Title: Developing operation measurement strategy during Six Sigma implementation: a foundry case study

Authors: Bikram Jit Singh; Dinesh Khanduja

Addresses: Mechanical Engineering Department, Maharishi Markandeshwar University, Sadopur, Ambala, Hrayana – 134007, Kothi No. 461, Phase-2, Urban-Estate, Patiala-147002, India. ' Mechanical Engineering Department, National Institute of Technology, Kurukshetra, Hrayana, H. No. 510, Sector 13, Urban Estates, Kurukshetra-136118, India

Abstract: It is a conceptual paper that takes an in-depth look on the pros and cons of Six Sigma and describes its DMAIC strategy to realise the significance of measurement phase, specifically. Various prospects have been formulated to understand the reason of failure of Six Sigma particularly in SMEs and it has been found that doing 'wrong operation measurement' is one of the major reasons in them. It enlisted the measurement phase in detail and proposed a more applicable methodology to execute operation measurements comprehensively, as far as their industrial applications are associated. It also act as a road map for short listing the relevant measurement tools especially for Six Sigma learners, people working in industry and professional-statisticians. A case study in a medium scale non-ferrous foundry has been conducted which has validated the suggested approach successfully. Basically it is utilising an integrated advantage of both quantitative and qualitative measurement-tools extensively, for producing breakthrough results quickly in real Indian industrial environments.

Keywords: six sigma implementation; foundries; DMAIC; susceptible sources of variations; SSVs; SIPOC diagram; failure mode and effects analysis; FMEA; process capability; cause and effect matrix; bias; stability; measurement system analysis; MSA; gauge repeatability; gauge reproducibility; gauge R&R; India.

DOI: 10.1504/IJAOM.2012.049907

International Journal of Advanced Operations Management, 2012 Vol.4 No.4, pp.323 - 349

Received: 02 Dec 2010
Accepted: 20 Sep 2011

Published online: 11 Aug 2014 *

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