A small assembler provides wiring harness assemblies for a particular automotive electronic controller. There are several part numbers and many of the parts for each part number look very much alike. So it isn’t surprising that the company has received complaints from the automotive assembly plants that some harnesses have incorrect components (which have to be changed out on the assembly line causing delays).
Among the strongest leadership traits practiced by Six Sigma professionals, 7 qualities stand out most often. For leaders moving up into Six Sigma management, developing and sharpening these characteristics could help leverage the competitive edge.
Poka-yoke (poh ka yoke) is a mistake-proofing approach to eliminating errors that was developed by the Japanese engineer Shiego Shingo in the 1960s. The word “poka-yoke” is derived from a Japanese word that means “to avoid errors.” Poka-yoke makes use of simple but effective tools and signals to prevent errors from occurring.
The automotive industry was an early adopter of Six Sigma and continues to lead the way in showing other manufacturers the difference that Six Sigma can make. Companies like Toyota and Ford have shown that Six Sigma can dramatically cut costs and reduce mistakes all of which are benefits for manufacturers and their staff accountants as this frees up finances for other areas of business necessity. They have demonstrated that improved quality saves money. Fewer discarded products, fewer warranty repairs and replacements, and much higher rates of customer satisfaction and retention has resulted in increased profits for both companies.
A Prioritization Matrix is typically an L-shaped matrix which makes pairwise comparisons of established criteria and options. The prioritization matrix is a rigorous method and requires skill to use effectively. It is also applicable to many situations and has several different configurations. To be used effectively, the criteria and the options must be clearly developed and a scheme for weighing them must be applied.
An Affinity Diagram is an analytical tool used to organize many ideas into subgroups with common themes or common relationships. The method is reported to have been developed by Jiro Kawakita and so is sometimes referred to as the K-J method.
An Activity Network Diagram is a diagram of project activities that shows the sequential relationships of activities using arrows and nodes. An activity network diagram tool is used extensively in and is necessary for the identification of a project’s critical path (which is used to determine the expected completion time of the project).
A Matrix Diagram is a tool that illustrates the critical relationships between or among two or more groups. It can be enhanced to show things like the strength of the relationship or the different aspects of the relationship. The basic L-Shaped Matrix Diagram shows the critical relationships of two groups of items (or it can be used to show the relationship of one group to itself).
A Matrix Diagram is a tool that illustrates the critical relationships between or among two or more groups. It can be enhanced to show things like the strength of the relationship or the different aspects of the relationship. The basic Y-Shaped Matrix Diagram typically shows the critical relationships of three groups of items in a kind of circular flow.
Lean manufacturing is the concept of using fewer resources to create more value for customers; in other words, maximizing the customer value and minimizing waste. This philosophy and system aims to cut out as much waste as possible during the manufacturing process.
