Review on Application of Six Sigma Tool

Student Name*, Guide Name**

* Research scholar, Department of Mechanical Engineering, College Name, City Name.
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**Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, College Name, City Name.
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Abstract: In today’s environment of competition, higher defect rates in production can cause economic losses to a
company. Therefore, it becomes imperative to minimize these defect rates and reduce production losses. This could
be achieved by the application of DMAIC tool of sig sigma in specific departments or all departments of a company.
The current paper studies the six sigma tool and its application in various industries along with output achieved in
terms of defect rate reduction and also on cost saving along with necessary training of workers.

Key Words: Six sigma, DMAIC, Quality

1. INTRODUCTION: Every mistake an organization or person makes

ultimately has a cost-a lost customer, the need to do
Six Sigma can be defined as a business improvement certain task again, a part that has to be replaced, time
strategy used to improve business profitability, drive or material wasted, efficiency lost, or productivity
out waste, reduce costs of poor quality and to squandered. In fact, waste and mistakes cost many
improve the effectiveness and efficiency of all organizations as much as 20 to 30 percent of their
operations so as to meet or even exceed customers’ revenue! That’s a shocking number. Imagine
needs and expectations. Six Sigma has the ability to throwing 20 to 30 percent of your money away in the
produce products with only 3.4 defects per million, garbage every time you cash a check. It may sound
which is a world-class performance. Six Sigma has ludicrous, but that’s many organization do. Every
also been described as a high-performance data organization and individuals have room to improve.
driven approach in analysing the root causes of Six Sigma methodology helps in this [2].
business problems and solving them. The
implementation of a measurement-based strategy that
focuses on process improvement and variation 2. LITERATURE REVIEW
reduction is the Fundamental objective of the Six Kunal Ganguly (2012), [3] used DMAIC Six Sigma
Sigma methodology. This can be achieved by Approach for the improvement of the process for
systematically using two of the Six Sigma sub- rolling Mill. He implemented Six Sigma DMAIC in a
methodologies which are DMAIC and DMADV. The large aluminum company to eliminate down time due
Six Sigma DMAIC processes (Define, Measure, to coil slippage during rolling at hot mill. The
Analyze, Improve, Control) is an improvement challenge for Company was to cater fast changing
system for existing processes falling below
export demand for the flat rolled products with its
specification and looking for incremental
existing resources. He had used the six sigma
improvement. The Six Sigma DMADV process
DMAIC methodology to determine the projects CTQ
(Design, Measure, Analyse, Design, Verify.) is an
improvement system used to develop new processes characteristics. He defined the possible causes,
or products at Six Sigma quality levels. if a current identified the various sources, established variable
process requires more than just incremental relationship and implemented control plans. Through
improvement then also DMADV can be employed. In his six sigma DMAIC project he could achieve
1989 Bill Smith defined Six Sigma as ―Organized measurable results like the cycle time was reduced,
common Sense‖ [1]. Alan Larson stated that within slippage problem was eliminated, trials with wider
Six Sigma System everyone is committed to meet widths were successful.
customer’s expectations through the use of
collaborative focus. ―Six Sigma is a methodology Hsiang-Chin Hung and Ming-Hsien Sung (2011) [4]
for minimizing mistakes and maximizing value. has used The DMAIC (define measure-analyze-
improve-control) approach in food company in
Taiwan. By this methodology he solved an implementing this methodology. It has effect of
underlying problem of reducing process variation . improved and better utilization of resources and
thus he could reduce high defect rate associated with decreased variations. It also helped in maintaining
it. The results obtained were the reduced defect rate consistent quality of the process output.
of small custard buns by 70% from the baseline to its
E. V. Gijo, Johny Scaria and Jiju Antony (2011) [9]
entitlement. He has also presented idea regarding the
discuss Six Sigma DMAIC methodology in context
factors that are responsible for success of Six Sigma
with a case study of Grinding Process. The aim of
project in a food industry.
DMAIC approach was to solve the underlying
Prof. Dr. Vidosav MAJSTOROVIĆ, et. al (2010) [5] problem of reducing process variation and improving
in his work has used DMAIC methodolgy in certain the process yield. This paper briefly describes how a
Serbian metal processing manufacturing company. manufacturing process can be benefitted through a
What He achieved through his project was the systematic use of above methodology to move
reduction of process variability, thus reducing towards world-class quality level. The application of
quantity of nonconformities product. It led to the Six Sigma methodology resulted in reduction of
increase of Sigma Level for the observed defects in the fine grinding process from 16.6 to
manufacturing system/process and customer 1.19%. Also it has had a significant financial impact
satisfaction. on the profitability of the company. This was due to
saving on rework, reduction in scrap cost, man-hour
S. Pimsakul, N. Somsuk, W. Junboon, and T.
reduction, and increased output. this project reported
Laosirihongthong (2013) [6] applied Six Sigma
a saving of approximately US$2.4 million per annum.
DMAIC methodology to improve a production
process of a laser computer Mouse. By operating R. González Falcón , D. Velázquez Alonso , L.M.
under these resulting conditions, yield of the Gallego Fernández , Luis Pérez Lombard (2011) [10]
functional test procedure increases from 96.2 to 98.6 have proposed the application of Six Sigma
%. methodology for improving energy efficiency in a
distillation unit of a naphtha reforming plant. The
Mohit Taneja, Arpan Manchanda (2013) [7] has used
results shows an expected savings around
Six Sigma Approach to Improve Productivity in
150,000€/year. They found through their project that
Manufacturing Industry. In his paper he begins with
the Six Sigma methodology is highly useful to
an overview of Six Sigma, followed by thorough
improve the energy efficiency of distillation units.
literature review on Six Sigma DMAIC phases,
The project is all about using five-phase DMAIC
application of Six Sigma in small medium scale
methodology to characterize and optimize distillation
industries and also in large manufacturing industries.
process of a naphtha reforming unit. Organizing data
He has also done literature survey on various Six
into useful information is accomplished in the
Sigma quality tools used in the industries. These
measurement phase of the DMAIC process, which
include Process capability analysis, Fishbone
establishes the baseline against which all future
Diagram, Two-sample ttest.
improvements will be compared.
Tushar N Desai and Dr. R L shrivastava (2008) [8],
Jeroen deMast, JoranLokkerbol (2011) [11] have
in their paper they have discussed the quality and
analysed of the Six Sigma DMAIC method from the
productivity improvement in a manufacturing
perspective of problem solving. Their paper
enterprise through a case study. The paper deals with
compares critically the DMAIC method with insights
an application of Six Sigma DMAIC methodology in
from scientific theories in the field of problem
an industry which provides a framework to identify,
solving. The purpose of the analysis is to identify
quantify and eliminate sources of variation in an
limitations of the method. They claimed that these
operational process in question, to optimize the
identified limitations may be an inducement for
operation variables, improve and sustain performance
attempts at improving the method. Also he asserted
viz. process yield with well-executed control plans.
that some limitations may be inherent to DMAIC, as
The process yield was improved as a result of
it is not plausible that a strong method can be
applicable without restrictions in all circumstances. Md. Enamul Kabir, S. M. Mahbubul Islam Boby,
In those cases, the practical value of identified Mostafa Lutfi, (2013) [15] have studied and
limitations is that they provide a basis for advising evaluated the processes of the case organization, to
users when the DMAIC method is suited. find out current sigma level and finally to improve
existing sigma level through productivity
Ploytip Jirasukprasert et. al (2012) [12] have done a
improvement. This has been done by using sixsigma
case study of defects reduction in a rubber gloves
DMAIC cycle. By using DMAIC methodology it has
manufacturing process by applying Six Sigma
been possible to improve productivity by reducing
principles and DMAIC problem solving
defect rate. This research work has been carried out
methodology. The results obtained through this were
in a fan manufacturing company to show how to
reduction in defects per million opportunities
improve its productivity and quality by using Six-
(DPMO) from 195,095 to 83,750. This indicates 50%
sigma. This paper related to work is not only applied
reduction in the defects rate and thus improvement in
to fan manufacturing company but also in any other
its Sigma level from 2.4 to 2.9. This work identifies
types of organizations. By implementing Six-sigma a
the quality issues at a Thai rubber gloves
perfect synchronization among cost, quality,
manufacturing company.
production time and control time will be observed.
Adan Valles et. al (2009) [13] have used Six Sigma By applying 5s it is possible to reduce repetitive task
DMAIC methodology in a semiconductor company by saving time which have shown on data analysis.
dedicated to the manufacture of circuit cartridges for Consequently, there is less possibility for producing
inkjet printers. They are tested electrically in the final defective fan which is the main target of six-sigma.
stage of the process measuring electrical On the other hand by applying line balancing,
characteristics to accept or reject them. During data productivity increases from 240 to 312 per day by
collection they found that Electrical failures were reducing defect. Finally it is said that, it is possible to
about 50% of all defects. Thus it was essential to improve productivity by using six-sigma which is the
reduce the level of defects by establishing the main main purpose of this study. In the future, it is likely
problems, causes and actions. They determined the that more changes will emerge; making Six Sigma an
key factors, identified the optimum levels or even more beneficial application for organizations of
tolerances and improvement opportunities. The all types and sizes.
improvement was a reduction in the electrical failures
Rajeshkumar U. Sambhe and Dr. Rajendra S. Dalu
of around 50%. The results showed that with proper
(2011) [16] have evaluated Six Sigma
application of this methodology, and support for the
implementation in medium scale Indian automotive
team and staff of the organization, a positive impact
enterprises. In this paper they have discussed critical
on the quality and other features critical to customer
success factors for successful Six Sigma
satisfaction can be achieved.
implementation in medium scale automotive
Lateef Ur Rehman, Ateekh-ur-Rehman (2012) [14] industries in India. The survey was conducted using
have used Six Sigma Approach For a Safety the questionnaire method. Their concluding remarks
Management in a Manufacturing Company. There are there is very little research carried out in
was a health and safety department at the automotive sector and the study finds that only a
manufacturing department in the focussed company 25.64% of medium scale automobile sector has
and its objective was to set and improve accidents implemented Six Sigma. They also stated that
prevention system. The paper presents how the six- Medium Scale Automotive Enterprises are having
sigma technique will help to evaluate the safety and good foundation of ISO 9000 .they also claimed that
environmental hazards in performance of many enterprises have started adopting other good
organizations. The objective of this study is to use quality management strategies like Kaizen and TPM.
six-sigma technique to identify and reduce the They concludes that there is little implementation of
occurrences of accidents at the company in advanced quality management system like Six Sigma
consideration. in MSAI’s which can hamper gain from World
market. They also firmly said that the expensive
consultation charges can be saved through in-house were spent producing defective products, as a
training. secondary outcome.

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