Six Sigma Project Examples | 15+ Project Examples
Six Sigma Project Examples | 15+ Project Examples
Hello readers! Today we will be discussing on different types of Six Sigma Project Examples in manufacturing industries. As we know that Six sigma projects are different types like yellow belt, green belt, black belt and master black belt projects. We have already published a post on different types of six sigma belts. Different types of methodologies used in six sigma projects like DMAIC or DMADV, etc. similarly six sigma projects also classified into several types like lean six sigma project, six sigma projects, design of six sigma project.
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How to Identify the Six Sigma Projects?
Here, sharing my own experience that how was I identifying the Six Sigma project in my work zone. I was simply following the below steps to identify the Six Sigma project.
- Identify the current problems or issues, like defects issues, high process or product characteristics variation, high rejection, high warranty issues, customer complaints, high breakdowns, reduction of energy consumption, cycle time reduction, lead time reduction, etc.
- Categories the problems like A types, B types, C types and K types.
| Problem types | Description |
| A type | Quality circle project problem |
| B type | SGA project problems |
| C type | Six Sigma project problem. |
| K type | Kaizen problems |
After categorization of problems you can select the C type problem for six sigma projects. Once you finalize the number of projects as per prioritize my six-sigma committee and top management, you can prepare the six-sigma project charter.
- Prepare the project charter.
- Follow the six-sigma methodology like DMAIC.
- Define phase, Measure phase, analyze phase, improve phase and control phase.
Six Sigma Project Examples:
Following are some example of six sigma project that you can consider to do but there are not limited to.
- Reduction of COPQ.
- Reduction of rejection, Defects, etc.
- Process variation reduction.
- Warranty reduction.
- Cycle time reduction.
- Lead time reduction.
- Supplier rejection reduction.
- Waste reduction and production optimization.
- Breakdown time, MTTR and MTTBF improvement project.
- Energy consumption reduction.
- Conversion cost reduction.
- Cost reduction project.
- Six sigma projects on customer complaint.
- Yield Improvement Project.
- Scrap Reduction Project
- Rework reduction project.
- Process and Product failure improvement project.
How to write six sigma project charter?
The Six sigma project charter is the main part of the any type of 6-sigma project. Which is consist with some basic information about project, problem statement, scope, goal, tangible and intangible benefits, team members, and final the approval part. After getting the approval from concern personnel, you can start your project.
Let’s consider an example here for preparing the six-sigma project charter, for doing so we are going to consider here an example of the manufacturing industry for better understanding, suppose the manufacturing unit is producing automobile parts and somehow rejection% at process P-1 is high. At process P-1, they are manufacturing Part-1. For reducing the high rejection percentage at process P-1, the six- sigma certified holder has taken a project on it and prepared the project charter.
Follow the below steps to prepare the six-sigma project charter:
- Form a Six sigma team including designation, and roles & responsibility of all members.
- Minimum, Keep the past 3 to 6 months data for calculation of sigma level, DPMO, and defects contribution. for better result and considering with all environmental impact you can consider 12 months to 18 months data. More data will provide you best result. You can manually calculate the DPMO or you can use the DPMO Calculator as well. After calculating the DPMO value, then easily from six sigma conversion table you can find the sigma level. For the knowing the defects contribution you can use the Pareto chart.
- Next part is the Problem statement, here you can write the statement by using the 5W1H or 5W2H template.
- Define the scope, project goal, estimated benefits and project objectives.
First of all, try to form a six sigma team and define their project roles & responsibility, once you done the same next write the problem statement, same we are going to write here considering with the above example. We have used the 5W2H template to describe the problem statement.
As you know, there is high process rejection of Part-1 at process P-1.
Problem Statement:
What: high rejection of Part-1
Where: In Process P-1
When: during manufacturing of parts in three shifts
Who: Machine operators/ workforces.
Why: reason unknown
How often: monthly / daily
How much: you can mention here rejection in percentage or in PPM or in DPMO.
Project Goal:
Mainly describe the project objectives & goal like [1] to reduce the rejection% from x% to y%. or [2] To reduce the rejection PPP by 90% from x to y. [3] improve the sigma level e.g. 4 to 5.5.
Scope of project:
Here, you just mention the project boundary like what is included and what is excluded. For example, Process P-1 is included and process p-2 is excluded.
Estimated Benefits:
- Tangible Benefits: Improvement of sigma level e.g. 4.4 to 5.5, Reduction of rejection e.g. 1.1% to 0.02%, DPPM from 11300 to 150, DPMO from 1800 to 25, and for example estimated cost saving 50 lakhs/annum.
- Intangible benefits: For example, Increase Customer Satisfaction, Knowledge about 6-Sigma tools, Improved Presentation skill, improved analytical Knowledge, Improved team work & self, Problem Solving Skill developed.
Project Plan:
In the project plan section, you should take the target date of all 5 phases and monitor the actual date and delay of project. So that you can manage your total project period.
For example;
| 5-Phases | Target Date | Actual date |
| Define Phase | ||
| Measure Phase | ||
| Analyze Phase | ||
| Improve Phase | ||
| Control Phase |
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About Author
TECHIEQUALITY
The Author is an Expert in Quality Management System, Operation Management, Business Excellence, Process Excellence, IATF 16949, ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, ISO 17025, TQM, TPM & QA. He is Certified as an IA for ISO 9001, IATF 16949, ISO 14001, ISO 17025 & ISO 45001 Standard.