Leveraging Lean Six Sigma: Reducing defects and rejections in filter manufacturing industry

Abstract

The continuous improvement of small and medium enterprises is the prime requirement for all industries to sustain and grow in the competitive international market. A systemized organized industry improves the quality, safety, and morale of the employees. In the present scenario, most industries are using CNC or DNC machines for high production; but the process variation can occur in most manufacturing industries. This variation in the process always affects the product's quality, which may be due to special or common causes. Lean Six Sigma (LSS) is a systematic, disciplined, and statistical set of tools adopted by most industries to improve themselves. Lean tools help eliminate the non-value-added activities, which reduce the production cost, whereas the six-sigma improves the product's quality by eliminating the process variation. The net gain to the industry can be calculated by comparing the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) before and after the implementation of LSS. Hence, most industries are implementing LSS to improve production and quality. This paper is a case study of an automobile filters manufacturing industry, facing the problem of rejection in the fuel filters about 12%. Value stream map (VSM) and DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control) cycle were used to improve processes to reduce the rejection rate. Tools like process capability, control charts, Pareto chart, and fishbone diagram were used in this industry for improvement. As a result, the rejection rate was reduced drastically, from 12% to 4%. The delivery cycle to customer is also reduced from 12 days to 11 days.