A framework for warranty management in industrial assets

The objective of this paper is to suggest a management framework for a better organization of warranty assistance, using engineering techniques already developed for similar processes and according to a process-based quality management system. Therefore, a generic framework is presented that integrates management methodologies which will be gathered in four sequential steps, where each different technique will play a crucial role. Following this scheme, a supporting framework for the management of a warranty program is defined. This offers a practical vision of the set of activities that each warranty management process consists of and focuses on the relationship between manufacturer and user. By reengineering managerial processes and/or by the application of a correct warranty management system it is possible to have a greater influence on product design and manufacturing, increasing product quality by sharing and boosting the information flow about product defects, their sources and possible solutions. The result of the study is, in short, a classification of different engineering tools, focused mainly on warranty and product management. In addition to this it also demonstrates how aspects of maintenance and manufacturing can be enhanced before finally discussing briefly the proper use of each tool according to the available data or information. All this is illustrated through a comprehensive representation that will help the reader to understand in a practical way, the different information inputs/outputs among the proposed steps. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.