Case Study - Power Steering Return Hose Assembly

The Challenge

Honda Manufacturing of Indiana needed to relocate the assembly operation for the power steering return hose assembly outside of the vehicle assembly plant to “free up” floor space for another operation. Historically, this assembly work was done on the vehicle assembly plant floor close to where the return hose assembly is installed in the vehicle. Moving the work outside the vehicle assembly plant was a new approach for the U.S. Honda Civic Team. Of concern was that the Honda Civic Team did not have U.S.-based experience with the assembly done outside the vehicle assembly plant. After reviewing several potential suppliers, Honda selected Indiana Assemblies (IA), LLC. The project was awarded to IA in April, 2008 and first sample parts were due in July, 2008 – three months after the award. The most significant challenge was to meet drawing specifications for the location and orientation of several hose clamps while improving cost, quality and operation efficiency.

How IA Addressed the Challenge

IA Engineers performed a study of the finished return hose assembly to determine critical control points and how to process the part. The team adhered to a rigid APQP process that enabled them to produce a product quality plan that allowed them to exceed the requirements of our customer. Engineers conducted Process Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (PFMEA) of the selected assembly processes to ensure all potential build problems were prevented. IA Engineers designed a fixture to assemble the return hose assembly in a single cell. They organized the required quality checks in a Product Quality Control Table (PQCT) and they utilized the APQP process to ensure build processes consistently yielded high quality assemblies. Hose clamps location and orientation were now better controlled than in the past.

The Benefits of the IA Solution

The solution demonstrated to the Honda Civic, U. S., Team that power steering return hose assemblies built outside the vehicle assembly plant could meet and exceed their quality, delivery and cost targets. The IA solution resulted in at least 1400 square feet of critical floor space “freed up” in the vehicle assembly plant to use for other manufacturing operations.