DMAIC Project: Reducing the Collection Time of Serially Coded Products
Baseline (Define)
The problem was the slowness of collecting products with serial codes. The various components that were collected were poorly located in the warehouse. The situation was further aggravated by the unclear arrangement of the waste bins in the warehouse.
The aim was to improve the process so that the paying customer would receive their product more quickly.
Process performance at the beginning (Measure)
Based on the data, 66% of deliveries exceeded the target time. The result was worse than expected.
Based on the data, the first solution (moving and cleaning the bins) only helped a little, the main reasons were in the placement of the products, a lot of unnecessary lifting and driving back and forth.
Improvement measures (Analyze & Improve)
The products were arranged better in the warehouse. All components of different series are now placed next to each other, thus unnecessary driving and lifting could be eliminated.
Performing time measurements for improvement measurements proved to be more challenging than expected. Some of the staff were too competitive, and the times were not realistic (the performer cut corners in the process to achieve a faster time). With a few adjustments, the situation was corrected, and the measurements became reliable.
Lean and Six Sigma tools used for process improvement included process capability analyses, benchmarking cards, LEAN 5S and continuous improvement maintenance.
Results (Control)
After the changes, only 2% went over the maximum target time, a 64% improvement compared to the target time.
Results are maintained by monitoring, and the learned knowledge is generally extended to the stocking of products, which is also supported by the upcoming renovation of the inventory management system.
This project was a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt training exercise project, which the participant did as part of the training and received a Green 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 obtain a Green Belt Certification at the same time, please visit the training link: Green Belt training.