Since new product designs have little field data available a correlation between field and accelerated test life cannot be made. However, a step partially accelerated life test approach where samples are tested under normal conditions for a time and then run to failure on an accelerated test can be used to estimate the statistical model parameters. This thesis developed the maximum likelihood parameter estimates for a step partially accelerated life test based on a Weibull distribution model for a hypothetical automotive component. Using a Monte Carlo approach with type-II censoring, the effect of sample size and length of sampling period used on the variability of the estimated parameters was examined. A smaller sampling period and small sizes lead to significant variability, which decreased as the sampling period and sample size increased. Use of a partitioned sample did not lead to an improvement in the variability of the estimates. / Department of Mathematical Sciences

Thesis (MComm)--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Globalization has shifted to a level where market competition is tougher. Therefore, multinational companies focus on cutting cost along the company’s supply chain with heavy scrutiny on procurement. Developing countries have become very attractive from which to strategically procure commodities because of low cost labour, especially from the People’s Republic of China. The business complexity, ethics and current market situation in China are often too modestly emphasized. Yet, these elements have a significant impact on the sourcing decision because it indirectly influences the total landed cost of a commodity but is not taken into account. Therefore, the total landed cost on which sourcing decisions are made, does not reflect the actual total landed cost of a commodity. In many cases multinational companies sourcing from China do not realise the impact of the hidden cost involved and do not reach the expected cost savings as calculated. The purpose of this study is to explore why more attention must be paid to hidden cost when automotive commodities are procured from China. This, as well as the research methodology used in order to obtain the data, is explained in chapter one. Chapter two of this thesis illustrates the change in a company’s supply chain and discusses this in a global sourcing context. The sourcing commodity, which is the point of focus in this study, is automotive commodities sourced from China and is discussed in chapter three. Based on China’s increased presence in global sourcing of automotive commodities, chapter four focuses on China’s integration into the global supply chain. The influential factors that have an impact (hidden cost) on the actual landed cost of commodities sourced from China are described in chapter five and identified as guanxi, indirect business logistic obstacles, quality of goods and supply, management, the labour market and training, and Intellectual Property Rights (IPR). In chapter six the influential factors, as described in chapter five, are analysed through a case study of Daimler Chrysler China Limited. Chapter seven is a comparative study of Japan’s miracle economy from 1960-1980 and the current economic trends in China to determine whether it will be feasible to procure automotive commodities from China in the future with regards to the economic indicators. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Globalisering het verskuif na ʼn vlak waar mark kompetisie meer gekonsentreerd is. Daarom fokus multinasionale maatskappye ernstig daarop om kostes langs die aanvoerketting van die maatskappy te verminder deur te konsentreer op die aanskaffingsproses. Ontwikkelende lande het uiters aanloklik geword as bestemming in die strategiese aanskaffingsproses van goedere weens lae arbeidskoste, veral vanaf Sjina. Tans word die besigheidskompleksiteit, etiek en die markkondisie in Sjina meestal onderbeklemtoon. Daarenteen het die faktore ‘n gewigtige impak op die aanskaffingsbesluit omdat dit die totale koste by aankoms indirek beïnvloed. Gevolglik reflekteer die totale koste by aankoms, waarop aanskaffigsbesluite gegrond word, nie die werklike koste van aankoms van goedere nie. In menige gevalle behaal multinasionale maatskappye nie die verwagte kostebesparing soos bereken vir goedere wat vanaf Sjina aangeskaf word nie omdat die multinasionale maatskappye onbewus is van die impak wat die versteekte koste op die totale koste by aankoms het. Die doel van hierdie studie is ‘n ondersoek na die redes waarom daar meer beklemtoning moet wees op versteekte koste wanneer goedere uit Sjina aangeskaf word. Dit, sowel as die navorsingmetodes wat gebruik is om die inligting vir die studie in te win en akkuraat deur te gee, word verduidelik in hoofstuk een. Hoofstuk twee bespreek die verandering in 'n maatskappy se aanvoerketting in ʼn globale aanskaffingskonteks. Hoofstuk drie fokus op redes vir Sjina se toenemende verteenwoordige rol in die globale aanskaffing van goedere en op die aanskaffing van motorvoertuigparte uit Sjina. Met betrekking tot die globale aanskaffing van goedere word die integrasie van Sjina in die globale aanskaffingsketting in hoofstuk vier bespreek. Die beïnvloedende faktore wat 'n impak (versteekte koste) op die werklike koste by aankoms van die motorvoertuigparte wat aangeskaf word vanaf Sjina het, word bespreek in hoofstuk vyf en geïdentifiseer as guanxi, indirekte besigheidslogistiek hindernisse, die kwaliteit van goedere en die aanskaffing daarvan, bestuur in Sjina, die Sjinese arbeidsmark en opleiding in die werksplek, en intellektuele eiendomsreg. In hoofstuk ses word die beïnvloedende faktore (soos bespreek in hoofstuk vyf) geanaliseer deur ʼn gevalle studie van Daimler Chrysler Sjina Beperk. Hoofstuk sewe is ʼn vergelykende studie tussen Japan se wonder ekonomie van 1960-1980 en die huidige ekonomiese tendens in Sjina om te bepaal hetsy dit moontlik sal wees om motorvoertuigparte aan te skaf vanaf Sjina in die toekoms met betrekking tot die ekonomiese indikatore.

Submitted by Maria de Lourdes Mariano (lmariano@ufscar.br) on 2017-01-06T12:36:53Z No. of bitstreams: 1 ANDRADE_Luciana_2016a.pdf: 1603748 bytes, checksum: 75785bce7d6b4d0242d88798ed9dd14e (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Maria de Lourdes Mariano (lmariano@ufscar.br) on 2017-01-06T12:37:13Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 ANDRADE_Luciana_2016a.pdf: 1603748 bytes, checksum: 75785bce7d6b4d0242d88798ed9dd14e (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Maria de Lourdes Mariano (lmariano@ufscar.br) on 2017-01-06T12:37:21Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 ANDRADE_Luciana_2016a.pdf: 1603748 bytes, checksum: 75785bce7d6b4d0242d88798ed9dd14e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-01-06T12:37:28Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 ANDRADE_Luciana_2016a.pdf: 1603748 bytes, checksum: 75785bce7d6b4d0242d88798ed9dd14e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-04-01 / Não recebi financiamento / With the crisis that has been going the automotive industry last year, it is necessary that companies in the auto parts sector go forward several changes to remain competitive. In this context, organizational innovation, which has the organizational culture as one of its main determinants, it is a key pillar of support competitiveness. Thus, this work is a multicases study in five large suppliers companies of auto parts of the metropolitan area of Sorocaba, aimed to analyze the practices of organizational innovation, and identify the factors related to the organizational culture of these companies are the key to the organizational innovation. As result, it was found that the adoption of organizational innovation practices is due to isomorphism in the automotive industries, but the organizational culture focused on innovation is essential for the occurrence of organizational innovation, and features such as financial (reward system, financial resources), organizational architecture (market orientation, mission, value and leadership), management tools (support innovation, teamwork, acceptance of risk and error tolerance, creativity, communication and management systems) are fundamentals. As factors that hinder organizational innovation were basically found problems related to people as: outgoing employees, lack of discipline, motivation, overwork, predesigned concepts, difficult to accept changes and unhappiness. The centralization of power, lack of autonomy and authoritarian leadership were also mentioned as inhibitors to the occurrence of organizational innovation. / Com a crise que vem passando a indústria automotiva, devido à redução de demanda no ano de 2015, torna-se necessário que as empresas do setor de autopeças passem por diversas mudanças para continuarem competitivas. Nesse contexto, a inovação organizacional, que tem a cultura organizacional como um dos seus principais determinantes, torna-se um pilar fundamental de sustentação da competitividade. Assim, esse trabalho, um estudo multicasos realizado em cinco empresas de grande porte fornecedoras de autopeças da região metropolitana de Sorocaba, teve como objetivo analisar as práticas da inovação organizacional, além de identificar os fatores relacionados à cultura organizacional dessas empresas que são determinantes à inovação organizacional. Como resultado encontrou-se que a adoção de práticas de inovação organizacional ocorre devido ao isomorfismo nas indústrias automotivas, porém a cultura organizacional voltada à inovação é imprescindível para a ocorrência de inovação organizacional, e características como recursos financeiros (sistema de recompensas, recursos financeiro), arquitetura organizacional (orientação para mercado, missão, valor e liderança), ferramentas gerenciais (suporte à inovação, trabalho em equipe, aceitação ao risco e tolerância ao erro, criatividade, comunicação e sistemas de gestão) são fundamentais. Como fatores que dificultam a inovação organizacional foram encontrados basicamente problemas relacionados aos recursos humanos como: saída de funcionários,falta de disciplina, motivação, sobrecarga, conceitos pré-concebidos, dificuldades para aceitar mudanças e insatisfação. A centralização de poder, a falta de autonomia e liderança autoritária também foram citados como inibidores a ocorrência da inovação organizacional.

Today‘s customers expect zero defects with just-in-time (JIT) delivery from their suppliers, for the specified quantities, as a matter of standard practice. More importantly, customers expect companies to help them know what they need in terms of quantities and quality now, and for the future. No other change process adds long-term value as quickly as zero defects. Companies failing to embrace this quality culture face difficult challenges. To achieve this level of performance requires tremendous focus in an organisation and throughout its supply base. Business models around the world are changing dramatically from the "Source Local" to the "Source Anywhere and Build Anywhere" model (Cummins, 2008: 19). Companies have shifted away from a hierarchical, one-dimensional, supply chain entity to a fragmented network in favor of strategic partnerships with external entities. Many businesses facing such models are experiencing challenges and, if not managed correctly, can find themselves struggling to compete in this new landscape. Thus, when price concessions are so stringent, quality has to suffer. To reduce costs, suppliers are forced to seek less expensive ways to produce parts and components. Does this mean the use of different, less expensive materials? Does this mean less skilled labor? Does this mean production shortcuts? Or does this mean that suppliers just bite the bullet and pay the price? Once all the costs have been extracted from the supply chain, the only thing left to suffer is quality. The underlying objective of this research is to investigate the impact of delivery performance for a selected part at General Motors South Africa. In order to develop a research strategy to deal with, and solve, the main problem, the following research questions have been identified: a) What can be learned from literature about the impact of quality costs? b) Why is this specific part a suitable candidate for a cost investigation? c) What are the processes involved if a defect occurs? d) How can the cost be estimated? e) What effect does poor supplier quality have on productivity? This dissertation aims to investigate the problems and challenges General Motors South Africa are facing pertaining to the delivery performance of a selected part. The dissertation will also strive to highlight the impact of poor supplier quality on productivity and the related cost implications. Conclusions and recommendations will furthermore be outlined.

Submitted by Milena Rubi (milenarubi@ufscar.br) on 2016-10-14T18:54:50Z No. of bitstreams: 1 ANDRADE_Luciana_2016.pdf: 1052203 bytes, checksum: c00a3bc54b11755a2913e09b1343aebe (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Milena Rubi (milenarubi@ufscar.br) on 2016-10-14T18:55:07Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 ANDRADE_Luciana_2016.pdf: 1052203 bytes, checksum: c00a3bc54b11755a2913e09b1343aebe (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Milena Rubi (milenarubi@ufscar.br) on 2016-10-14T18:55:20Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 ANDRADE_Luciana_2016.pdf: 1052203 bytes, checksum: c00a3bc54b11755a2913e09b1343aebe (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-10-14T18:55:36Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 ANDRADE_Luciana_2016.pdf: 1052203 bytes, checksum: c00a3bc54b11755a2913e09b1343aebe (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-04-01 / Não recebi financiamento / With the crisis that has been going the automotive industry last year, it is necessary that companies in the auto parts sector go forward several changes to remain competitive. In this context, organizational innovation, which has the organizational culture as one of its main determinants, it is a key pillar of support competitiveness. Thus, this work is a multicases study in five large suppliers companies of auto parts of the metropolitan area of Sorocaba, aimed to analyze the practices of organizational innovation, and identify the factors related to the organizational culture of these companies are the key to the organizational innovation. As result, it was found that the adoption of organizational innovation practices is due to isomorphism in the automotive industries, but the organizational culture focused on innovation is essential for the occurrence of organizational innovation, and features such as financial (reward system, financial resources), organizational architecture (market orientation, mission, value and leadership), management tools (support innovation, teamwork, acceptance of risk and error tolerance, creativity, communication and management systems) are fundamentals. As factors that hinder organizational innovation were basically found problems related to people as: outgoing employees, lack of discipline, motivation, overwork, predesigned concepts, difficult to accept changes and unhappiness. The centralization of power, lack of autonomy and authoritarian leadership were also mentioned as inhibitors to the occurrence of organizational innovation. / Com a crise que vem passando a indústria automotiva, devido à redução de demanda no ano de 2015, torna-se necessário que as empresas do setor de autopeças passem por diversas mudanças para continuarem competitivas. Nesse contexto, a inovação organizacional, que tem a cultura organizacional como um dos seus principais determinantes, torna-se um pilar fundamental de sustentação da competitividade. Assim, esse trabalho, um estudo multicasos realizado em cinco empresas de grande porte fornecedoras de autopeças da região metropolitana de Sorocaba, teve como objetivo analisar as práticas da inovação organizacional, além de identificar os fatores relacionados à cultura organizacional dessas empresas que são determinantes à inovação organizacional. Como resultado encontrou-se que a adoção de práticas de inovação organizacional ocorre devido ao isomorfismo nas indústrias automotivas, porém a cultura organizacional voltada à inovação é imprescindível para a ocorrência de inovação organizacional, e características como recursos financeiros (sistema de recompensas, recursos financeiro), arquitetura organizacional (orientação para mercado, missão, valor e liderança), ferramentas gerenciais (suporte à inovação, trabalho em equipe, aceitação ao risco e tolerância ao erro, criatividade, comunicação e sistemas de gestão) são fundamentais. Como fatores que dificultam a inovação organizacional foram encontrados basicamente problemas relacionados aos recursos humanos como: saída de funcionários,falta de disciplina, motivação, sobrecarga, conceitos pré-concebidos, dificuldades para aceitar mudanças e insatisfação. A centralização de poder, a falta de autonomia e liderança autoritária também foram citados como inibidores a ocorrência da inovação organizacional.

Orientador: Roseana da Exaltação Trevisan / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Mecanica / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-06T20:28:37Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Maia_IvanGoncalves_M.pdf: 1727519 bytes, checksum: 4ae95467cd56b424526ca03c4f577c25 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2005 / Resumo: Visando solucionar o problema da ocorrência de poros em um cordão de solda de um eixo automotivo, o presente trabalho apresenta um estudo da influência de diferentes fatores na ocorrência de porosidade em juntas de aço soldadas pelo processo MIG/MAG robotizado. Basicamente, foi estudada a influência de três fatores na ocorrência dos poros. São eles, a presença de uma camada rica em nitretos na extremidade de um dos tubos que compõe a junta, a limpeza das superfícies a serem soldadas e a vazão do gás de proteção. Após a soldagem dos corpos de prova foram retiradas de cada um deles, três amostras da seção transversal do cordão de solda. A porosidade foi quantificada pela técnica de análise metalográfica por microscopia ótica. Os resultados de porosidade foram apresentados de duas maneiras, uma sem qualquer tipo de restrição quanto aos poros encontrados, e outra em que houve distinção quanto à localização dos poros na seção transversal do cordão de solda. Quando a porosidade foi quantificada de maneira geral, sem qualquer tipo de distinção quanto à localização dos poros, dois fatores influenciaram a ocorrência de poros na junta soldada. São eles, a presença da camada rica em nitretos e a vazão do gás de proteção. No outro caso, levando em consideração a localização dos poros na seção transversal do cordão de solda, foi constatado que para o caso dos poros localizados na raiz da junta, a presença da camada rica em nitretos gerada pelo processo de corte a plasma na extremidade do tubo correspondente ao metal-base 1 afetou significativamente a porosidade resultante no cordão de solda. Além dos ensaios experimentais, ensaios práticos foram realizados no próprio chão de fabrica de produção dos eixos. A realização de ensaios práticos visou avaliar a solução proposta para eliminação da ocorrência de porosidade no cordão de solda dos eixos. Os resultados destes ensaios comprovaram que a substituição do gás utilizado para o corte a plasma na extremidade do tubo correspondente ao metal-base 1, de ar comprimido por oxigênio puro, inibiu a formação dos poros / Abstract: In order to solve the occurrence of pores in weld beads of an automotive axle, the present work studies the influence of three different factors on the occurrence of porosity in joints welded by robotized GMAW process. The factors analyzed were: the presence of a region enriched by nitrides on the surface of the tube related to the base metal 1, the surface cleanliness of the joint components, and the shielding gas flow. Three samples of the weld bead transversal section were retired in each specimen. The porosity was quantified by metalographic analysis technique using an optical microscope. The results were presented by two different ways. In one of this ways, pores were quantified without any kind of distinction. In the other way, pores were grouped in accordance of their location in the weld bead transversal section. The pores quantified without any kind of distinction were affected by the ¿presence of the coat¿ and by the shielding gas flow. The pores located near the joint root were affected only by the ¿presence of the coat¿. In addition to the experimental specimens, practical experiments were made in the axles line production. These practical experiments were developed to evaluate a proposed solution to prevent the occurrence of the pores on the weld bead of the axles. The results of these practical experiments proved that changing the compressed air used in the plasma cut of the extremities of the tube related to the base metal 1 by pure oxygen gas inhibited the pores formation / Mestrado / Materiais e Processos de Fabricação / Mestre em Engenharia Mecânica

Orientador: Jefferson de Oliveira Gomes / Dissertação (mestrado profissional) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Mecânica / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-18T21:19:44Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Salis_JoseInacio_M.pdf: 2122046 bytes, checksum: a3f3d2da343206638985fedfc73cf69f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011 / Resumo: Este trabalho pretende avaliar se o processo de remanufatura de um determinado componente automotivo pode ser considerado como uma solução para algumas das principais questões relacionadas à sustentabilidade do respectivo processo de manufatura convencional. Como estudo de caso foi utilizado o processo de fabricação de um braço de controle de um sistema de suspensão veicular. A análise contextualizou as etapas de desenvolvimento de produtos de componentes automotivos, do seu ciclo de vida, da logística envolvida, sempre dentro de um ambiente sustentável. Em função do elevado número de parâmetros a serem avaliados e classificados em grau de representatividade ou contribuição, percebeu-se a necessidade de estudo de métodos para auxílio na tomada de decisão. Sendo assim, foram utilizados diferentes conceitos como a caracterização de Engenharia do Ciclo de Vida (ECV) e ferramentas inerentes para Análise do Ciclo de Vida (ACV) e determinação do Custo do Ciclo de Vida (CCV), além dos dois métodos multicriteriais diferentes, o Método de Função de Desdobramento da Qualidade ou Quality Function Deployment (QFD), assim como o Método de Análise Hierárquica ou Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). Os resultados foram apresentados por meio de um diagrama ternário, co-relacionando os critérios técnicos, econômicos e os impactos ambientais envolvidos / Abstract: This work wants to check if the remanufacturing process of a certain component automobile can be considered as a solution to some of the main issues related to the sustainability of its conventional manufacturing process. As a study case it was used to the analysis the manufacturing process of a control arm of the vehicle suspension system. Contextualized analysis stages of product development of automotive components, the life cycle of the same, the logistics involved, always within a sustainable environment. Due to the large number of parameters to be evaluated and classified as degree of representativeness or contribution, realized the need to study methods to aid in decision making. Therefore, different concepts were used to the characterization of Life Cycle Engineering (LCE) and associated tools for Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) and determining the Life Cycle Cost (LCC), in addition to the two different multicriterial methods, Method of Quality Function Deployment (QFD), as well as the Method of Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The results were presented using a ternary diagram, co-relating the technical criteria, economic criteria and environmental impacts involved / Mestrado / Manufatura / Mestre em Engenharia Automobilistica

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the Master’s Degree in Business Administration, Durban University of Technology, 2017. / Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in South Africa (SA) contribute significantly to job creation, wealth, social stability, economic growth and reduction of poverty. While research has been conducted, with regard to customer’s perception for entire world, not too many studies have focused on the automotive sector, with specific reference to the Durban Metropolitan areas. Therefore the understanding of the factors affecting Automotive SMEs are clearly defined and explained, in order to help entrepreneurs to improve product quality and attract customers to the business. Furthermore, the study focused on examining the customers’ perceptions towards product quality. The research sample was selected using convenience sampling because populations are easily available to the researcher. The target population for this study were all owners of SMEs in the automotive sector in Durban. Based on the census study, the sample size of the study was 120 owners of the SMEs in the Durban Metropolitan Areas. A combined method of both quantitative and qualitative techniques were employed, while the analysis of data was done using the Statistics Package for Social Scientists (SPSS) version 23.0, with the result presented by figures developed in Microsoft Excel and cross tabulation tables. Various techniques were tested such as (Pearson Chi-square Test, qualitative analysis and, factor analysis). However, the report based on testing techniques were as follows: The result of the gender participants of males were greater than females who participated in the study. Therefore, the Pearson Chi-square Test was done and the result state that p = .000. Qualitative analysis was tested and the result report of “what exactly are the customers’ perceptions towards product quality in the business”. However, the result of the qualitative analysis shows that the larger number of the respondents, they felt that “good customer service” were their customers’ perceptions in the study. Factor analysis was also tested using KMO and Bartlett’s Test to present results. The result of Bartleytt’s Test of Sphericity was = 212.800; Sig = .000 this indicated that the data were appropriate for the purpose of factors analysis. The result of Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of Sampling Adequacy was = .609. This result shows that there were sufficient items for each factor. The findings of the study revealed that lack of managerial skills and development negatively compromises product quality of the automotive sector. The findings further revealed that creativity and necessary entrepreneurial skills influence implementation of sustainable growth of SMEs, and the entrepreneur’s success depends on the identification of crucial entrepreneurial skills for starting a business as well as for helping the business to survive and grow in the early stages. Therefore, capacity building for SME owners to sustain business growth is recommended. The results of the study further revealed that the absence of financial support from financial institutions delays the improvement of stock in the business as this is an obstacle resulting in the unsustainability of the SMEs in the long term. / M