Influence of the Process Parameters on the Quality and Efficiency of the Resistance Spot Welding Process of Advanced High-Strength Complex-Phase Steels

In this study, the effects of electrical characteristics of an inverter combined with main welding parameters on the resistance spot weldability of advanced high strength steels (AHSS) CP1000 is investigated. The main welding parameters, current and time, were varied. The effects on the geometry and microstructure of the weld spot, the diameter of the weld pad, the hardness, the shear strength, and the efficiency of the process were studied, and the results were compared for two switching frequencies of the medium frequency converter. Furthermore, the weldability lobes were obtained as a function of the shear strength, for both frequencies. This work shows that the quality of the welding, in the established terms, is better when a lower frequency is used, even though the parameterization of the welding equipment can be easier for higher frequencies.

Development of a Smart Manufacturing Execution System Architecture for SMEs: A Czech Case Study

This study investigates the application of a smart manufacturing execution system (SMES) based on the current controlling structure in a medium-sized company in the Czech Republic. Based on existing approaches on the architecture of SMESs, this paper develops a sample architecture grounded in the current controlling structure of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). While only a few papers on approaches to the given topic exist, this approach makes use of operative production controlling data and uses a standardisation module to provide standardised data. The sample architecture was validated with a case study on a Czech SME. This case study was conducted on two different entities of one production company suggesting differences in the entities due to the nature of production. The research showed that simple tasks with intelligent welding equipment allow for a working SMES architecture, while complex assembly works with a high extent of human labour, and a high number of components still remain an obstacle. This research contributes to gathering more understanding of SMES architectures in SMEs by making use of a standardisation module.