Application of quality engineering techniques in the main domains of industrial engineering

Abstract

Purpose: of this paper is to cover the main domains of industrial engineering based on the statistical and non-statistical techniques related to quality engineering. In this research, in addition to the review of the main domains of industrial engineering and the required specifications of technique, have been tried to present an integrated model of application of these techniques in order to create or increase the total score of productivity and sustainability in related scale with Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) approach. Design/methodology/approach: of this paper has been divided in two categories. The method of theoretical research consists of data collection tools, reference books, and several articles of the Iranian Center for Defences Standard. The method of practical research is the assessment of selected statistical and non-statistical techniques related to quality engineering, which have been deployed in the main domains of industrial engineering related to the manufacturing factories that are belonged to the selected industries of the Defence Industries Organization (DIO). Findings: of this paper consist of four main results. The maximum impact of standard statistical techniques in order to cover the main domains of industrial engineering and the required specifications of technique is related to the Statistical Process Control (SPC). Furthermore, the maximum impact of non-statistical techniques in order to cover them, is related to the Quality Function Deployment (QFD). The other results, which can be assessed with details, have shown that the maximum importance of the main domains of industrial engineering is related to the planning and manufacturing control and the maximum importance of the required specifications of technique is related to the mathematical analysis too. The total score of productivity and sustainability in related scale has been achieved to the upper than moderate level. In this research, the identification and determination of important factors, which have influenced on the productivity and sustainability have been done for the first time. The percentage of impact of the quality engineering techniques for both productivity and sustainability in the industrial engineering field is approximate to 70%. Research limitations/implications: of this paper suggest that the application of quality engineering tools including statistical and non-statistical techniques can be generalized to the other engineering or management fields with the same Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) or Analytic Network Process (ANP) approach in phase environments. Originality/value: of this paper have been extracted from the managers and experts involved with qualitative issues in the different levels of the Defence Industries Organization (DIO) and the Maham Group. This values are assessed from two aspects. Firstly, the validity of this research was carried out using expert’s opinions (Industrial advisers, Lead auditors of the Iranian center for Defences Standard and university professors). Secondly, all values of the research reliability are acceptable.