The performance improvement analysis using Six Sigma DMAIC methodology: A case study on Indian manufacturing company

Area of Science:

• Industrial Engineering
• Quality Management
• Operations Research

Background:

• High rejection rates in rubber weather strip manufacturing pose significant financial losses.
• The automotive industry relies on weather strips for noise reduction, waterproofing, and sealing.
• A 5.5% rejection rate at XYZ Ltd. necessitated a robust quality improvement strategy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement the Six Sigma DMAIC methodology to reduce the rejection rate of rubber weather strips.
• To achieve a target rejection rate of 2% for automotive weather strips.
• To analyze performance improvements in manufacturing through Six Sigma.

Main Methods:

• Application of the Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control (DMAIC) framework.
• Case study analysis of a rubber weather strip manufacturing process at XYZ Ltd.
• Data collection and analysis of rejection rates and associated costs.

Main Results:

• Reduced average daily rejection rate from 5.5% to 3.08%.
• Decreased monthly rejection from 153 to 68 pieces, saving Rs. 15,249 in compound costs.
• Improved sigma level from 3.9 to 4.45 within three months.

Conclusions:

• The Six Sigma DMAIC methodology is effective in significantly reducing manufacturing defects.
• Successful implementation led to cost savings and improved product quality.
• The study validates the application of Six Sigma for enhancing operational efficiency in automotive component manufacturing.