SIX SIGMA AS AN INSTRUMENT FOR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT -

Numerous companies use the Six Sigma methodology as a mandatory methodology in their plants; one manager cites three reasons:

I. Six Sigma becomes imperative when it is necessary to evaluate and improve the capability of processes.

II. Six Sigma is a means to reduce the complexity of product and process designs while increasing their reliability.

III. Six Sigma is a setup to combat what is often attributed to "bad luck"; this setup is valid not only in the workshop but anywhere in the organisation.

THE VISION OF SOME COMPANIES THAT OPT FOR SIX SIGMA:

Our vision is to become world-class manufacturers, making world-class products. This type of manufacturer has the best chance to develop its business and survive, due to its higher profitability. It has a Six Sigma level in all its processes and produces services and products of equal quality.

This vision can and must be quantified. Technically, Six Sigma quality is equivalent to a quality level with less than 0.000003 defects per opportunity (3 defects per million opportunities). Unfortunately, there is no immediate, simple, and easy rule to achieve such a quality level. Six Sigma is a methodology that will help achieve this goal.

TWO ASPECTS AROUND WHICH THE SIX SIGMA METHODOLOGY REVOLVES:

I. The quality manufacturer is also the manufacturer capable of producing at low cost. It is less expensive to manufacture correctly the first time than to spend money on adjustments and corrections.

II. Quality can be quantified, and indeed quality must be quantified. The diagnosis and monitoring of quality is a long-term commitment to quality. In the short term, Six Sigma is based on measurements rather than past experiences, judgments, and beliefs. If you cannot measure, you do not know where you are; if you do not know where you are, you are at the mercy of chance.

SIX SIGMA HAS TWO DRIVERS:

The first is the reduction of costs caused by poor quality. Six Sigma focuses on concrete results, benefits in the profit and loss account, which are long-term benefits; but with the Six Sigma methodology, short-term results are emphasised while we work towards long-term results.

It is about reducing costs by improving quality; specifically, we fight against mistakes and failures, not only those detected on the test bench, but also including, for example, accepting excessively wide margins with the consequent increase in cost, defects that cause rework, administrative defects, unnecessary work, etc. All defects are, of course, work without added value. We are convinced that the current level of defects ranges between 15 and 20% of turnover; this is a good indication of the savings potential we have in our hands.

The second driver is the breaking of complacency. Six Sigma drives towards a sense of urgency and the need to achieve world-class standards. Six Sigma is an essential tool for creating such awareness, with the ultimate goal of improving profitability and competitiveness.

THE TWO CORNERSTONES OF SIX SIGMA:

I. Systematic methodology.

Six Sigma is a systematic methodology for proactively reducing costs, concentrating on process improvement rather than reacting by correcting failures once they have occurred. Six Sigma is based on measurements rather than past experience, therefore it is a methodology applicable to a wide range of business activities. Conceptually, Six Sigma requires that each problem be solved based on a relationship of the form:

Y=f(x,y,…z); where Y is the dependent variable; x,y,..z: independent variables.

Six Sigma provides the teachings to find this equation.

Any quality improvement work requires systematic actions and the help of statistics, whether in the long or short term.

Black Belts

They are the agents of change, trained in the use of statistical methods. Some call them "infiltrated commandos"; they are well-trained and assigned ambitious objectives.

These agents of change know the organisation, products, and people well, and they are taught the Six Sigma methodology.

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