Application of Mahalanobis-Taguchi system and design of experiments to reduce the field failures of splined shafts

What is it about?

The purpose of this study is to reduce the field failures of splined shafts. The paper also demonstrates the application of Mahalanobis – Taguchi system (MTS) for identifying the variables critical for discriminating failed and good shafts. The field failure analysis was carried out to identify the major reasons for shaft failures. Then MTS is used to discriminate the failed and good shafts. The variables critical for distinguishing the shafts are then identified using MTS and Placket - Burman design. Finally the induction hardening process is optimized to minimize the variation around the target values of these critical variables. The study showed that the hardness at six different distances from surface to core are the critical variables discriminating failed shafts from good ones. The target hardness at these six distances are identified and the variation around the targets are minimized. The study resulted in reducing the field failures from 0.32 % to 0.029%.

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Why is it important?

This study provides valuable information on how to identify the variables critical for discriminating failed and good shafts. The study also provides an approach to minimize the variation around the target values of these critical variables To the best of author’s knowledge, no study has been conducted using MTS to discriminate the failed shafts from the good ones. In addition, no attempt has been made in the past to identify the hardness profile target for splined shafts using MTS and Placket Burman design.

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