Improving Production Efficiency of Large Size Molds as a Result of Innovative Quality Control Process

Abstract One of the basic elements of the technological chain of manufacturing products in the European Union is the metal processing sector, which is one of the dynamically developing industries. An important department in the aforementioned sector is the production of unconventional, large-size injection molds and tools weighing more than 10 tons. Very often large-size components in the production process must be precisely checked and subjected to appropriate corrective actions at the quality control stage, in order to avoid non-compliance with customer requirements, and thus increased costs related to reducing production efficiency, logistics of large-size elements from the customer back to the manufacturer of the mold in order to correct it, and also complaints of the final product connected with dimensional changes and surface defects in the casting process. This paper presents a case study of the implementation of the innovative quality control process to verify the production of large-size molds for aluminum high pressure casting with the spotting press machine, allowing for product quality improvement. The introduction of the innovative press for spotting molds to the quality control stage also leads to the improvement of production efficiency, which was confirmed by the results of an increase of the OEE coefficient in the entire production process. In addition, a significant reduction in the production time of products was achieved, and the cost of the mold production process was lowered.