Will Six Sigma Impact Innovation

Six Sigma and innovation are often seen at odds with one another. However, the improvement mindset can be tuned to identify and exploit breakthrough innovations. ...

... "Basically, to be an innovative company, one needs to encourage incremental improvement and always strive for the breakthrough. If there is a secret it is to foster the attitude of let's find the change that will improve our performance. " ...

Via Caller-Times: J.P. Ellenberger

Kaizen Innovative Methods

Toyota uses innovative methods to empower its workforce and improve the performance of the enterprise. ...

... "Toyota, whose $1.3 billion plant near Blue Springs will be the company's eighth North American assembly plant, is often associated kaizen, or continuous improvement, which is associated with its Toyota Production System. " ...

Via Trading Markets: Methods of Innovation

Lean MES Manufacturing Execution Software Makes Inventory Visible

Manuvis introduces software version that integrates real-time inventory visibility and production metrics in dynamic operational dashbboard. The data visualization supports value stream mapping, queue performance monitoring, and asset utilization. ...

... "Whereas most manufacturing execution systems (MES) and enterprise manufacturing intelligence (EMI) solutions focus on production machine output, few offer inventory visibility. Manuvis' FactoryMRI, built on lean manufacturing principles, offers superior analytical tools that simplify information exchange within an enterprise and provides a common way to help synchronize enterprise assets. These tools help eliminate waste and increase profits, whether uncovering process variations that cause quality defects, identifying sources of waste and helping find untapped capacity. And since data is obtained directly from production machines, total cost of ownership is reduced by eliminating the need for human data entry into PC's or operate bar code equipment. " ...

Via Manuvis: Real-Time Lean Manufacturing Capabilities

Six Sigma Internship Provides Insights at Grainger

Intern at Grainger shares experiences from Grainger which included survey on the company's Six Sigma performance management system. ...

Balanced Scorecard Role in Six Sigma

The Balanced Scorecard supports Six Sigma initiatives by bringing line-of-sight visibility to important perspectives, such as financial, process, customer, and talent. ...

... "Six Sigma is a product of the balanced scorecard, imposing even greater structure. The balanced scorecard is often part of the IT governance process and is generally used as a performance measurement ... " ...

Via CIO: Balanced Scorecard

Performance Improvement Breakthrough Services By Milliken

Milliken & Company forms a dedicated business group to provide Performance Improvement Services to the manufacturing sector. The new group is called Milliken Performance Solutions and will serve customers from the company's Spartanburg, South Carolina headquarters. Milliken is one of the largest privately-held textile and chemical manufacturers in the world. ...

... "The formation of Milliken Performance Solutions will expand these services to support companies outside of Milliken's traditional base and will report to Craig Long, Vice President of Six Sigma and Quality. The Milliken Performance System is a daily management system that provides a systematic, step by step method of running any operation more effectively and efficiently. The system is in place at over 60 plants worldwide and can support both discrete and continuous process manufacturing plants. The system overcomes the limitations of conventional Lean Six Sigma programs by providing a more comprehensive approach that leads to dramatic breakthroughs in cost reduction, higher morale, increased customer satisfaction, and a cleaner safer environment. " ...

Via Milliken & Company: New Business Line Provides Performance Improvement Services