Six SigmaWhat is Six Sigma?

• Six Sigma is a results-oriented, project focused approach to quality.

• Six Sigma is a way of measuring and setting targets for reductions in product or service defects that is directly connected to customer requirements.

Six Sigma Targets

Sigma Defects per Million

1 690,000

2 308,733

3 66,803

4 6,210

5 233

6 3.4

The Six Sigma Process

• Decision by senior management to engage in the Six Sigma process

• Executive Seminar

• Selecting the “Champions”

• Special course for the “Champions”

• Process improvement teams

Black Belt Training

• Four or five weeks • Each week of training is separated by three

or four weeks during which teams apply the methods to the problem

• New methods are introduced during each week

• Black Belts present their work to the instructors and other Black Belts candidates

Five Steps Approach (DMAIC)

• Define: problem statement (Y= f(X)), mission statement for the project, critical to quality (CTQ) parameters, quality function deployment (QFD)

• Measure: measurement system analysis for variables and attributes, cost of poor quality, process capability analysis

• Analysis: root causes of the variation for Y, review of probability and statistics, non-normal distributions, estimation, hypothesis testing, regression and correlation

• Improve: find the optimum level for X using various methods, e.g. experimental design

• Control: having optimal levels for the X’s, the input factors and optimal Y establish the control