Application of Six Sigma to minimize the defects in glass manufacturing industry

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 594-624 ◽  
Author(s):  
Narottam Yadav ◽  
Kaliyan Mathiyazhagan ◽  
Krishna Kumar
Keyword(s):  
Six Sigma ◽  
Manufacturing Industry ◽  
Poor Performance ◽  
Service Industries ◽  
Practical Implementation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Six Sigma Methodology ◽  
Tools And Techniques ◽  
And Control

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to improve the yield of a particular model of a car windshield, as the organization faces losses due to poor performance and rejection.Design/methodology/approachThe Six Sigma DMAIC (define, measure, analyze, improve and control) methodology is used to reduce variation and defects in the process. It is a methodology based on data-driven and fact-based analysis to find out the root cause of the problem with the help of statistical analysis. A worst performing model is selected as a case study through the scoping tree. The preprocess, printing, bending and layup process defects are reduced by analyzing the potential causes and hypothesis testing.FindingsThis paper describes Six Sigma methodology in a glass manufacturing industry in India for automotive applications. The overall yield of a car windshield achieved 93.57 percent against the historical yield of 88.4 percent, resulting in saving 50 lacs per annum. Due to no rework or repairing in the glass, low first-time yield causes major losses. Process improvement through focused cross-functional team reduces variation in the process. Six Sigma improves profitability and reduces defects in the automotive glass manufacturing process.Research limitations/implicationsThis case study is applied in automotive glass manufacturing industries. For service and healthcare industries, a similar type of study can be performed. Further research on the common type of processor industry would be valuable.Practical implicationsThe case study can be used as a problem-solving methodology in manufacturing and service industries. The tools and techniques can be used in other manufacturing processes also. This paper is useful for industries, researchers and academics for understanding Six Sigma methodology and its practical implementation.Originality/valueThis case study is an attempt to solve automobile glass manufacturing problems through DMAIC approach. The paper is a real case study showing benefits of Six Sigma implementation in the manufacturing industry and saving an annual cost of 50 lacs due to rejections in the process.

Six Sigma for improving cash flow deficit: a case study in the food can manufacturing industry

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1119-1140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria-Victòria Sánchez-Rebull ◽  
Ramon Ferrer-Rullan ◽  
Ana-Beatriz Hernández-Lara ◽  
Angels Niñerola
Keyword(s):  
Cash Flow ◽  
Six Sigma ◽  
Bargaining Power ◽  
Qualitative Methodology ◽  
Manufacturing Industry ◽  
Case Study Research ◽  
Control Process ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Six Sigma Methodology

Purpose Cash flow deficit situations and working capital control are major challenges for many companies, especially those whose suppliers and clients have strong bargaining power. This study aims to describe the application of the Six Sigma methodology for solving these problems in a large German food can manufacturing company. Design/methodology/approach This paper follows the qualitative methodology of case study research. During different define, measure, analyse, improve and control process phases, the problem and critical aspects are identified to improve the quality of the payment process and improvements are suggested and implemented. Findings The results provide evidence of how Six Sigma can be useful in administrative–financial processes that are carried out within a company. This result is particularly interesting because it is about processes that have not applied Six Sigma methodology. For the company studied, this methodology has balanced its cash flow and this meant large amounts of savings, especially in bank interest to avoid having to ask for bank credits. Originality/value This case can be extrapolated to other companies, regardless of the company size, that present similar symptoms of cash deficit, especially if their bargaining power with suppliers and customers is low.

An application of Six Sigma methodology for improving the first pass yield of a grinding process

2014 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 125-135 ◽  
Author(s):  
E.V. Gijo ◽  
Jiju Antony ◽  
Maneesh Kumar ◽  
Rodney McAdam ◽  
Jose Hernandez
Keyword(s):  
Six Sigma ◽  
Grinding Process ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Automotive Company ◽  
First Pass ◽  
Six Sigma Methodology ◽  
Tools And Techniques ◽  
Real World Situation

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the power of the Six Sigma methodology in improving the first pass yield of a high-precision grinding process in the manufacture of automotive products. Design/methodology/approach – The paper follows a case study approach showing how theory has been put into practice. The case study was executed in a leading automotive company based in India. Findings – The application of the Six Sigma methodology resulted in a reduction of tolerance-related problems and improved the first pass yield from 85 to over 99 per cent. A number of tools and techniques in the Six Sigma tool box have been utilised for data analysis and drawing valid and sound conclusions. The implementation of the Six Sigma methodology has demonstrated a saving of US$70,000 in addition to the customer-facing benefits of improved quality on returns and sales. Practical implications – The results of the case study have provided greater stimulus within the production facilities for wider application of the methodology as a powerful problem solving methodology. Moreover, this case study sets the foundation for many other projects within the business. Originality/value – The paper is valuable to many Six Sigma black belts, practitioners of Six Sigma and researchers in terms of understanding the systematic application of the methodology in a real world situation.

Reducing failure rate at high voltage (HV) testing of insulator using Six Sigma methodology

2018 ◽  
Vol 67 (5) ◽  
pp. 791-808 ◽  
Author(s):  
Darshak A. Desai ◽  
Aurangzeb Javed Ahmed Shaikh
Keyword(s):  
Failure Rate ◽  
High Voltage ◽  
Six Sigma ◽  
Manufacturing Industry ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Case Study Methodology ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sigma Level ◽  
Ceramic Manufacturing

PurposeThis paper, a case study, aims to illustrate the application of Six Sigma in a small-scale ceramic manufacturing industry. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the empirical application of DMAIC methodology to reduce failure rate at high voltage (HV) testing of one of the most critical products, insulator.Design/methodology/approachThe case study is based on primary data collected from a real-life situation prevailing in the industry. The case study methodology adopted here is at one small-scale unit wherein the authors have applied DMAIC methodology and observed and recorded the improvement results, especially, reduction in failure rate at HV testing of insulator and, thus, increase in Sigma level.FindingsThe results found after implementation of the solutions are very significant. The rejection percentage has been reduced from 0.5 to 0.1 percent and consequently the Sigma level has been improved from 4.4 to 5.0.Research limitations/implicationsThis success story can be a guiding roadmap for other such industries to successfully implement Six Sigma to improve quality, productivity and profitability.Practical implicationsThis case study will serve as one of the resource bases for the industries which have till not implemented Six Sigma and benefited from the same.Social implicationsImproved quality and productivity leads to better economy. This case will help industries to serve the society with better economy with improved quality and productivity.Originality/valueThough ceramic industries in India are having enormous potential for growth, majority of them, especially, small and medium industries are either not aware of or not implementing Six Sigma to reap its multidimensional benefits of improving quality, productivity and profitability. This study highlights the benefits reaped by small-scale ceramic manufacturing industry opening up the avenues for its application at other such organizations.

Lean Six Sigma: a clinical treatment for the recovery of Indian manufacturing sector from the after-effects of coronavirus

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 311-322 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harsimran Singh Sodhi
Keyword(s):  
Six Sigma ◽  
Manufacturing Industry ◽  
Manufacturing Sector ◽  
Lean Six Sigma ◽  
Clinical Treatment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
After Effects ◽  
The World ◽  
Tools And Techniques ◽  
The Impact

PurposeManufacturing industry is quite badly hit due to the coronavirus. Manufacturing has been stopped in every country. The present study will provide assistance to the practitioners to recover manufacturing sector from the after-effects of coronavirus.Design/methodology/approachA thorough review of the recent articles published in the newspaper and web has been done to make a viewpoint on the global industrial impact due to epidemic corona. Reports of WHO, IMF, World Bank, RBI and so forth are also reviewed. Further, Lean Six Sigma has been suggested which can be implemented to recover manufacturing industry from the ill effects of corona.FindingsIn present study the problem causd in the manufacturing sector due to corona virus has been identified and a clinical treatment for the same has been proposed by using the tools and techniques of Lean Six Sigma.Originality/valueThe impact of coronavirus has become a huge issue not only for the physical health of human beings but also for the economic health of most of the countries in the world, as it is pushing the world economy toward huge economic depression. Therefore, it becomes the moral responsibility of industrial experts to suggest the tools and techniques to the manufacturing industry for faster recovery.

Six Sigma methodology for reducing defects in manufacturing industry - a case study

2017 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 397
Author(s):  
Deepinder Singh ◽  
Virender Singh ◽  
Harwinder Singh ◽  
Jagdeep Singh
Keyword(s):  
Six Sigma ◽  
Manufacturing Industry ◽  
Six Sigma Methodology

Application of Lean Six Sigma in conservative dentistry: an action research at an Indian dental college

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ajay Noronha ◽  
Shreeranga Bhat ◽  
E.V. Gijo ◽  
Jiju Antony ◽  
Suma Bhat
Keyword(s):  
Action Research ◽  
Six Sigma ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Lean Six Sigma ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Healthcare Sector ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Conservative Dentistry ◽  
Tools And Techniques

PurposeThe article evaluates the obstacles, lessons learned and managerial implications of deploying Lean Six Sigma (LSS) in a dental college hospital in India.Design/methodology/approachThe work adopts the action research (AR) methodology to establish a case study, which is carried out using the LSS define–measure–analyze–improve–control (DAMIC) approach in a dental college. It uses LSS tools to enhance the productivity and performance of the Conservative Dentistry Department of a dental college and to unravel the obstacles and success factors in applying it to the education and healthcare sector together.FindingsThe root cause for high turn-around time (TAT) is ascertained using LSS tools and techniques. The effective deployment of the solutions to the root causes of variation assists the dental college to reduce the TAT of the Conservative Dentistry process from an average of 63.9 min–36.5 min (i.e. 42.9% improvement), and the process Standard Deviation (SD) was reduced from 2.63 to 2 min. This, in turn, raises the sigma level from 0.48 to 3.23, a noteworthy successful story for this dental college.Research limitations/implicationsWhile the results and recommendations of this research are focused on a single case study, it is to be noted that the case study is carried out with new users of LSS tools and techniques, especially with the assistance of interns. This indicates the applicability of LSS in dental colleges; thus, the adopted modality can be further refined to fit India's education and hospital sector together.Originality/valueThis article explains the implementation of LSS from an aspiring user viewpoint to assist dental colleges and policymakers in improving competitiveness. In addition, the medical education sector can introduce an LSS course in the existing programme to leverage the potential of this methodology to bring synergy and collaborative research between data-based thinking and the medical field based on the findings of this study. The most important contribution of this article is the illustration of the design of experiments (DOE) in the dental college process.

Six Sigma in education

2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 91-108 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul G. LeMahieu ◽  
Lee E. Nordstrum ◽  
Elizabeth A. Cudney
Keyword(s):  
Quality Improvement ◽  
Six Sigma ◽  
Work Processes ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Organizational Work ◽  
School Community Partnership ◽  
The Cost ◽  
And Control ◽  
Six Sigma Approach

Purpose This paper is one of seven in this volume that aims to elaborate different approaches to quality improvement in education. It delineates a methodology called Six Sigma. Design/methodology/approach The paper presents the origins, theoretical foundations, core principles and a case study demonstrating an application of Six Sigma in a school-community partnership in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Findings The core principles underlying the approach are decreasing variability or unreliability in organizational work processes, eliminate waste or activity that does not add value to desired outcomes, identify defects and decrease their incidence, reduce the cost of work processes, and improve beneficiary/client satisfaction levels. The steps in this statistics-dependent method are design, measure, analyze, improve and control. Originality/value Few theoretical treatments and demonstration cases are currently available on commonly used models of quality improvement that might have potential value in improving education systems internationally. This paper fills this gap by elucidating one promising approach. The paper also derives value as it permits a comparison of the Six Sigma approach with other quality improvement approaches treated in this volume.

Critical review and analysis of measuring the success of Six Sigma implementation in manufacturing sector

2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (8) ◽  
pp. 1519-1545 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mihir Patel ◽  
Darshak Arunbhai Desai
Keyword(s):  
Performance Indicators ◽  
Critical Review ◽  
Six Sigma ◽  
Manufacturing Sector ◽  
Service Industries ◽  
Manufacturing Industries ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Process Indicators ◽  
Six Sigma Methodology ◽  
And Performance

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to capture the status of implementation of Six Sigma in various manufacturing industries and also examine the success of the Six Sigma by using different performance indicators. Design/methodology/approach The methodology of critical review involves the selection and classification of 112 research articles on the implementation of Six Sigma in different manufacturing industries. The selected articles are categorized by the following: articles distribution based on the year of publication, publication database, various journals, contribution of authors, continent, scale of industry, implemented approaches, focused industry, tools and techniques used in phases of Six Sigma methodology, and performance indicators used in Six Sigma implementation. Then after, future scopes of research opportunities are derived based on significant findings. Findings The literature revealed that: Very few work was undertaken on the implementation of Six Sigma in various manufacturing industries like ceramic, paper, gems and jewelry, cement, furniture, stone, fertilizer, forging, paper and surface treatment industries. Most of the researchers have considered very few performance indicators to identify the improvement after Six Sigma implementation. But, there is no clue regarding overall improvement in different perspectives after the implementation of Six Sigma. The financial indicators, personnel indicators, process indicators and customer indicators are useful to measure the overall improvement after the implementation of Six Sigma in the manufacturing sector. Research limitations/implications The study was carried out on the implementation of Six Sigma methodology in various manufacturing industries, and various performance indicators were identified while implementing the Six Sigma methodology. Case studies pertaining to service industries were not covered here. Originality/value Very little research has been carried out to measure the overall success of implementing Six Sigma methodology in manufacturing industries. This paper will provide value to students, researchers and practitioners of Six Sigma by providing insight into the implementation of Six Sigma in manufacturing industries.

Competitive advantage through Six Sigma in sand casting industry to improve overall first-pass yield: a case study of SSE

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mihir Solanki ◽  
Darshak Desai
Keyword(s):  
Six Sigma ◽  
Sand Casting ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Productivity Improvement ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Foundry Industry ◽  
Road Map ◽  
First Pass ◽  
Six Sigma Methodology

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to illustrate how Six Sigma methodology has been applied in a small-scale foundry industry to improve the overall first-pass material yield and quality, with a view to the product and the process. Design/methodology/approach The researchers have reported this paper based on a case study carried out in industry using the Six Sigma Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control (DMAIC) and its application in improving the manufacturing process of a foundry shop. Findings Identified root causes are validated and countermeasures are implemented for improvement. As a result of this case study, the overall first-pass yield of the sand casting process is improved to 78.88% from the previous yield of 67%. For product-specific case, yield is improved by 18% through the improved gating system design. Sigma level of the process is improved to 3.08 from baseline 2.21. Key lessons learned from this case study are mentioned in the current study. Research limitations/implications This case study provides a standard road map and motivates small-scale foundry industries to implement Six Sigma methodology for productivity improvement, especially in jobbing foundry. The presented paper is based on a single case study, and the results are limited to the company only. Also, one of the reasons for low process yield is slag creation, which is not covered here, as it is a concern of the material quality supplied by the vendor. However, the approach of this paper is generic for learning perspective. Practical implications This case study provides a standard road map and motivates small-scale foundry industries to implement Six Sigma methodology for productivity improvement, especially in jobbing foundry. Through the effective application of Six Sigma quality initiative, how a quantum jump in financial aspect could be gain, has been demonstrated. Originality/value This research study showcases step-by-step implementation of Six Sigma-DMAIC methodology at a small-scale foundry industry. This paper could serve as a unique roadmap for practitioners and academicians to improve the material productivity of the foundry industry both ways, product and process.

scholarly journals Histology Slide Quality Improvement Project Utilizing DMAIC principle of Six Sigma Quality Improvement Methodology

2021 ◽  
Vol 156 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S111-S112
Author(s):  
Y Wang ◽  
A Loboda ◽  
M Chitsaz ◽  
S Ganesan
Keyword(s):  
Quality Improvement ◽  
Six Sigma ◽  
Business Processes ◽  
Endometrial Biopsy ◽  
Improvement Project ◽  
Histology Slide ◽  
Six Sigma Methodology ◽  
And Control

Abstract Introduction/Objective DMAIC (an acronym for Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control) refers to a data- driven improvement cycle used for improving, optimizing, and stabilizing business processes and designs. Our goal was to utilize DMAIC principle of six sigma quality to improve histology slide quality. Methods/Case Report We “defined” the problem as suboptimal quality in endometrial biopsy slides (defects). Utilizing the DMAIC principle and adhering to a strict timeline, the defects found during baseline slide quality review were “measured” by linking the defects to specific histology competencies, which were addressed systematically for process improvement (PI). After PI, a follow up review (“improve” and “control” phases) was carried out to identify measurable outcomes as a testament to quality. Results (if a Case Study enter NA) During the problem “measurement” phase, the defects found in the baseline review of 175 slides were linked to four specific histology competencies (fixation, embedding, cutting, and staining). Processing was excluded as it is completely automated and standardized. Our analysis showed that 83.3 % of defects were linked to embedding (“tissue too dispersed”). As embedding competency depends on the size and nature of the tissue (e.g. mucus and blood admixed with tissue), grossing competency was also addressed along with embedding at the respective workstations. Recommendations were offered to the grosser, embedder, and cutter to reduce variables during the “improvement” phase. Follow up review was done on 196 slides. The number of defective slides decreased and the defects that linked to “tissue too dispersed” had an overall improvement of 91.3%. Once the PI is proven to be effective, in service to histotechnology personnel biannually were also offered during “control” phase. Conclusion We have demonstrated successful methods for improving histology slide quality utilizing DMAIC principle of quality improvement by six sigma methodology DMAIC principle can be creatively adapted in laboratory practice management to enhance quality.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document