Mentor Graphics Uses Design For Six Sigma
Posted by: meikah | 21 July 2008 | 7:53 pm
TradingMarkets reports:
Mentor Graphics, a supplier of electronic design automation systems, has announced that its virtual prototyping tool, SystemVision, will support Design for Six Sigma methodologies to achieve cost-effective design innovation by a model-driven development process.
The development process for a product made up of a complex blend of hardware and software, analog and digital signals, sensors and actuators, and a mix of disciplines, such as electrical, mechanical, or hydraulic, is difficult to manage efficiently. At the same time, using physical prototyping to optimize the design for manufacturability becomes prohibitively expensive, cumbersome, and time consuming.
Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) methodologies combined with model-driven development can result in order-of-magnitude improvements in both productivity and quality when virtual prototyping, automated data collection, and statistical analyses are used to guide the model-driven development process.
Filed under: Benefits and Savings, Six Sigma Organizations, Deployment, DFSS, Six Sigma
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SixSig Book Feature: Design for Lean Six Sigma
Posted by: meikah | 7 May 2008 | 7:25 pm
ad-hoc-news reports that Research and Markets has announced the addition of Design for Lean Six Sigma to their offering.
Design for Lean Six Sigma is the only book that employs a “road-map” approach to DFSS, which allows corporate management to understand where they are in the process and to integrate DFSS methodology more fully into their overall business strategy. This is a similar approach to that used by Forrest Breyfogle in his successful book: “Implementing Six Sigma, 2E”.
This approach will allow corporate management to understand where they are in the process and to integrate DFSS methodology more fully into the overall business strategy. Another important aspect of this book is its coverage of DFSS implementation in a broad range of industries including service and manufacturing, plus the use of actual cases throughout. Continue reading…
Filed under: Tools/Toolkits, Lean Six Sigma, Six Sigma References, DFSS
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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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Six Sigma Improves Alarm Management at Monsanto’s Soda Springs, Id., Phosphorus Plant
Posted by: meikah | 19 February 2008 | 11:47 pm
Monsanto Soda Springs’s plant in Soda Springs, Idaho, produces elemental phosphorus, or P4, most of which is sent to other Monsanto facilities to make PCL3, the primary ingredient for Roundup herbicide.
The process of manufacturing elemental phosphorus begins with mining the phosphate ore. Mining involves working with a furnace, the right temperature, thus it requires sophisticated controls. Monsanto was using Fishers’ PRoVOX distributed control system (DCS) in the early 1980s, and then DeltaV control system by 1996.
The control system was kept to a minimum because it was costly then. When digital control systems alarms became easy and cheap, Monsanto found itself overusing the system. It caused as many problems as it solved.
That was when Monsanto began turning to Six Sigma, with emphasis on alarm management. The alarm problems came down to too many alarms and alarming practices can cause incidents.
The company’s Six Sigma team used cause-and-effect fishbone diagram to investigate the possible causes of alarm problems. They applied the Six Sigma DMAIC system to the problem:
- Developed an alarm management philosophy and selected alarm metrics (the Define phase).
- Assessed the present alarm system (Measure/Analyze phases).
- Reduced the number of nuisance alarms (Analyze /Improve phases).
- Rationalized alarms by need and priority (Improve phase).
- Developed an alarm configuration database (Improve – Control phases).
Source:
ControlGlobal.com
Filed under: Manufacturing, Six Sigma Organizations, DFSS, Mining, Six Sigma, Monsanto Soda Springs, Alarm Management
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Dow Chemical Innovates with Six Sigma
Posted by: meikah | 14 January 2008 | 8:54 pm
I had written about Dow Chemical here a number of times already: when they started going Six Sigma, how they use Six Sigma to save on energy, and improve processes in their human resource.
The latest I’m sharing with you is how Dow Chemical Co. pursues innovation by not soley relying on inspiration, but on Six Sigma.
Dow Chemical is one of those companies that regard innovation as the lifeblood of their business. Surely, they cannot wait for for inspiration to strike to come up with high-quality products and exceptional services.
Over at RealInnovation.com, Sue Reynand shares how Dow pairs innovation with Six Sigma to keep their business ahead. As a matter of fact, Dow combines different methodologies to be constantly on the go.
They have a systematic blend of Six Sigma, Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) and the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ), which supplants inspiration with investigation. According to Tom Kling, a longtime Dow employee who served as Master Black Belt:
“it has proven to be a powerful combination. Six Sigma and DFSS bring the kind of up-front decision making that makes sure the problems you’re working on are important to the business. On the other hand, it helps you arrive at new solutions by importing technical solutions or scientific principles from other disciplines. So you solve design problems much more quickly.”
*Photo from Stock.Xchng
