Defects tracking in mass customisation production using defects tracking matrix combined with principal component analysis

Abstract

One of the most important quality control tools for mass customisation production (MCP) is defects tracking. Classical statistical process control and design of experiment technologies are not useful for MCP quality control due to the extensive difference in organisational structures, values, management roles and systems, learning and training techniques and customer relations with the traditional mass production. Defects tracking work is often affected by the frequent reconfiguration of the production line and the interruption of the quality information flow. The purpose of this research is to develop an effective and efficient tool for defects tracking in MCP. A defect tracking matrix (DTM) based on house of quality is constructed to directly connect manufacturing technologies with quality defects within a production module. An AHP method is employed and a new correlation coefficients calculation algorithm is proposed to build the ‘house’. The matrix, which is called ‘defect-gene matrix’, contains core defects and manufacturing technologies extracted from DTM by using principle component analysis. The defect-gene matrix can identify and track defects in mass customisation production without being affected by the frequent reconfiguration of the production line and the interruption of the quality information flow. The application revealed that the proposed DTM and defect-gene matrix was an effective and efficient tool for defects tracking in MCP. The defect-gene matrix brings a novel idea to defects tracking. The results of this research will help systematically in defects tracking in MCP.