Assessment of the state of development of automobile design and manufacturing in Ghana

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Date
February, 2015
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Abstract
Vibrant automobile design and manufacturing industries have played significant roles in the industrial growth of many countries. Ghana however, has yet to develop an automobile design and manufacturing industry comparable to that of the developed countries. There is therefore the need to take a closer look at the automobile design and manufacturing industry in the country. To this end, a combination of research methods comprising interviews, questionnaire and observation are employed in collecting data, targeting auto-manufacturing firms in both the formal and informal sectors of the economy. The study focuses on several relevant issues including the caliber of personnel engaged in the industry, types of machine tools employed, engineering materials and processes used in the design and production of parts. Key findings from the study are that qualified automobile design and manufacturing engineers are in short supply, resulting in the production of low quality parts and components. The sector is characterised by the use of conventional machine tools, rudimentary welding and forming processes to produce parts in small quantities. Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine tools are virtually non-existent in the sector. The government could play a key role by supporting the domestic auto-parts manufacturing centres in the informal sector, particularly those at the Suame Magazine to promote their growth and development in the industry.
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A thesis submitted to the Department of Mechanical Engineering, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering.
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