SIX SIGMA DMAIC METHODOLOGY IMPLEMENTATION IN AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY: A CASE STUDY

Abstract

This paper deals with the applications of Six Sigma, DMAIC methodology to improve the Sigma level of the project taken from an automobile industry. Modern manufacturing industries are focusing on many innovative techniques and management practices such as Six Sigma, total productive maintenance (TPM), total quality management (TQM), just in time (JIT), enterprise resource planning (ERP) etc. Six Sigma offers a unique approach that is widely used in industries in order to improve the process and reduce the number of defects. Six Sigma is a fact-based, data-driven philosophy and methodology that improves quality by analyzing data with the help of statistics to find the root cause of quality problems and control by preventing defects. Six Sigma provides 1.5 Sigma drift margin from the process mean to either side, so that final products would be 99.97% defect free, having 3.4 DPMO. One Sigma gives a precision of 68.27%, two Sigma gives 95.45% and three Sigma of 99.73%, whereas Six Sigma gives a precision of 99.9997%.The DMAIC (define-measure-analyze- improve-control) approach has been followed to solve an underlying problem (To reduce the in-house rejections of Cushion P-70 Bolt RR) of reducing process variation and the associated high defects rate. This paper explores how an automobiles industry can use a systematic and disciplined approach to move towards Six Sigma quality levels. The DMAIC phases are utilized to decrease the defect rate of Cushion P-70 Bolt RR (Splendor bike Shock Absorber attachment bolt) from 121550 PPM to 4263 PPM and increased in Sigma level from 2.67 to 4.11. The Process Yield increased to 99.6% from a very low level of 87.8% and Process Capability increased to 1.93.