Chrysler and Six Sigma
Posted by: meikah | 20 August 2008 | 11:16 pm
I was reading this article on New York Times about Chrysler. The owners are giving the executives of the beleaguered company time to fix it.
The article lengthily discusses the difficulties that Chrysler now is facing: from its falling out with Daimler to low sales to decreased market share, and to products not moving in the market.
The solution that the company is seeing is to reposition their products to the kind that customers will embrace. The company is not only going to streamline operations and conserve cash, but it will also explore alliances with other automakers.
I am just surprised that there is no mention of Six Sigma or DFSS, or any other initiative that the company will be going into or will be continuing to weather the storm.
I’ve shared the news about Chrysler deploying Six Sigma and DFSS here. I wonder if the company is still into them.
Filed under: DFSS, Chrysler, Six Sigma, Automobiles
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Six Sigma Continues at Chrysler
Posted by: meikah | 3 March 2008 | 9:39 pm
It is clear that the Chrysler group is big on Six Sigma. A couple of years ago, reports on Daimler-Chrysler going into Six Sigma and being benefitted by it hit the frontpage news.
First, there was news about Chrysler adopting DFSS thereby making them more proactive and receptive the what their customers want.
Second, Daimler-Chrysler strengthens its Six Sigma deployment by integrating structured innovation methodologies into its DFSS program.
And now the latest is that Chrysler LLC will boost the company’s Six Sigma by sending its people to training. Giving training programs is not new at Chrysler. In fact, its technical specialist program has been established since 1988. The company just decided to offer Six Sigma trainings in addition to its already tested training modules.
According to the news in ReliablePlant magazine:
The new technical fellow and master black belt senior specialist programs will build on the company’s existing technical specialist and master black belt programs.
Why particularly these programs?
Black belts use different problem-solving methodologies, including Lean Six Sigma, Design for Six Sigma, critical thinking and Shainin Red X to solve various technical and process issues throughout each vehicle program. They progress through the black belt ranks to the current top rank of master black belt specialist. The new top rating of senior specialist demands tougher criteria, but provides greater personal recognition and reward – and benefits to Chrysler’s Product Development operations.
Last year, I heard news about problems and issues—both financial and management—besetting Chrysler. I hope this move will help solve these issues, too.
Source:
Six Sigma Zone News
*Photo credit: thecarconnection.com
Filed under: Manufacturing, Six Sigma Organizations, Training, Deployment, Technology, DFSS, Chrysler, Six Sigma, Automobiles
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Design for Six Sigma at Daimler-Chrysler
Posted by: meikah | 20 August 2007 | 9:14 pm
During a DaimlerChrysler Black Belt symposium, Harry Flotemersch, a certified DaimlerChrysler Master Black Belt and structured innovation leader, says that the company’s long-term project is to lead the integration of structured innovation methodologies into their DFSS, problem solving and transactional (business processes) programs.
To accomplish this, Flotemersch is doing the following:
- overseeing dual-level mapping innovation
- employs the following DFSS tools: quality function deployment, taguchi robust optimization, finite element analysis, FMEA, computer-aided engineering, axiomatic design, multigenerational product planning, and design verification and report
He further says, “As we all get better at making subsystems and components that are created with strong connection to the needs and wants of the customer, our focus will shift to the vehicle system as a whole. This “vehicle-centric” perspective is already emerging in our industry. New tools/methods that help us consider millions of aspects of the vehicle as a system, and still offer it in a timely fashion for our customers will be in demand.”
Source: 6 Sigma Quality in Manufacturing
Filed under: Manufacturing, Six Sigma Organizations, Deployment, Innovation, DFSS, Chrysler, Daimler-Chrysler
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Chrysler Adopts Design for Six Sigma (DFSS)
Posted by: meikah | 11 June 2007 | 8:02 pm
Since Asian automakers, with Toyota leading the pack, has been slowly eating up the American market, many American automakers have begun rethinking their design and management strategies.
Chrysler is one of those American automakers that needs to do some rethinking, especially after its Chrysler Sebring and Dodge Nitro last year failed to get the consumers’ attention. But these duds won’t be for long as the company goes Six Sigma.
Chrysler began working with ASI Consulting Group in Livonia about 18 months ago. The firm, which previously worked closely with Hyundai Motor Co. to improve its vehicles, has helped Chrysler use a system called “Design for Six Sigma” to help engineers better determine upfront what features and qualities customers want in new vehicles.
The firm was hired to help “make a cultural change to move that needle to be proactive,” Klegon said. “We’re taking this on as an extreme change in the way we do predictive quality from the standpoint of customers. It’s embedded in our vehicle teams and it’s embedded in our components team.”
Rethinking strategies should be the order of the day for all businesses. Six Sigma or DFSS may or may not do the trick. But it’s a good start. I took a peek at Chrysler cars and they are all beautiful. Why they didn’t hit the mark is a mystery to me.
Source:
Autos Insider, Chrysler rethinks design after duds, a featured link from iSixSigma.
