A QC system for fluorescent magnetic particle inspection of crankshafts for motor cars was mounted at the forge plant of KAMAZ (part of Rostec State Corporation) for two weeks.
The forge plant mastered the production of new crankshafts for motor cars a year ago. To customize the forging shape, the standard process of crankshaft drop stamping was changed with the use of know-how not applied by making other KAMAZ forged products. Changes also affected finishing operations in the heat-treating department: shot-blasting, hand and gauge inspection, fluorescent inspection, deseaming, product packaging. These operations were carried out in different places of the finishing department, which resulted in unnecessary moves. Such losses were unacceptable by serial production to be launched, so the decision was taken to localize all operations on one line. After shot-blasting, a forging undergoes hand and gauge inspection followed by fluorescent magnetic particle inspection. In case there are no defects revealed at this post, the casting is packed, otherwise it undergoes deseaming.
The whole process is layed out into one production line and automated. Crankshafts are unceasingly transported on a belt-type conveyor from one operation to another. The post of fluorescent magnetic inspection was created anew. The design service prepared documents, and the workers repairing and maintaining the forging and stamping equipment upgraded the machine.