The paper presents the results of a study concerning the use of the Ishikawa diagram in analyzing the causes that determine errors in the evaluation of theparts precision in the machine construction field. The studied problem was"errors in the evaluation of partsprecision" and this constitutes the head of the Ishikawa diagram skeleton.All the possible, main and secondary causes that could generate the studied problem were identified. The most known Ishikawa models are 4M, 5M, 6M, the initials being in order: materials, methods, man, machines, mother nature, measurement. The paper shows the potential causes of the studied problem, which were firstly grouped in three categories, as follows: causes that lead to errors in assessing the dimensional accuracy, causes that determine errors in the evaluation of shape and position abnormalities and causes for errors in roughness evaluation. We took into account the main components of parts precision in the machine construction field. For each of the three categories of causes there were distributed potential secondary causes on groups of M (man, methods, machines, materials, environment/ medio ambiente-sp.). We opted for a new model of Ishikawa diagram, resulting from the composition of three fish skeletons corresponding to the main categories of parts accuracy.

The use of quality management tools plays a great role in improving the quality of products or services offered and helping to ensure the internal efficiency and effectiveness of the organization as well as improving customer satisfaction. Considering the advantages of using quality management tools, the author of this paper presents a study on the application of the Ishikawa diagram for the problem of bearing defects from car wheels. A list of potential causes that generated the studied problem was made. Brainstorming method has also been used in this regard. The identified causes have been classified into four main categories: Man (M), Manufacturing of bearings (M), Service - Bearing replacement (S), Exploitation of the car (E). It resulted a new model of the Ishikawa diagram, that has the formula 2M + S + E. The Ishikawa diagram determined and presented in this paper identifies the causes that generate a non-quality type problem. The diagram provides the advantage of a correct orientation to correct nonconformities, as well as the basis for further studies with other appropriate methods, solutions or measures to eliminate the causes. This case study presented in the paper may be the basis for other studies related to the proposed problem.

(1) Background: The objective of this study was to develop the field of mechanisms that generate aesthetic curves, as they can be useful in designing machines for the manufacture of highly beautiful products. We started from the image of the Flower of Life and we set out to build mechanisms in the field of mechanical engineering that can generate this image. (2) Methods: First, we studied in detail the geometry of the figure. Secondly, based on the mathematical considerations, we made the synthesis of a mechanism able to trace this image, based on the Geneva mechanism with intermittent movement. We completed this mechanism with other kinematic chains, so we generated the proposed curve. Next, we made the synthesis of the second generating mechanism. This was a gear mechanism with compound profiles to which we added additional kinematic chains to generate the Flower of Life curve. Further on, kinematics was applied to confirm the drawing of the curves with the closed loop method. (3) Results: The results obtained following the study and presented in the paper show that the two created mechanisms generate images (trajectories) identical to the Flower of Life. Moreover, other images similar to the Flower of Life, with great artistic potential, were obtained. (4) Conclusions: The aim of the study was achieved, the authors proposed two new mechanisms which generate a highly aesthetic design image—the “Flower of Life”. The paper provides all the notions of structure and kinematics that are necessary to calculate the mechanisms and also analyzes other kinematic possibilities of the created mechanisms. The paper contributes to the development of a new field in the Theory of Mechanisms: generating aesthetic curves.

This paper addresses the major global problem of reducing fuel consumption in the transport sector. The authors present the results of a study on the use of a quality management tool - tree diagram. The actions aimed at reducing the fuel consumption of the road vehicles in operation have been identified and classified. A three-level tree diagram was developed to answer the question: How can fuel consumption be reduced? The chart provides a complete and suggestive picture of the actions to be taken to solve the proposed problem. The actions have been grouped into three corresponding categories for three specific objectives: the acquisition of a vehicle suitable for the needs; proper use of the vehicle (eco-driving); proper maintenance. The authors of the paper believe that the tree diagram obtained is a good tool for informing and raising the driver’s awareness of his role in reducing fuel consumption.

It is presented Gerono's lemniscate with bibliographic references on the geometrical aspects of this curve vastly studied in literature. A mechanism of Artobolevski that draws this curve is studied. The desired lemniscate was obtained. We synthesize a new, original mechanism that generates this curve, starting from two references showing a geometric construction and animation. The mechanism obtained is of the type R-RPP-RPR-PRP, so that the relations of the positions are written by the contouring method and the desired lemniscate is obtained. There are changes in the mechanism resulting in similar but deformed curves.