Abstract
The testing department encounters many faults during testing and commissioning of the Electrical Multiple Unit trainsets. The faults lead to a pro-longed testing time which therefore causes delays in meeting the targeted delivery dates of the newly manufactured trainsets. The objective of this study was to identify and analyse the faults encountered during testing and commissioning of the Electrical Multiple Unit and devise strategies to avoid similar faults from occurring in future.
The research method used to conduct the study was that of a quantitative method, since the aim was to quantify and possibly allow generalisation to a broader population within the train manufacturing plant used for the study. Secondary data was collected and analysed. The scope of the minor-dissertation was to be restricted to the plant and should not be generalised to all testing sites within the rail industry.
The findings of the study revealed that the most common defects that contributed to the failures were due to cabling, equipment failure and mechanical defects. The production department was the highest contributor to the defects, followed by suppliers. Supplier defects were mainly due to failure of equipment and wiring that was non-conforming with the appropriate standards.
Based on the findings, one of the recommendations made was arranging the required training for operators and artisans on the floor. Also, work instructions must be reviewed and updated timeously to ensure consistency and preciseness. Supplier technicians should also be on site full time to attend to the faults immediately so to reduce the turn-around time. A quality management system also needs to be implemented.
Keywords - Electrical Multiple Unit, failure analysis, testing and commissioning, trainset.