Evolution of Robust Manufacturing Process in Machining of DC Motor Commutator Using Complementing Problem Solving Tools

Abstract

Machining the mica insulation in commutator to provide under cut in the surface of contact with the carbon brush is a vital process related to the life of the product. Complete removal of mica in the contact surface is essential and this requires complex sensing and positioning of the thin mica layer during machining. This study revealed improving the sensing and positioning technologies is not adequate and evolved a robust product-process design to overcome the real root cause of variations in the manufacturing process. Combined use of orthogonal array, Shainin technique, physical-mechanism analysis, relations-diagram and evaporating-cloud method complemented the problem solving approach in gaining knowledge and evolving robustness.