Applying Lean and Six Sigma to Process Industries
Posted by: meikah | 25 August 2008 | 9:47 pm
Undeniably, the two most popular process improvement methodologies in use today are lean manufacturing and Six Sigma. For every type of waste you encounter, you either use lean or Six Sigma.
Lean manufacturing, for example, has identified seven types of waste:
- Over-production: Producing too much, too soon.
- Inventory: Extra production required to buffer process variability.
- Transportation: Movement of materials without adding value.
- Waiting: Increasing production cycle time without adding value.
- Movement: Movement of operators without adding value.
- Defects: Product that does not conform to customer specifications.
- Over-processing: Processing a material more than is necessary to meet customer specifications.
Of these seven, the waiting, defects, and over-processing exist in process manufacturing. These wastes are fertile ground for the application of lean and Six Sigma methodologies.
Product changeovers, which in process manufacturing can sometimes take 18 hours or more, are an example of waiting waste. Defects are the result of production of material that does not meet the specifications of the downstream internal/external customer. Over-processing occurs when the material is processed to a greater extent than is required by the downstream customer. All of these add to costs and can be reduced and/or eliminated through the use of these methodologies.
Read more…
Source:
Reliable Plant
Filed under: Manufacturing, Lean Six Sigma, Processes, Lean Manufacturing, Lean, Six Sigma
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Lean Six Sigma and Process Analytical Technology (PAT)
Posted by: meikah | 17 July 2008 | 12:38 am
According to the iSixSigma article:
PAT is a scientific program designed to reduce risk and is, essentially, about improving processes for effectiveness and efficiency in the pharmaceutical industry. PAT consists of four basic components:
- Process understanding
- Risk-reduction-based approach
- Regulatory strategy to accommodate innovation
- Real-time release
From the definition alone, it’s quite obvious that it is a perfect fit with Lean Six Sigma. Because like PAT, Lean Six Sigma:
- breaks down processes to make them more manageable
- works toward streamlining processes to reduce waste or risk
- encourages and supports innovation
- improves processes to achieve efficiency
Care to add to the list of reasons?
Filed under: Lean Six Sigma, Processes, Pharmaceuticals, Innovation, Six Sigma, Productivity, PAT
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LAI’s Six Sigma Team Cuts Production Time by 20%
Posted by: meikah | 14 July 2008 | 9:54 pm
Early this month, LAI International reported that the company was able to cut its cycle time on a critical aerospace product by 25%.
Last week, Market Watch carried a story that LAI’s Six Sigma Team was able to cut production time for a critical structural aerospace component by 20%.
A team of LAI employees in engineering, quality control and production formed a team to complete a comprehensive Six Sigma study that includes intensive workflow assessment, process analysis, value streaming and control planning of a manufacturing process for a precision-manufactured structural panel for a jet fighter.
“We also took every step off of our flowchart and measured the time to do each and every step of the process,” John Rogers, vice president of operations, said. “The team examined key process input variables and studied methods to do each step more efficiently.” An evaluation seven months after the Six Sigma project was completed revealed savings of $196,000 in the program, related to a reduction in cycle times, more efficient inspections and an overall reduction in production time by 20 percent.
Filed under: Benefits and Savings, Manufacturing, Six Sigma Organizations, Processes, Six Sigma
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Six Sigma and Sarbanes-Oxley
Posted by: meikah | 30 June 2008 | 9:20 pm
Six Sigma is about process improvement, while Sarbanes-Oxley or SOX is about compliance. If the two shall meet, then the organization will be doubly benefitted. If you may recall a SOX compliance was brought about after major and accounting scandals like Enron shocked the public.
I believe compliance is part of process improvement, thus all the activities related to compliance will bring about improvement and enhance sustainability of operations.
An article on CIO Today, presents a good discussion on how Six Sigma and Sarbanes-Oxley can complement each other.
There are striking similarities between Six Sigma’s proven process improvement methodology, DMAIC (define, measure, analyze, improve and control), and compliance activities such as controls documentation, testing and remediation. Both require definition of objectives, measurement of performance, remediation of weaknesses and continual monitoring. Companies that have already performed documentation and testing activities for compliance are in an excellent position to identify process improvement opportunities.
In the billing process, for instance, a key objective is to accurately invoice customers. By documenting and testing the billing process, companies can identify key performance indicators to measure the health of their billing process. An analysis of billing errors can streamline the process.
Source:
iSixSigma News
Filed under: Deployment, Processes, DMAIC, Six Sigma, Sarbanes-Oxley
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Applying Six Sigma to Motion-Control Processes
Posted by: meikah | 22 June 2008 | 9:44 pm
I stumbled upon a good discussion about how to improve quality in motion control prcesses. Motion plays an important role in any organization, but motion control is used in the packaging, printing, textile, semiconductor production, and assembly industries.
Thus, if you’re business is involved in those mentioned above, motion control is important to you, and ensuring quality in these processes is crucial in your operations.
Over at heyicnc, Kevin Frantz, Six Sigma leader at GE Fanuc Automation, shares how Six Sigma can ensure quality in motion-control processes. Mr. Frantz says:
Your first task in applying Six Sigma to a motion-control process is to understand its purpose, which is always to optimize quality and throughput.
Six Sigma is a tool that can unveil subtle problems that plague all processes, silently stealing productivity and quality. Like all processes, motion-control applications are not immune to production downtime and quality control issues. Slow machine set ups, product positioning problems, equipment failures, out-of-spec parts can all contribute to the problem.
You may not know the exact cause, but you can see the negative results: low production counts, lackluster quality, customer rejection, and lost money. Six Sigma could be the solution to those problems.
*Photo from Stock.Xchng
Filed under: Tools/Toolkits, Manufacturing, Processes, Semiconductors, Quality, Six Sigma
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Using Six Sigma and Lean in Improving Performance in Practice
Posted by: meikah | 9 June 2008 | 6:40 pm
Take a look at the automotive industry and healthcare industry. Do you see any similarities?
By its name alone, the automotive industry is concerned with the design and manufacture of motor vehicles, while the healthcare industry is concerned with people’s health. The details of each industry’s processes may be different but improving these processes can be done using the same methodology.
This is proven by Automotive Industry Action Group and Michigan Medical Group Management Association.
They launched a program called Improving Performance in Practice, or IPIP.
“What was demonstrated without a doubt is you could put an automotive quality coach in a medical setting and have a positive outcome,” said Rose Steiner, state director of Michigan IPIP for the AIAG.
The results so far: increased patient satisfaction and a much smoother flow of processes.
To improve further, IPIP will also use Six Sigma and lean systems philosophies, and look for efficiencies throughout the entire practice.
Source:
MLive.com a featured link of iSixSigma
Filed under: Manufacturing, Services, Healthcare, Processes, Lean, Six Sigma, Automotive
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When Six Sigma Meets Project Management
Posted by: meikah | 27 May 2008 | 8:20 pm
The meeting of the two is destined. Well, why not? When both are working toward carrying out projects successfully.
Over at FM & Beyond, there is a good discussion on PM meeting Six Sigma. Here are the suggested ways:
- Developing a solid Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) brings clarity.
- Put your project planning process under the microscope.
- Increase your Risk Management focus.
- Be intentional about PM skills and career development.
- Water from the top, grow from the bottom.
Well, I am project managing two content based websites right now, and I find the list above very useful indeed. For sometime now, I have been thinking of how to continually motivate my team. Right now they’re doing well in their individual tasks and I don’t want malaise affect their performance.
You know how it is when you do the same things for a period of time, you are bound to get fed up. So, right now, I’m stil mulling over these things. And I’d like to take the suggestions above very seriously.
I’ll update you how it goes. Meanwhile, perhaps you have other suggestions. Do share them here.
Related stories:
Innovation of the Week: Mind Mapping or “Personal Brain”
Lean Six Sigma and Project Management
Six Sigma and Project Management
Filed under: Processes, Project Management, Six Sigma
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Lean Six Sigma Improves Security Clearance Processes
Posted by: meikah | 29 April 2008 | 10:44 pm
According to FCW.com:
A governmentwide plan to overhaul the security clearance process and introduce more automation will soon be headed for White House consideration, according to leaders of an interagency team that is crafting the proposal.
For this purpose, a Joint Security Clearance Process Reform Team is formed. This team now will use Lean Six Sigma to achieve its goal, which is to reduce the time for employees to get or process their clearance.
Currently, employess get cleared in 120 days. But the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 require faster clearances. Thus, the goal of the team now is to process security clearances within 60 days. The whole team hopes that by December 2009, security clearances should be completed in 60 days.
Such an improvement requires a complete overhaul of the clearance process, and Lean Six Sigma fits the bill. How they plan to do this, read: Clearance process gets makeover.
Governments, whether in the US or overseas, are famous for their beauracratic red tapes. I wish the Philippine government would discover Lean or Six Sigma, too. 
Filed under: Services, Lean Six Sigma, Six Sigma Organizations, Public Sector, Processes, Six Sigma
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Does Your Meeting Have SigmaSense?
Posted by: meikah | 25 April 2008 | 12:53 am
The last fun, yet fruitful meeting I went to was ages ago! Those were times when I was still active in the Jaycees. In the Jaycees, we use the parliamentary procedure. This is how the procedure goes: agenda is distributed at least three days before the meeting (often RSVP), determine a quorum, and follow closely the agenda (and the order of things using the parliamentary rules) during the meeting.
Meetings done using the parliamentary rules are fast, fair and orderly, and definitely get things done. Now, I’m not quite sure if these rules would work in all situations. But considering the advantages of using the parliamentary procedure, I’m sure people can use it for any purpose.
For Six Sigma meetings, Grouputer Solutions has come up with SigmaSense. SigmaSense is a “one-of-a-kind” online collaborative meeting program designed for Six Sigma project leaders to execute DMAIC with local and global teams, faster and with less training.
According to the press release:
SigmaSense equips project leaders with structured, online meeting tools, techniques, guidance and optional statistical and process mapping tools to consistently implement the DMAIC and Business Improvement methodologies at Best Practice standards. Meeting time is accelerated by as much as four times and productivity is increased by up to 200 percent.1
The program aims to eliminate the most cited reasons for project failure including lack of internal skills to implement programs, long project cycle times, extended training required to gain proficiency and the lack of a structured methodology to guide delivery of the complex, team-driven Six Sigma process.
To me anything that puts order to things and generates solutions is definitely worth checking out.
If you have used SigmaSense, please do tell us about it.
Source:
iSixSigma News
Filed under: Processes, Six Sigma, Meetings
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Webcast: Successful Use of Six Sigma in Process Transformation
Posted by: meikah | 18 April 2008 | 3:48 am
Date: June 4, 2008
Time: 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM ET Time Zone Converter
This webcast will discuss:
- Actions to gain executive leadership buy-in.
- CIGNA’s Lean Six Sigma Model’s implementation and deployment across the corporation.
- Key best practices and lessons learned from CIGNA’s Six Sigma Initiative.
Panelist:
Leslie A. Behnke, Vice President, Six-Sigma Business Excellence, CIGNA CorporationModerator:
Robert Parent, Program Director, The Conference Board
Source:
The Conference Board, a Six Sigma Zone featured link
