Shipping containers hold much of the goods that are used as end products or as components of to be manufactured products. Lean and Six Sigma are used to increase the efficiency with which these containers are loaded, arrive at ports, and are subsequently transported. We’ll look at applications in Iran, Scandinavia, and Indonesia. We’ll finish [...]
Lean and Six Sigma aid in the production of musical instruments. We’ll see how Lean and Six Sigma improve the quality of piano manufacturing and the production of musical instrument strings, and finish with a video of how trumpets are made. Six Sigma DMAIC Phases Applied to Piano Manufacturing: Indonesia In a paper [...]
Carpets are used extensively in homes and buildings around the world. Lean and Six Sigma methodologies aid in their manufacture. We’ll look at three case studies from Thailand, Egypt, and Iraq, and finish with a video of how carpet is made. Improving Carpet Machine Efficiency Through Six Sigma DMAIC: Thailand In a paper [...]
There are many articles on constructing a cause-and-effect diagram. But what’s next? How do you prioritize what to focus on first? There are many approaches to this usually termed cause and effect analysis. We’ll focus on four examples ordered from the simplest to the more complex. Simple Approach to Analyzing Cause and Effect Diagrams: [...]
As a highly technical collection of multiple processes, each with a large number of steps, semiconductor manufacturing is a fertile ground for applying Lean and Six Sigma methodologies to reduce defects, improve flow, reduce wastes, and optimize processes. We’ll look at the successful applications in three case studies and finish with a video of how [...]
Meat products continue to be in demand in much of the world. Lean and Six Sigma methodologies help supply that demand with higher quality, timely production, and lower waste. We’ll look at applications of Lean in the UK and Turkey and the results of Six Sigma application in the USA in Delaware, and finish with [...]
The insurance industry is an excellent example of non-manufacturing where Lean and Six Sigma are applied for process improvement and waste reduction. We’ll look at four case studies from Germany, India, Northern Ireland, and Brazil. Lean and Six Sigma Applied to a Large Insurance Company: Germany In a paper titled “A Lean Six [...]
Lean and Six Sigma projects are implemented to solve a problem. Much has been written about asking the right questions to solve a problem, including the 5 Whys. We look in more detail beyond the 5 Whys at asking the right questions by hearing from several experts. Questions the Most Important Tool In a post [...]
What is a quality circle? What are its advantages and disadvantages? Early starts in Japan and the US. Developments in India and in Healthcare in Europe. Quality Circle: A group of workers who do the same or similar work, meeting regularly to identify, analyze and solve work-related problems. Participation is voluntary, takes place during work [...]
