Quality Function Deployment Methodology Research Articles

JVC-02 Teleoperated Robot: Design, Implementation, and Validation for Assistance in Real Explosive Ordnance Disposal Missions

Explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) operations are hazardous due to the volatile and sensitive nature of these devices. EOD robots have improved these tasks, but their high cost limits accessibility for security institutions that do not have sufficient funds. This article presents the design, implementation, and validation of a low-cost EOD robot named JVC-02, specifically designed for use in explosive hazardous environments to safeguard the safety of police officers of the Explosives Disposal Unit (UDEX) of Arequipa, Peru. To achieve this goal, the essential requirements for this type of robot were compiled, referencing the capabilities of Rescue Robots from RoboCup. Additionally, the Quality Function Deployment (QFD) methodology was used to identify the needs and requirements of UDEX police officers. Based on this information, a modular approach to robot design was developed, utilizing commercial off-the-shelf components to facilitate maintenance and repair. The JVC-02 was integrated with a 5-DoF manipulator and a two-finger mechanical gripper to perform dexterity tasks, along with a tracked locomotion mechanism, which enables effective movement, and a three-camera vision system to facilitate exploration tasks. Finally, field tests were conducted in real scenarios to evaluate and experimentally validate the capabilities of the JVC-02 robot, assessing its mobility, dexterity, and exploration skills. Additionally, real EOD missions were carried out in which UDEX agents intervened and controlled the robot. The results demonstrate that the JVC-02 robot possesses strong capabilities for real EOD applications, excelling in intuitive operation, low cost, and ease of maintenance.

Interval-valued spherical fuzzy quality function deployment methodology: Metaverse collaborative system design application

The metaverse collaborative system (MCS) aims to assist users in working together, sharing resources, and participating in joint activities in the metaverse environment. As an interactive system, identifying essential design requirements (DRs) based on user requirements (URs) during the conceptual design phase of MCS is challenging as it directly affects the cost of subsequent optimization design and user experimentation, as well as user experience. Therefore, we propose a quality function deployment (QFD) method based on multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) in an interval-valued spherical fuzzy (IVSF) environment to establish a mapping relationship between URs and DRs and identify human-centered DRs to guide the conceptual design process of MCS. Firstly, we summarized the URs for MCS design and calculated their weights using IVSF based analytical hierarchy process (IVSF-AHP). Afterward, we determined DRs based on URs and established the UR-DR relationship in the house of quality of QFD. Next, we integrate the VlseKriterijuska Optimizacija I Komoromisno Resenje (VIKOR) method in the IVSF environment into QFD to determine the priority of DRs. The results indicate that system functional design, scene layout design, compatibility design, and multi-user collaborative optimization design are important DRs for designing MCS and should be carefully considered. We validated the applicability of this method through an urban planning MCS design example and provided a conceptual design case including functional blueprints. Sensitivity analysis and comparative analysis demonstrate the flexibility and reliability of the proposed method.

Sustainable recycling management: configuration of risk factors and resilience strategies

Purpose Recycling is associated with positive social and environmental impact, but previous studies have overlooked the cost of recycling operations. Based on the dynamic capability view, the purpose of this study was to identify and evaluate risk factors and resilience strategies within the recycling industry, prioritize these factors and identify the optimal combination of resilience strategies and risk factors to improve market performance. Design/methodology/approach The research questions were addressed in three subsequent studies. In Study 1, qualitative interviews were conducted to identify risk factors and strategies to mitigate those risks. In Study 2, quality function deployment methodologies were implemented via case studies derived from three different companies. Based on the results of Studies 1 and 2, in addition to the use of fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis, Study 3 aimed to determine the optimal combination of risk factors and strategies impacting market performance. Findings The results across the three studies revealed a number of risk factors as well as which risk factors and resilience strategies have the greatest impact on market performance. Specifically, it was found that higher levels of readiness, response and recovery strategies lead to greater market performance, whereas weak readiness, response and recovery strategies, along with low societal, environmental and health and safety risk factors, significantly inhibit performance. Originality/value This research extends current understandings of market performance in relation to recycling industry management and offers insight for decision-makers toward combating significant risk factors in business-to-business settings.

Increasing Customer Satisfaction with Quality Function Deployment Methodology Based on Service Quality Analysis

One way to be superior to competing companies in the service field, especially customer satisfaction, is by analyzing service quality. Satisfied customers can increase their loyalty and have more trust in a company, so they can continue using its services. PT. XYZ is a company that offers logistics accommodation services; this research took the period from January 2023 to February 2024. It is known that the number of fluctuating customers tends to decrease. Apart from that, there were also several complaints submitted by customers, including products arriving late, inability to fulfill customer requests, delays in the delivery process, and top payments not being evenly distributed. This research used the Servqual and Quality Function Deployment (QFD) methodology. The Servqual method was carried out by distributing questionnaires to 95 respondents to identify the biggest gaps based on the dimensions of tangibles, reliability, assurance, empathy, and responsiveness, which was then carried out with a QFD analysis to determine the priority of corrective action. based on technical response. The research results show that the reliability dimension has the largest gap value, 0.21. A QFD analysis is carried out objectively to determine quality improvement based on technical responses obtained from customers' voices. In the QFD analysis, it is known that the priority corrective actions that must be taken are carrying out correct transaction recording, faster employee processes, increasing employee skills, increasing security, optimizing the system, and increasing availability. Keywords: Customer Expectations, Customers Satisfaction, House of Risk, Service Quality, Quality Function Deployment

Exploring a Material-Focused Design Methodology: An Innovative Approach to Pressure Vessel Design

The design of components and elements comprising industrial machinery, as well as those that are part of an industrial system, has been carried out in recent years using various design methodologies. Currently, the products demanded by customers, as well as the needs of different companies, governments, and individuals, require considerations beyond traditional design, including multidisciplinary aspects such as sustainability, environmental friendliness, and circular economy. The design methodologies considered for this study are the quality function deployment (QFD) methodology, the theory of inventive problem-solving methodology, Ashby’s Materials Selection methodology, and the systematic approach methodology, which are currently the main design methodologies. These methodologies present some disadvantages, such as multidisciplinary requirements not being considered directly, the selection of materials based on standards is not well established, and obtaining technical requirements is ambiguous for the technical purposes of the design or manufacturing, and the designer’s experience in these examples is important to the design process and the development of the product. For these reasons, the traditional design methodologies are presented, next, a new design methodology is proposed and described, then a case study is performed in order to compare the proposed methodology with traditional design methodologies. Finally, the results show advantages over the traditional design methodologies.

CUSTOMER-FOCUSED AIRCRAFT SEAT DESIGN: A CASE STUDY WITH AHP-QFD

Aviation is rapidly expanding and recovering from the pandemic impact driven by the experience economy. This is particularly subject to interfaces such as the aircraft seats, which are getting intense attention as a differentiator in the cabin. The focal point of this paper is to assess and convert customer requirements into what must be done for an optimum aircraft seat. To achieve this, a 2-step analytic hierarchy process and quality function deployment (AHP-QFD) methodology was successfully applied, consolidating product quality characteristics. Then, it leverages a novel scoring method of interdependencies to isolate dependable design variables. Consequently, safety, weight, and durability scored maximum, emphasizing backrest design and alternative composite materials, while test infrastructure was determined as a critical investment component. Furthermore, it is shown how AHP-QFD can be used for product strategy and strategic portfolio management of R&D projects.

An Integrated QFD and TRIZ Methodology for Innovative Product Design

The paper presents a methodology that integrates Quality-Function Deployment (QFD) and the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ) used for generating innovative solutions to design problems. It proposes a modified analytical House of Quality (HoQ) to reveal and prioritize contradictions between design parameters and between customer requirements. The proposed methodology extends the traditional HoQ and eliminates the need for the TRIZ’s Function Analysis (FA) procedure. Function Analysis involves identifying the functions of a product or process elements and trying to find contradictions between the system elements. The usability of the proposed method is illustrated through the redesign of an assembly workshop to overcome major problems addressed by the various stakeholders of the process. The new design of the assembly workshop helps reduce the number of work stages from 3 to 1, reduce the number of workers from 4 to 2, decrease rework, decrease the percentage of damaged products, enhance workplace ergonomics and improve the overall system efficiency.

Evaluation of Blockchain Technology for Supply Chains using an Integrated Fuzzy Cognitive Map-QFD Methodology

The rapid advancement of technology has made it imperative for supply chains to adapt to the changing landscape. Blockchain technology holds immense potential to transform supply chain processes, but the challenge lies in identifying the most suitable blockchain characteristics to meet the various performance indicators of a supply chain. To overcome this challenge, this study aims to prioritize the most critical blockchain characteristics in a supply chain. The study adopts a two-stage Quality Function Deployment (QFD) methodology to rank blockchain characteristics based on supply chain and software requirements. The methodology evaluates the supply chain performance indicators using the Supply Chain Operations Reference (SCOR) model and software needs using the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) software quality characteristics. After determining the problematic SCOR and ISO software-related metrics, the study utilizes the QFD Stage 1 to obtain the weights of ISO software characteristics and employs the Fuzzy Cognitive Map (FCM) to determine the most crucial blockchain characteristics for QFD Stage 2. The results of this study show that the top priorities for blockchain characteristics in a supply chain are smart contract functionality, privacy, transaction per second, tokenization, security, permissioned network, scalability, cost, modularity, and licensing, in order of importance.

An interval valued Pythagorean fuzzy AHP integrated quality function deployment methodology for hazelnut production in Turkey

This study aims to investigate the effect of customer expectations and cultivation processes on the hazelnut industry in Turkey. Hazelnut is an essential fruit for meeting the energy needs of the body, and it grows in temperate climates, with Turkey being the largest producer in the world. However, changing climatic conditions, activities carried out unconsciously in the field of production, and the use of agricultural products and their content affect the quality of hazelnuts. To survive in this competitive environment, hazelnut producers in Turkey need to improve the cultivation process and meet customer expectations. In this context, the Pythagorean Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (PF-AHP) integrated Quality Function Deployment methodology is employed to analyze the cultivation process of hazelnuts grown in Turkey. Firstly, customer expectations are defined through literature review, experts' opinions, and customers' opinions on the Quality Function Deployment application. The expectations are then prioritized using PF-AHP. In order to meet the customer expectations, strategies to achieve required technical characteristics are designed based on interviews with producers. A relationship matrix is established to examine the impact of customer expectations on the product and production process, taking into account the technical characteristics. This process is examined using Quality Function Deployment. The results show that “Price stability due to state policies” is the most important customer expectation, and “Low costs” is a vital strategy to improve the quality of hazelnut production. Sensitivity analysis and comparative analysis are performed to evaluate the proposed method and test its accuracy. This study presents a practical and effective approach for farmers and companies to improve the quality of hazelnut production, and can be used as a reference for other agricultural products. The results of the study can provide directions to be developed in the cultivation process for hazelnuts grown in Turkey.

A study on implementing QFD (quality function deployment) in the construction of a commercial business center

Purpose This study aims to demonstrate how the process of quality function deployment (QFD) is used to identify the basic requirements of the customers in designing and executing the commercial business center. Design/methodology/approach This study was considered with the aim of determining the approach of QFD methodology used in the planning and designing of commercial business centers. The methodology used in the study is a customer-driven process that includes customer requirements in each and every aspect of the planning and designing of the project. The main focus of this study is to understand the requirements of the customers and to design and execute a commercial business project. Findings This study illustrates the quality requirements of the projects that benefit from the QFD process to obtain customer requirements for the planning and designing of commercial business centers. A case study is used to demonstrate the use of QFD process. This helps to explain the effective application of QFD in the planning and designing of business centers and similar constructions. Research limitations/implications The planning and designing of the commercial business center using the QFD process were challenging and hence it is limited to the design part. The strategic objectives are not taken into account while performing QFD in this case study and the risk of market research is lacking. House of quality (HOQ) can be too complicated at times; hence, the adaptability in the traditional QFD is lacking. Most of the work in the HOQ matrix is done through subjective evaluation. Therefore, this research is mostly useful for a single party responsible for all phases of the planning and designing of the project. Originality/value In the construction industry, the use of the QFD process for project performance analysis and application is restricted. As a result of the scarcity of studies on the planning and design of construction projects, this study on the planning and design of a construction project was inspired.

Integration of the software engineering theory and the quality function deployment methodology for supporting the measurement of the state of progress in software projects

A fundamental practice to fulfill the objectives in a software project, is to measure its state of progress so that corrective actions can be taken timely. Most of approaches supporting measurement processes are focused on describing techniques to deal with these measurements from a project management perspective. However, these approaches lack of strategies that facilitate an adequate integration, understanding and application by professionals in software development area. In addition, the lack of rigor of such proposals hinders the establishment of common practices and give rise to unreliable results. This paper is aimed at providing an approach that satisfy the need of using frameworks standardized and easily adopted in order to support the measurement in the software development. To do this, we use the elements provided by SEMAT (Software Engineering Method and Theory) and the procedures established by QFD (Quality Function Deployment) by generating a proposal which includes a representation standardized and a method to analyze the needs of measurement from customer perspective. Also, a mapping review and a study based on interviews intended to assure the reliability of the findings exhibited in this paper were done.

Smart Tourism Experience Design in Amusement Parks: A Quality Function Deployment (QFD) Application

In the context of extensive smart developments in amusement parks, this study aimed to understand how different smart tourism technologies could be transferred into tourists’ expectations of smart tourism experiences. Drawing on the Quality Function Deployment (QFD) methodology, this study established a House of Quality (HoQ) for smart developments by analyzing data from 20 interviews (10 tourists and 10 service providers) and 300 survey responses (250 tourists and 50 service providers). The results identified 14 smart tourism technologies in amusement parks, and revealed that they correlated in different ways with the four smart tourism experience attributes (accessibility, informativeness, interactivity, and personalization), thus laying a theoretical foundation for more comprehensive discussions of smart tourism design, and providing practical implications for staging the smart tourism experience in a better way.

Systematic Quality Improvement of the Study Programme: Quality Function Deployment

Quality Function Deployment (QFD) is a well-known quality improvement and assessment methodology that can be applied in different fields, including higher education. The principle of continuous improvement refers to the study process and also relates to the initial analysis of the content of the study program and the systematic improvement process. The research aims to analyse and assess the Quality Function Deployment methodology application for the study program improvement, particularly focusing on the program quality assessment. Research methodology and results provide an opportunity to determine the high-priority skills, professional requirements and the significance of those study program components that create students’ opinions about the importance of learning outcomes according to the professional competence they need and expect. The research results show how QFD methodology can be used to assess and improve study programmes in higher education institutions and indicate the benefits of the methodology application.

Optimal selection of sustainable battery supplier for electric vehicle battery swapping station

ABSTRACT The problems faced in the electric vehicle (EV) charging station like time consumption and limited space can be overcome by battery swapping station (BSS), which not only saves time but also reduces the range anxiety problem among the users of EV. Batteries are the backbone of EV as it is power supply and essential to run the vehicle. Total price of EV has a good share in the form of battery, thus impacting a lot in the EV industry. Therefore, this paper presents a methodology for the selection of a sustainable battery supplier for BSS using fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making method. Firstly, four main criteria segregated into 12 supplementary criteria are identified considering several requirements for BSS. To cope with the uncertainty in the decision-making process, triangular fuzzy number (TFN) has been implemented. The TFNs give the relative weights among the considered criterion, and to make this framework more customer-centric, quality function deployment (QFD) is implemented, leading to final weights of the criteria. The obtained results give the hierarchy of the criteria, and top five weights after implementing the QFD methodology are as follows: battery price (0.2313), innovation ability (0.2188), safety assurance (0.12135), financial condition (0.1119), and cost of transportation (0.066). Subsequently, integrating fuzzy with complex-proportional assessment of alternatives (COPRAS) leads to rank the alternatives. As a case study, Kolkata city of India is chosen to demonstrate a viable selection. It was found that supplier based on Kolkata Municipal Corporation is the topmost priority, followed by North 24 Parganas, eastern part of Howrah, and South 24 Parganas, with the relative significance value of 0.3305, 0.2575, 0.2540, and 0.1578, respectively. This paper reveals an approach to the stakeholders for accessing the sustainable battery supplier of BSS choosing the most significant one.

Fermatean fuzzy based Quality Function Deployment methodology for designing sustainable mobility hub center

Mobility Centers can provide integrated different options of mobility and intermodal services, and their associated facilities and all supporting technologies. Mobility hub centers are centrally located that enable people to go where they want to go without a private vehicle by combining many options such as walking, public transportation, bike sharing and car sharing. A well-designed mobility hub reduces GHG emissions by reducing vehicle miles within the city and provides accessible space for transferring of passengers from one mode of transport to another. To fulfill these aims, mobility hubs must be in the center and technologically well designed so that all individuals in the society can easily access it. Mobility hubs should also be able to increase or improve the mobility of passengers, and in turn ensure the satisfaction of all citizens. Due to the importance of passenger requirements (PRs) and sustainable design requirements (SDRs), to satisfy PRs while designing a mobility hub, in this study, a Fermatean Fuzzy based Quality Function Deployment (QFD) methodology is developed and applied to determine PRs and SDRs to satisfy PRs while designing a mobility hub in Kadikoy/Istanbul. As a relatively new extension of fuzzy sets, Fermatean Fuzzy Set (FFS) is used, in this study, for judgements to model fuzziness and uncertainty more extensively. According to results, the most important SDR to design mobility hub is “Mobility as a service (MaaS)” while the second and third most important SDRs are “Increase smartphone connectivity to create awareness of multi-modal options” and “Increase green spaces in the terminal”. This study’s results can support authorities in making strategic decisions in favor of future mobility hub designs.

A linear programming-based QFD methodology under fuzzy environment to develop sustainable policies in apparel retailing industry

As the retailing industry becomes more customer oriented, it struggles with integrating the voice-of-customers into quality development policies, determining accurate customer expectations, and understanding how to incorporate the required store attributes in retailing activities. The aim of this study is to provide managers with a more decisive and sustainable framework to fulfill customer satisfaction by determining the most essential customer needs and gain a competitive advantage by applying a benchmarking process for the whole retailing activities. To essentially support managers in determining and implementing required store attributes, this study develops a sustainable linear programming (LP) based Quality Function Deployment (QFD) methodology under IVIF-environment. The proposed method determines more accurate customer expectations (CEs) and related service requirements (SRs). Accordingly, while “Clothing Quality”, Price Policy”, and “Staff Behavior” are determined as the most important CEs, “Design of Customer Persona”, “Production Cost”, and “Marketing Applications” are obtained as the most affecting SRs. Since no specific study in the literature addresses uncertainty in CEs and SRs in the apparel retailing industry, we developed an LP-based QFD under the IVIF-environment framework, which reflects the ambiguity and vagueness of the evaluations better. Thus, this study contributes to the literature by proposing a sustainable framework for managers to make decisions that are more effective and take sustainable actions. The companies who want to get the advantage in the apparel retailing industry should follow the methodology provided within this study by adding their business specific dimensions. Lastly, to represent the validity and feasibility of the proposed approach sensitivity and comparison analysis are conducted. The results of comparison show that the LP based QFD method is as consistent as other method but more effective in terms of handling ambiguity and fuzziness of expert evaluations, comprehensively.

Prioritising the determinants of Industry-4.0 for implementation in MSME in the post-pandemic period – a quality function deployment analysis

PurposeMicro, Small, Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are witnessing an accelerated transformation by the advent of Industry-4.0 (I4.0) in the post-pandemic period. It is offering promising customer responsiveness, competitiveness, business growth and sustainability and thereby, compelling its integration to MSMEs. Therefore, it is imperative for researchers to explore Industry 4.0 challenges and their specific implementation requirements and also provide useful insights to the stakeholders.Design/methodology/approachThis research paper has identified, explained and analysed various determinants of the I4.0 implementation, in MSME context. Focus group approach has been applied for taking inputs from experts for developing the House of Quality (HOQ) tool of the Quality Function Deployment (QFD) methodology from the Total Quality Management (TQM) tool-box.FindingsBased on the responses and after applying QFD, a conceptual model suggesting relevant strategies to execute I4.0 by Indian MSMEs has been developed. The model highlights three key challenges being faced by the Indian MSMEs –Top management support, Incompatible resources and Transition cost. The model also reveals vital few designer's descriptors – Cultural reorientation, IT enabled digitization, Process automation and knowledge and skill in I4.0 implementation (Knowhow) for a structured implementation of I4.0.Practical implicationsThe evolved HOQ framework has provided some useful insights - priority areas in the MSME challenges and the designer's descriptors for I4.0 implementation in MSME. The research has also provided the understanding of the dynamics between the I4.0 components through the 10 × 10 interrelationship matrix of the HOQ. Farsighted MSME leaders, practising consultants, sourcing managers and policy makers can use the developed framework as a reference in formulating tactics to mitigate the I4.0 implementation barriers.Originality/valueThe non-conventional application of HOQ in the QFD approach from the TQM tool-box is a useful value addition to the TQM practitioners. The useful insights to the MSME leaders, policy makers, sourcing managers of OEM, consultants engaged in I4.0 transformation and academic researchers are the other contribution.

DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW KIND OF BREAD PRODUCED BY THE TECHNOLOGY OF"DEFERRED BAKING" ON THE BASIS OF MODERN QUALITY MANAGEMENT METHODS

The article considers the use of Quality Function Deployment methodology in the development of a new type of bread based on the technology of "deferred baking" of high nutritional value. The research identified the main consumer requirements for a new product that directly affect its technical characteristics. By using quality management tools (affinity diagram, tree diagram, benchmarking) the transformation of consumer desires into quantitative technical (design) characteristics of the product. The ranking of consumer requirements for a new type of bread is carried out, weighting factors are determined. A tree of product quality indicators characterizing the level of consumer satisfaction has been formed, and their compliance with regulatory requirements has been established. To transform the requirements of consumers into the parameters of the quality of expected products, a "Quality House" was built for the production of a new type of bread using the technology of "deferred baking". It is established that when developing a new product with high consumer properties, it is necessary to ensure the naturalness of the product through the use of natural additives and high-quality raw materials, which will lead to a product with high biological active substances content and extended shelf life. It will also solve a number of problems inherent in the technology of "delayed baking", and most importantly it will lead to the creation of a product with good organoleptic characteristics.

Incorporating management opinion in green supplier selection model using quality function deployment and interactive fuzzy programming.

The need for environmental protection and involvement of ecological aspects in the business operations is forcing the organizations to re-examine their action plans and rebuild their supply chain activities. Many organizations are incorporating environmental rules and regulations in their everyday matters by focusing on green supplier selection. The proposed research paper develops a multi-objective interactive fuzzy programming model for the selection of suppliers. This model works on a business quartet of green appraisal score, cost, quality, and time. The model uses an environmental scale for different green parameters and all the suppliers are scored based on this scale. In this research model, Quality Function Deployment (QFD) methodology is integrated with the multi-objective interactive fuzzy programming. QFD technique is utilized to compute the weights of several green factors used for the selection of suppliers. The model uses a Fuzzy linguistic scale and a triangular membership function to link expert opinions along with their experience to solve the problem. Finally, the model is validated on a numerical case study of the textile industry for green supplier selection which achieves a 100% satisfaction for cost and time, 75% satisfaction for green appraisal score, and 93.95% for the quality. The proposed model assists the decision-makers in selecting green suppliers to improve the overall sustainability of their organizations.

QFD for selecting key success factors in the implementation of quality 4.0

AbstractIndustry 4.0 technological advancements over the last few years have generated a variety of interchangeable methods for achieving quality objectives. The present study seeks to create a framework that will facilitate the selection of key success factors in the implementation of Quality 4.0. Since the ways in which Quality 4.0 technologies can interact present a new industrial reality, our prioritization program addresses the synergy that can exist between technologies. The current study presents the development of a Quality Function Deployment (QFD) methodology for the effective implementation of Quality 4.0. The methodology extracts the desired improvements in quality objectives and translates them into the important Quality 4.0 technologies and, ultimately, into core implementation barriers that need to be reduced, ranked by importance. Normalized improvement scores were calculated at each of three hierarchical levels: quality objectives, Quality 4.0 technologies, and implementation barriers. The components to be improved at each level were selected using the Mean Square Error (MSE) criterion. The methodology was implemented in a food processing company. The vital few quality objectives to be improved were found to be stable quality, equipment reliability, customer satisfaction, and product related complaints. The most important technologies to be considered are big data, enabling technologies, statistics and data mining, and artificial intelligence. Concerns regarding cyber security and outdated systems/infrastructure are the most significant barriers to Quality 4.0 implementation.