragmatic recommendations for future exoskeletons.

Optimization of the automobile engine assembly process using simulation modeling

In today’s world, internal combustion engines (ICEs) continue to play a key role in mobility and economic development. With the growing demand for vehicles and equipment with internal combustion engines, the urgency of developing new, more efficient methods for their production also increases. The purpose of this work is to increase the efficiency of the internal combustion engine assembly process by analyzing bottlenecks at the production site using a simulation model. A simulation model of internal combustion engine assembly using modern methods and tools of the AnyLogic environment is presented.

The impact of the degree of automation on the configuration of a car battery assembly line

This paper presents the concept of an automotive battery assembly line. The line includes in its structure fully and semi-automated assembly sockets, as well as manual assembly sockets. The transport between the sockets is carried out using an AGV autonomous trolley system. The selection of the assembly process execution method was based on an analysis of the technical feasibility of the process as well as an analysis of the occupation time of individual assembly stations. The resulting line structure indicates to what extent the automation of the assembly process contributes to a change in material flow and influences the way the process is carried out, including a variety of technical means used. The paper presents an analysis of the use of particular workstations. This analysis was used to optimise the flow of the component assembly line. Maximum utilisation of the resources involved in the production process was used as a criterion for optimisation.

Assembly workshops in virtual reality as an integral part of the assembly planning process

Within the assembly planning process for automotive assembly lines, virtual reality (VR) systems are used mainly on a project-by-project basis. So far, there is no information about the knowledge gained from such workshops and the transferability of the results. Integration of VR as a standard process within the assembly planning has considerable potential. This paper addresses the question of how shopfloor employees and assembly planners can work efficiently in virtual environments on a solution for a concrete planning problem. Existing concepts for virtual workshops are analyzed and a multi-stage procedure for assembly workshops is derived. The assembly workshops in VR are used as a communication platform for different stakeholders, with a focus on the exchange with shopfloor employees. An implementation of the concept concerning its functionality is carried out based on a use case of the design of assembly tools for an automobile assembly line. For this purpose, an assembly platform for the accessibility of an assembly point inside the rear trunk of an automobile is designed in a joint VR workshop and transferred to an operational assembly line. The results show a broad acceptance of the developed solution among the employees.

Advances in 4.0 technologies in the Mexican automotive industry

The automotive industry is one of the most dynamic in the Mexican economy. In the last three decades it has been export-oriented, has shown important flows of foreign direct investment and has incorporated technological advances due to its links with global automotive production chains. The hierarchical relations of these chains force companies to manage production standards and practices based on the decisions of car assemblers. In the last decade, the global automotive industry has been incorporating 4.0 technologies to produce increasingly sophisticated modules, software, connectivity and other components for cars. How is this trend affecting companies in Mexico? The article presents an exploratory analysis of the scope and scale of the progress of I4.0 technologies in companies in Mexico, based on a survey applied in 2022, some interviews, documents and available data.JEL classification: L62, O14, O33.