| The Lean Six Sigma methodology is being applied extensively to tackle many quality related issues in many processes of today's industries. Various companies have benefited greatly from the adoption of Six Sigma and Lean engineering concepts since their introduction, and continue to do so. The DMAIC method that is traditionally adopted in the implementation of the Lean Six Sigma methodology has proven to yield cost-saving results in most cases. Yet, industries have found that just improvement of existent process and products to reduce defects, does not quench the customer's growing thirst for greater quality. In order to tackle variation and defects pro actively, the initiative to achieve Six Sigma level of quality (3.4 DPMO) or greater is being infused into the design of new products using the Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) methodology, through systematic approaches such as DMADV. This research integrates the DMADV approach into the classic DMAIC methodology through a framework, DMARC, which details the improvement an existing process through re-design. It provides a systematic approach to avoid the mis-direction of projects into following the path of continued improvement of existing processes that are deemed to be beyond such efforts. A real-life industrial case: a successfully completed Lean Six Sigma project, tackling the downtime of the Launch Pad Meteorological System at Launch Pads 39A and B at the Kennedy Space Center, was studied to exemplify the possibility of the achievement of greater results from the implementation of the DMARC framework. |
