DMAIC Project: Testing the SP Antenna
Baseline (Define)
The aim of the project was to reduce the time needed to test the SP antenna by 80% in production. The customer was a company. They set out to improve the process because the lead time for the antennas was too long. The project was also intended to lay the groundwork for the future, so that Lean Six Sigma could be used more widely to improve operations in the company.
Process performance at the beginning (Measure)
The performance of the process was initially affected by a mean and variation problem and the target was not reached for any of the antennas in the data analysis. The data analysis clearly illustrated an understanding of the problems the testing process had at baseline. The data was used to start to make a more detailed description of the process in order to identify possible root causes and problems in the testing process.
Improvement measures (Analyze & Improve)
After a more detailed description of the process, unnecessary steps were eliminated, i.e. waste was removed. In addition, a solution was found in the attachment of the antenna to the test fixture, which was one of the root causes of the averaging and scattering problem. The project proved to be a challenge in keeping to the schedule due to many variables, all of which were beyond the control of the project team. Running the project alongside other work routines also posed a major challenge to its success. The project made particular use of the Poka Yoke system to make the testing process reliable and repeatable with little variation.
Results (Control)
The time spent testing SP antennas was improved by almost 90%, so the original target was met. The problems identified from the data analysed at the beginning of the project, related to the averaging and scattering problem, were also improved. In the future, the turnaround time of the antennas will be monitored and any problems will be reported after the test batches to the production deviations, which will be discussed in separate meetings. The project resulted in several new opportunities to use the new mounting method in other antenna and cable testing processes. A key objective for the project was also achieved, namely to complete 12 DMAIC steps to enable future projects to be completed. During the project, I gained a lot of new skills, especially in data analysis and the importance of teamwork. I also learned new ways of visual management and its importance in my daily work.
This project was a Black Belt training project, which the participant did as part of the training and received a Black Belt certificate at the end of the project.
If you are interested in learning how to improve your processes using Lean and Six Sigma, and earn your Belt Belt certification at the same time, check out the training at the link: Black Belt training.