The practices of integrating manufacturing execution system and six sigma methodology

Currently, manufacturing execution systems (MES) are widely used in the aerospace, automotive, semiconductor, optoelectronic, pharmaceutical and petrochemical industries, etc. MES can link with automation equipment to record relevant information automatically and control the quality of work-in-process (WIP), statistics analysis, production scheduling and maintenance of equipment and instruments, etc. In recent years the manufacturing industry has successfully applied six sigma projects. However, some of the projects failed due to insufficient data and human errors. This paper aims to discuss the define-measure-analyse-improve-control (DMAIC) phases of integrating MES and six sigma, detailing phases to improve the above situation and to avoid the time and cost for sourcing data. It will improve the process performance and capability, cycle time, rolled throughout yield and operating costs significantly, which in turn improve the quality of implementing six sigma quickly and precisely.     

Design for Six Sigma

The concept of implementation of Six Sigma methodology was pioneered at Motorola in the 1980s with the aim of reducing quality costs. Six Sigma methodology has evolved into a statistically oriented approach to process, product or service quality improvement. It is a business performance improvement strategy used to improve profitability, to drive out waste in business processes and to improve the efficiency of all operations that meet or exceed customers' needs and expectations. A performance level of Six Sigma equates to 3-4 defects per million opportunities, where sigma is a statistical measure of the amount of variation around the process average. The average sigma level for most companies is three sigma. The authors offer guidance as to how companies may achieve Six Sigma performance. Organisations that have adopted the principles and concepts of Six Sigma methodology have realised that once they have achieved Five Sigma quality levels the only way to surpass the Five Sigma quality level is to redesign their products, processes and services from scratch. These circumstances have led to the development of what we call today 'design for Six Sigma'. Design for Six Sigma is a powerful approach to designing products, processes and services in a cost-effective and simple manner, to meet the needs and expectations of the customer     

Process improvement through Six Sigma with Beta correction: a case study of manufacturing company

This article discusses the successful implementation of Six Sigma DMAIC (Define–Measure–Analyse–Improve–Control) methodology along with Beta correction technique in an automotive part manufacturing company. The implementation of Six Sigma approach resulted in reduction of process capability-related problems and improved the first pass yield from 94.86 % to 99.48 %. After studying the baseline performance of the process, a brainstorming session was conducted with all stakeholders of the process for identifying the potential causes of the problem. Data were collected on all the identified potential causes and various statistical analyses like regression analysis, hypothesis testing, and Taguchi methods were performed for identifying the root causes. Solutions were identified and implemented for the validated root causes, and results were observed. The Beta correction technique was introduced for monitoring the process in the control phase. Implementation of Six Sigma methodology with Beta correction technique had a significant financial impact on the profitability of the company. An approximate saving of US$87,000 per annum was reported, which is in addition to the customer-facing benefits of improved quality on returns and sales. This study contributes uniquely by elucidating the synergistic impact of Beta correction for greater effectiveness of Six Sigma programmes in the engineering industry.     

Applying Six Sigma methodology to collaborative forecasting

Collaborative planning, together with forecasting and replenishment (CPFR), is a processing tool that improves supply chain management (SCM). The majority of studies done on CPFR have focused on identifying the advantages and future developments of CPFR, along with providing explanations for the implementation stages of CPFR. Six Sigma methodology is a method that can lead to a continuous decrease in process variances. In this paper, we applied Six Sigma methodology and proposed a continuous improvement model on different phases of CPFR. We used a case study to demonstrate how to improve the performance of collaborative forecasts. The results show that the proposed improvement model can effectively improve the accuracy of collaborative forecasts.     

运用六西格玛方法提高装载机整机装配防护品质

阐述了通过运用六西格玛方法,提高装载机整机装配过程防护品质的实施方法。项目组在项目的实施过程中,运用了六西格玛方法和工具,成功地达成了项目目标,取得了良好的直接和间接的经济效益,为企业实现"整机不油漆"目标提供了有力保障。     

精益六西格玛在车用电气产品公司的应用

近年来,精益六西格玛（Lean＆SixSigma）在全世界范围内被广泛推广开来,其作为一种先进的管理方式,能够极大地降低制造成本、缩短产品开发和生产周期、提升产品品质、增强企业的竞争能力,并最终能给企业带来巨大的经济效益。对“精益六西格玛”理论的形成、构成的特点和推进方法,及其在车用电气产品公司的实际应用现状做了综述和探析。     

基于模糊评价的六西格玛项目选择研究

由于六西格玛项目选择是成功实施六西格玛项目管理的最重要环节之一,针对六西格玛项目选择的特点,结合模糊评价方法,建立了六西格玛项目选择的模糊评价流程,在分析六西格玛项目评价指标体系的基础上,提出了六西格玛项目选择的模糊评价方法。最后通过重庆某大型企业的实例应用,验证了该方法的合理有效性,提高了企业选择六西格玛项目的精确性,使企业实施最优化项目而获得最大利益和成功,也拓展了六西格玛项目管理应用研究的内容。     

基于MES和CAPP的动态质量可追溯系统

为了实现产品质量在制造执行层面的动态追踪和溯源,提出了一种基于制造执行系统和计算机辅助工艺设计的动态质量可追溯模式。通过分析制造执行系统中质量数据的自动采集、分析流程以及计算机辅助工艺设计过程数据,给出了制造执行系统与工艺设计过程的动态集成框架;分析了基于集成平台的动态质量追溯数据流,建立了动态质量追溯系统的运行模式和体系结构。以发动机点火系统为例,开发了集成动态质量可追溯系统原型,实现了质量信息的并行实时追踪与控制,使得潜在工艺设计缺陷和制造执行系统故障得以有效控制与纠正,为企业构建了基于工艺设计-制造执行模式的动态质量控制平台。     

基于射频识别的离散制造业制造执行系统设计与实现

针对离散制造业企业资源计划的计划层与现场过程控制层间信息和管理的断层而引起的生产管理问题,在制造企业内部引入射频识别电子标签跟踪在制品,同时在部分应用中兼容条码技术.提出了通过工位和车间控制器协调配合完成生产计划的下发和现场生产数据的实时采集,通过系统集成接口实现制造执行系统与企业资源计划系统的数据和业务集成,实现了制造和质量的可视化和数字化管理.详细介绍了具有良好开放性和可扩展性的系统结构和主要功能模块.该系统在汽油机生产线现场应用的结果表明,生产效率和生产质量得到明显改善.     

Six Sigma approach to improve surface precision of optical lenses in the injection-molding process

The main objective of this study is to improve the quality of injection-molded lenses with the implementation of DMAIC procedures based on the Six Sigma approach. At first, critical-to-quality factors (CTQ) are determined according to customer requirements for quality. The causal factors for the lens properties are identified within the processing window being tested. Adopted for the analysis procedures, the Taguchi design-of-experiment method (DOE) is employed for screening pertinent process parameters in the injection process. After completing the DOE procedures, confirmation experiments are conducted with selected combinations of factors and levels. The experimental results show substantial improvement for the profile accuracy on molded lenses. As a further step, an optimal set of factors and levels are taken during the mass-production processing conditions. In conclusion, the Six Sigma approach can effectively improve the upper process capability index C_PU from 0.57 to 1.75, i.e., 0.07 defects per million, without an upgrade of production equipment or an increase of production costs.     

Technology…The enabler for tomorrow's agile enterprise

How many of you can retrieve what you need when you need it? Do you have ready access to critical real-time production information? How about historical information? Financial information? What about quality information? The information probably exists in many forms and at various locations throughout your organization - just not where and when you need it.

A Manufacturing Execution System (MES) can be viewed as the glue that binds your business planning systems with your real-time process control systems (Fig. 1). An MES manages manufacturing and production operations according to your changing business plan and provides critical information feedback to facilitate the planning process. Key to understanding the requirement for information flow is understanding the relationships which exist between Business Planning Systems, MES and Control Systems. The functions often associated with MES are batch management, operations management, equipment management, materials management and quality and safety management. In today's rapidly changing and highly competitive business environment, the need to quickly adapt and respond to market opportunities while controlling manufacturing costs is critical to survival. As we adapt a high demand will be placed on the integration of planning, execution and control systems.

This paper reviews the Distributed Control Systems (DCS) of the past and present, identifies changing business practices and new technology that will define the next generation of Open Control Systems (OCS), and provides insight into the choices you can make today that model your MES solution for tomorrow.     

基于双反馈控制和分阶段调度的光纤生产调度

针对光纤生产中生产计划执行过程存在的生产定单产出数量不精确、完成时间难以控制等问题进行分析,提出建立基于双反馈控制和分阶段的生产调度系统对生产定单生产进行控制。该生产调度系统在光纤生产流程中设置三个反馈点：拉丝产出、筛选产出和入库,分别负责反馈生产流程各部分的生产情况,实时获得生产定单生产情况变动信息,及时掌握生产动态。通过对这些信息的处理并将其与计划相比较从而得出差异,形成调整指令,实时地控制原材料的投入量,提高生产定单产品生产数量的精确度;根据光纤生产特点将调度过程划分为两个阶段,采用不同的调度方法对定单生产进行调度,并在第二阶段引入台阶调度法,以牺牲部分控制精度的代价提高调度效率,缩短生产定单结束阶段的生产时间。案例证明所提方法的有效性。     

Using Six Sigma

Lean and Six Sigma are two widely acknowledge business process improvement strategies available to organizations today. Lean production is a strategy for achieving continuous improvement in business process performance through the elimination of waste. Six Sigma, on the other hand, is a powerful business strategy used for driving out variability from processes through effective utilisation of statistical tools and techniques. Lean Sigma is an integration of two powerful strategies which can have a dramatic impact on an organisation's ability to do the things right first time, leading to higher quality, higher productivity, faster delivery and lower costs. Lean Sigma combines the variability reduction tools and techniques from Six Sigma with the waste and non-value added elimination tools and techniques from lean production, to generate monetary savings to the bottom-line of an organisation. In this paper, the results of a survey on current application of Lean Sigma principles for waste reduction, variability reduction and enhanced customer satisfaction are discussed. Lean Sigma is a powerful strategy that can take any manufacturing or service company to a world class performance level. Today many organisations are integrating these two strategies for reducing costs and generating hard-dollar savings to the organisations' bottomline. Both strategies are complimentary to each other.     

PCB连接器压接设备的改进设计

当前印制线路板的集成度越来越高,使得用于板卡之间连通的主要器件---高密度连接器的使用越来越多。而降低装配过程中连接器的损耗率一直是该工艺重点关注的问题。通过运用6西格玛质量管理工具,对生产中各种可能会引起连接器损耗的问题进行具体分析,得出压机问题是造成连接器损耗大的主要原因之一。在此基础上,综合运用组态软件、PLC、工业数据采集卡等技术对现有压机在机械部件和电器部件进行改造,使得压机性能得到了提高,获得了较好的经济效益。     

基于MES的生产车间管理信息系统

针对制造企业在实施生产管理信息化过程中存在的问题,提出以制造执行系统(MES)为核心的三层结构———企业资源计划(ERP) /制造执行系统(MES) /过程控制系统(PCS)的生产管理信息化的实施方案,用于解决生产与计划相互脱节的难题,实现了车间的现场调度、生产过程控制、在线质量控制,以及对生产过程中“非常规信息”的控制与管理,加强了制造计划的可执行性。     

Lean Sigma [production and supply chain management]

Lean strategy brings a set of proven tools and techniques to reduce times, inventories, set up times, equipment downtime, scrap, rework and other wastes of the hidden factory. The focus is on value from a customer perspective and flowing this through the entire supply chain. The statistically based problem solving methodology of Six Sigma delivers data to drive solutions, delivering dramatic bottom-line results. In the Six Sigma school of study, a problem is tackled by a black or green belt, depending on the nature of the problem and the degree of complexity involved in the determination of solutions. The authors compare and contrast the lean and Six Sigma approaches, and find that greater benefits can be reaped by blending the best of each.     

离散制造业可适应制造执行系统的研究与实现

制造执行系统作为现代制造车间的管理控制系统,仍然采用缺少柔性和可配置性的架构,导致其难以适应制造环境和制造过程的变化。针对这个问题,详细分析了制造系统对制造执行系统适应性的需求,研究了可定制数据集成适配器、可配置的工厂模型、可复用的业务组件以及脚本驱动的事件响应机制等关键技术,设计了一种新的可适应性制造执行系统框架。该框架能够在尽量小改动的情况下对制造系统内、外部的变化提供支持。给出了基于该框架开发的一个制造执行系统实现,该系统已被成功应用于不同汽车装配线。     

面向MES基于CBR的设备管理系统设计与开发

设备管理是制造执行系统(MES)的重要组成部分,根据MES的设备管理需求,采用基于CBR的维修方案推理机制,开发面向MES的设备管理系统.论文分析设备管理业务流程,详细介绍系统设计,重点阐述维修方案的CBR推理,选用B/S三层体系结构,最终完成了系统的开发,并在多家制造企业成功实施与运用.     

基于MES系统的离散制造业质量信息管理研究

为解决离散制造业制造过程传统质量信息管理混乱、质量活动执行效率低等问题,并为满足企业对产品质量信息的可追溯性需求,对离散制造业生产过程中的质量信息进行了研究,并基于车间制造执行系统MES,重点分析了产品的质量控制与质量追溯,构建了基于MES的质量信息管理系统的框架。通过系统在线掌握产品质量信息,发现问题、处理问题,并能够有效追溯产品质量信息,对提高产品质量有重要作用。     

矿用WK型挖掘机现场装配质量控制

机械产品的装配过程在产品的整个制造过程中起着至关重要的作用,相同的零部件经过不同的装配过程其最终的产品质量将会大不相同.而装配过程的质量一般取决于装配工艺、工具设备是否先进、质量控制是否全面和严格、人员的技能和素质是否过硬、是否有先进的管理等.矿用挖掘机也不例外,在此将着重讨论太重矿用挖掘机的现场装配过程中的质量控制要点,用于专业质量检验或监造人员抵达现场后在有限时间内进行现场实地检测时的参考,以求控制并提高大型挖掘机在用户现场的安装质量.