Project purpose: to investigate if there is a correlation between repaired castings delivered from the supplier and weld defects occurring in the manufacturing processes of a large structural component of an aircraft engine at Volvo Aero, in order to minimise weld defects and subsequent rework, inspection procedures and overall lead-time, through a revision of the specifications of the castings.

Organisation: VOLVO AERO CORPORATION

Duration of the project: five months (2011)

Black Belt candidate team:

Sören Knuts, Ph.D., Volvo Aero Corporation

Arnela Tunovic and Henric Ericsson—masters students.

Phases carried on and implemented tools: Define (project charter, Gantt chart, ‘Y’ and ‘y’ definitions, cause-and-effect diagram, business case, log book on meetings, SIPOC, process map) – Measure (interviews, observation, drawings, work sheets, histograms, Gauge R&R) – Analyse (correlation, regression, process map, cause-and-effect matrix, FMEA, VMEA).