DISEÑO, APLICACIÓN Y EVALUACIÓN DE UN MODELO PARA LA MEJORA DE PROCESOS EN SECTORES INDUSTRIALES MADUROS. ESTUDIO DEL CASO.

Abstract

Current organizations must work in changing environments, being one of their major challenges to improve competitiveness through the continuous improvement of product quality and efficiency of their production processes. To do this, companies get used to launching programs of Continuous Improvement (CI) and/or further initiatives based on isolated improvement projects using specific methods between which the Six Sigma one can be stressed/emphasized (SS). The benefits of both CI programs, such as specific applications of the SS methodology are well known: for that reason, they are used by many industries. The implementation is not easy; there is no a magic wand for their instantaneous and successful implementation. This paper presents the development and application of a Process Improvement (PI) model, in which have joined the foundation for CI programs and the SS methodology. The model developed is used as a management program, which will run CI projects using the methodology SS. The research methodology approached in this project has been the case study research, so that the model has been tested and improved in four manufacturing companies, suppliers of components for the automotive and home appliances sectors. The model has been applied during the 2008-2009, 8 projects have been addressed through its application: thus, important improvements in various production areas of these organizations have been achieved. Specifically, from the 8 projects undertaken in 4 objectives have been achieved fully, in 1 they have been achieved at a medium level and in 3 the results were not successful. The causes that have most affected the implementations have been the involvement of management, the project types undertaken, the surveillance of the operative process and the communication of lessons learned. Also one of the organizations where the model has been applied will be used as a basis for implementing an ongoing program of PI.