Pennsylvania State University 

Industrial Project

 

Westinghouse Government Services  

 

Goal: To Improve the Rotor Canning Process in the Manufacturing of Motor Pumps

          

 

   Team: JoAnn Fabrizio

                     Edward Faylo

               Raeanne Mokowski

               John Mazzolla

               Christine Myers

 

Executive Summary

Westinghouse Government Services manufactures coolant pumps and generators for submarines and aircraft carriers for the US Navy.  The company also supplies commercial nuclear power plants and services contaminated equipment from the nuclear industry.  Rotor canning, an operation within coolant pump manufacturing, is a sensitive process involving many variables that demand great operator skill and high precision equipment.  The problem with this process is not specific, but surface defects frequently appear between the can and the rotor after the canning process is completed.  These defects include dimples and bulges on the surface of the can.  If the defects are deemed to be nonconforming, the can is removed and the process is repeated.  Other concerns are pre-shrinkage of the can due to uneven heating and rotor misalignment with the can due to manual centering.

The Penn State University Industrial Engineering Student Team became familiar with the rotor canning process through a visit to the Westinghouse plant in Cheswick, PA.  Through the plant visit and communication with the company contacts, the team discovered that there is more than likely a combination of variables that cause the defects.  The objective of the project was to determine the root causes of the defects, to analyze and research methods to improve process quality, and to present the alternatives to the company. 

Six potential solutions were developed and researched by the team.  The six solutions were to implement a heat treatment, an in-process check, an alignment system, a new furnace lining, a new furnace, and a filtration system.  1) A heat treatment following can manufacturing will ensure relief of all residual stresses in the welded seam.  2) A Dial Bore Gage used for an in-process check will verify the inner diameter of the can.  3) Integration of a high accuracy alignment system would decrease human error in aligning the rotor.  4) Lining the furnace with either insulating firebrick or ceramic fiber modules would be ideal for the temperatures involved with the process.  5) Investing in a new furnace would utilize new technologies to improve the canning process. 6) Finally, a filtration system in the new furnace would eliminate defects caused by particles circulating in the furnace.  The implementation of one or more of these solutions will reduce several causes for the pimple, dimple, and spalling defects on the surface of the can.  The costs may not be justified immediately, but the quality of the canned rotor and the decreased time delays associated with reworks will ensure the reliability of this product.

 

Faculty Coach

Dr. C.O. Ruud

IE 430 - Industrial Engineering Department

*Page Completed on December 3, 2001