15. - 17. 5. 2013, Brno, Czech Republic, EU PROCESS MANAGEMENT IN THE CAST IRON FOUNDRY Robert ULEWICZ, Jacek SELEJDAK, Stanisław BORKOWSKI, Marta JAGUSIAK-KOCIK Czestochowa University of Technology, Poland, EU, ulewicz@zim.pcz.pl; jacek.s@zim.pcz.pl;bork@zim.pcz.pl; m.jagusiak-kocik@o2.pl Abstract In the paper results of the research on quality level of the chosen assortment of casts were presented and a method for evaluating the effectiveness of quality assurance systems operating in foundries was proposed. It has been shown that the obtained improvement in the quality of cast processes and products was a consequence of the implementation of the process management principles in the cast iron foundries and the use of FMEA method to improve product quality. For each stage of the production process the risk of nonconformities was determined, which contributed to increased knowledge of the on-going processes. The matrix taking into account the place of nonconformities occurrence, the cause and the risk degree of nonconformities in the process were shown. Keywords: quality, cast iron, FMEA method 1. INTRODUCTION The process approach aims at effective management of the whole organization and proceeding processes. The result of one process leads to the occurrence of another one. In addition, they are connected due to the feedback, that is carrying out one process in an appropriate way influences the course of the other ones. Both systematic identification and rational management of all processes, and mutual interaction between them are indispensable in the company [1]. Process-oriented management in a foundry has an influence on reducing the incompatibilities, improving the control of technological processes quality and products, which are manufactured in these processes and finally, ensuring that all acquired resources are well-managed. A lot of factors impact the a cast product quality. From the technical side, quality is keeping parameters which have been ordered from a foundry by a customer. The most common requirements set to the casts include: keeping dimensions and shape, hardness and smoothness of a surface, lack of visible or hidden incompatibilities, strength, leaktightness, an appropriate structure and a chemical constitution of a cast material [2]. Any departures from the established arrangements make up an incompatibility which has to be eliminated. In this paper, the problem of eliminating errors (which lead to manufacturing incompatible products) in production has been dealt with, with regard to a selected assortment of a company. Methodology can be adopted to all company products, contributing to reduction in an incompatibility level in general. 2. IMPROVING QUALITY OF PRODUCTS For research purposes, a family of products in the object of study has been distinguished, for which a process-mapping has been made. Identification of incompatibilities allocated to a particular process in a given family of products has been prepared for the defined processes. As a result of the conducted studies, a juxtaposition of the incompatibilities allocated to a particular process has been obtained, Fig. 1. The quantification of the incompatibilities has been presented according to the Pareto-Lorezna principle [3÷5]. Conclusions drawn from Fig. 1 include confirming the occurrence of about 72% of the incompatible products out of 100% in the initial processes P1-P6. Therefore, the quality of an examined product is formed in basic foundry processes. The next step in the analysis is determining the risk of errors occurrence in the selected processes.