Abstract
Parts traceability plays a significant role in the automotive industry as regulations, and warranty issues take a front seat in the minds of the industry, there are constrains in identifying sheet metal material information in vehicle. In BIW the material complexity (bare/coated/higher grades) are increasing day by day because of different regional requirements and also focus is on light weights. Currently raw material information, manufacturing date, batch code of sheet metal coils are coded in coils from raw material supplier and scanned before processing the coils. This information can be traced from vehicle identification number of the vehicle and back to batch code of raw material. The objective of this study is to have end to end traceability of raw material information from blanks to final vehicle in the part and information’s to be retrieved on the spot. The code can be used as error proofing in press to verify the material fed in the press before initiating the operation, this method is path way to achieve “ZERO DEFECT”. Information’s like coil number, blank number, material type, thickness, part number, raw material supplier, manufacturing location and batch code are coded as barcode and engraved in coils / blanks, with different sizes, positions and depth of engraving (scribing method) in visible B-surface of blank coils (Liftgate outer and inner). These coils will be formed in all stages of press and final part will be processed through painting process. The barcode information will be decoded in final painted part and validate with the information that was fed initially. The barcode type and process that can withstand stamping and painting process will be selected at the end of the study. The same barcode will be used in product drawing as a master to scan in press. Before processing the raw information scanned from drawing will be compared with information in blank; if both the Information’s are matching then press should process, else alarm should be given to alert that wrong raw material is fed in press and press should not process the raw material. Raw material information engraved in sheet metal blanks / coil at intervals by scribing method can be validated with information in product drawing that is fed in press for validating before starting operation. The same barcode can for used as end to end traceability of raw material information from blanks to final vehicle and retrieving information on the spot. This will help in improving product traceability capabilities of stamping parts. This study will be done in skin panel that has flanges where the barcoding can be done and study is done for 0.65 – 0.7 mm thick blanks. Skin panels that does not have flanges like Hood outer is not included in study. This process provides end to end traceability of raw material information from blank till final built vehicle after passing to press and painting process. Acts as error proofing technique for raw material mix up in plant / supplier and also provides on the spot information compared to current process of batch code tracking through Vehicle Identification Number. Identified bar code that is scribed in blanks / coil at intervals after processing in press and processed through painting process, can be decoded and traced in end vehicle. This process avoids raw material mix up issues and also improves end to end traceability of raw material information and also provides quick information compared to current process of batch code tracking through Vehicle Identification Number.