The Sixth Sigma

Emerson invests in new, highly automated and sophisticated manufacturing facility in Houston to expand its services for the oil and gas and petrochemical industries.  …

…   “The facility features lean manufacturing technology and procedures that provide high-quality products and substantial efficiencies through improved work flow, reduced waste and cost containment.

The new Americas headquarters for valve automation technologies consolidates its sales management, engineering, product development, and administrative functions in support of Emerson Process Management’s growth in North and South America.

It also features an Innovation Center that provides leading-edge training with visual technology connecting global experts for presentations and seminars. A demonstration area provides hands-on experiences with Emerson’s range of valve automation products. “   …

via Emerson Process Management: Valve Automation Americas headquarters and new Houston manufacturing facility.

Kaizen blitz is deployed in manufacturing processes t0 rapidly implement change and engage the workforce in continuous improvement activities.  Small changes help accelerate the achievements, building team dynamics and reinforcing the behaviors that drive accomplishment.  Focused time periods and smaller changes are the key to success.  …

…   “the beauty of a blitz is that it is conducted over a short time frame not leaving much room to get distracted. However, if unrelated issues do arise, log them and put to one side for dealing with at a later date. “   …

Via Manufacturing Digital: The Kaizen Blitz.

Today’s pharmacies are busy places, taking orders and fulfilling prescriptions.  And, the number of mistakes, or defects, needs to be extremely low.  Using Six Sigma, McKesson provides improvement services to clients such as AllCare Pharmacy, in this healthcare industry example where opportunities for improvement are identified and addressed through enhanced processes.  …

…   “One example of a positive change has been a way of directing specialized orders, such as split doses, to the technicians, who focused on those specific prescriptions. “   …

Via McKnight Long Term Care News: Six Sigma in the Pharmacy.

GE supports program to develop external talent for its internal job opportunities.  The twenty month program looks to develop the skills necessary for success at a number of industrial companies in the area.  …

…   “team will evaluate them to find the best in the group who also must complete admission to Greenville Tech. The apprentices will begin classwork as well as work at GE”   …

via Greenville News Online: GE workers skills.

Local packaging company embraces the Six Sigma journey with training.  …

…   “Twenty-two employees from four U.S. Automated Packaging manufacturing facilities took at least 48 hours of training to become certified green belts in the use of Six Sigma tools.”   …

via The Packer: Automated Packaging Systems Six Sigma.

Quality and productivity is targeted in the implementation of Lean Six Sigma in the Clinical Technologies Business Unit of Almac Corp.  The line of business focused its efforts on staff training, with emphasis on developing Green and Six Sigma Black Belts, and program deployment.  Juran Institute assisted Almac in its roll-out.  Almac’s Clinical Technologies Business Unit specializes in interactive technology and service solutions to increase the quality and efficiency of clinical trials. Solutions include Interactive Voice and Web Response Systems for patient randomization and drug assignment, patient and clinical supplies management, electronic-patient-reported-outcomes data collection, patient compliance and Web drug reconciliation. Almac’s technologies have been deployed in over 1800 clinical trials, incorporating over 1.7 million patients in over 80 countries and more than 50 languages.  …

…   “Almac launched its Six Sigma program in 2011 with the training of its entire Clinical Technologies’ leadership team and selected staff from each functional discipline in Lean Six Sigma methodologies.

This training helped prepare the organization to effectively leverage the team of twenty Six Sigma experts who are currently leading strategically-selected business improvement projects.

By adhering to a disciplined, fact-based process excellence methodology, Almac expects its Six Sigma program to deliver increased value to clients, employees and sites, all of whom will benefit from the technology and process improvements currently underway.”   …

via Almac: Almac reports progress in Clinical Technologies Lean Six Sigma Efforts.

Retail business model shows success through higher and better staffing.  …

…   “Although leanness is generally a good thing in business, too much cost-cutting turns out to be a bad strategy, not only for workers and customers but also for businesses themselves.”   …

via The New Yorker: Uniqlo, a Successful Retailer.

Dow Chemical challenges the IRS in court to achieve tax credit for research into improving the manufacture of commodity chemicals and the supplies necessary to enable the improvement.  …

…   “Under current law, the R&D credit is typically claimed to cover research labor costs. Widening it to manufacturing process improvements would lift profits, but raise taxpayers’ costs.”   …

via Yahoo Finance: Dow R&D tax credit.

Healthcare exemplars share a passion for quality, innovation, and performance excellence and embrace statistical software to enable their analytics.  …

…   “Two of this year’s recipients, Henry Ford Health System of Detroit, Mich., and Schneck Medical Center of Seymour, Ind., are Minitab customers. Both organizations consistently exceeded top health care performance levels throughout 2011 in categories such as patient satisfaction and financial wellness.”   …

Via Minitab: Release.

Henry Ford Health System was recognized for integrating entrepreneurship into the health care process.  Innovation projects were focused on patient safety and creating a culture of zero defects.  …

Henry Ford Health System Recognition:  “Henry Ford Health System has been named a 2011 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award recipient, one of the most prestigious national awards for performance excellence.  Henry Ford was one of only four 2011 recipients and the only organization in Michigan. An award ceremony is planned for April 2012.”

Schneck Medical Center is recognized for their customer focus, where the patient comes first, enabling leadership in patient safety, satisfaction, and the customer experience.  …

Schneck Recognition: “At the forefront of Schneck’s commitment to excellence is the Patient First Culture. This initiative has resulted in numerous advances in clinical outcomes, patient safety enhancements, and organizational and customer service improvements.”

Baldrige Healthcare Sector.

Named after Malcolm Baldrige, the 26th Secretary of Commerce, the Baldrige Award was established by Congress in 1987 to enhance the competitiveness and performance of U.S. businesses and expanded in 1998 to include education and health care. This year, nonprofit organizations, including charities, trade and professional associations, and government agencies, will be eligible to receive a Baldrige Award. The award promotes excellence in organizational performance, recognizes the achievements and results of U.S. organizations, and publicizes successful performance strategies. The award may be presented to five types of organizations: manufacturers, service companies, small businesses, education organizations, and health care organizations. The award is not given for specific products or services. Since 1988, 90 organizations have received Baldrige Awards.

GE Transportation and PT Kereta Api Indonesia will accelerate locomotive remanufacturing processes in Asia using lean.  …

…   “GE will also establish a traction motor remanufacturing center to serve the ASEAN region at the PTKAI Yogyakarta service facility.

GE will advise on remanufacturing processes reflecting its lean manufacturing practices.

GE will also recommend the machinery and tooling for remanufacturing traction motors to meet the highest industry standards.

GE will provide expert training to assist PTKAI in traction motor remanufacturing.

When certified as a GE Remanufacturer of GE Traction Motors, PTKAI will provide remanufacturing service for GE traction motors in the ASEAN region.”   …

Via GE: Release.

Lean techniques, such as creating flow, work standardization, and organizing the workspace, can be translated to the corporate IT environment to drive value.  CIOs can benefit from focused resources, predictable processes, and increased discipline when lean manufacturing is embraced.  …

…   “He advises corporate clients to adopt systemic structures and service-level agreements that allow employees to hunker down and focus.”   …

via CIO Australia: Lean manufacturing principles for IT managers.

Microsoft Windows vulnerability exploited by virus targets factory floor supervisory control systems by Siemens.  …

…   “Stuxnet spreads through Microsoft Windows but specifically targets Siemens supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems.”   …

via PC Magazine: Stuxnet.

Apple’s experience with Foxconn manufacturing services is a view into the broader challenges for workers and the workplace in China.  …

…   “Dangerous, tiring, monotonous, and legally suspect. This isn’t just the state of Foxconn—it’s the state of Chinese manufacturing.”   …

via Gizmodo: Foxconn manufacturing workplace.

The Marines deploy lean and six sigma into it’s processes to drive disciplined performance. …

… “Yellow Belt certification provides an overall insight to the techniques of Six Sigma, its metrics, and basic improvement methodologies.”. …

Via Dvids: Marine Improvement Strategy.

Accuride Corp is working on fixing the fundamentals in its operations while continuing to grow across the business segments.  Operational efficiency is the focus of its improvement initiatives.  …

…   “Our highest priorities are completing Gunite’s operational turnaround, successfully launching the additional aluminum wheel capacity, improving Imperial’s operating performance, and implementing common LEAN Manufacturing systems companywide.

In addition, we will target additional cost reductions and working capital improvements by fully revamping our supply chain, which today represents more than half of our cost of goods sold. “   …

via Accuride Corp: Accuride Fourth Quarter Results.