Improving quality and efficiency simultaneously is an extreme challenge for most manufacturers. The two issues are so intertwined that advancing one usually leads to problems with the other. To manage make progress with both, two methodologies have emerged and proven to be successful, Lean manufacturing and Six Sigma. “Lean” is focused on increasing efficiency by following the Lean principles to eliminate scrap. Six Sigma improves production yields by controlling the process while reducing defects by performing a problem solving approach part of which is tracking the effectiveness of corrective actions.

Businesses that are ahead of the pack in performance and quality control started these practices. Due to their success, other companies have followed suit by implementing Six Sigma or a Lean system. But only using one of these methodologies can lead to problems. Each system can improve a manufacturing environment, but only together do these tools yield the power to improve a process without detrimental side effects. Because of this, many manufacturers are combining them to increase the consistency of their processes, reduce waste and improve overall equipment effectiveness or OEE.

So how does a company become Lean? Lean manufacturing is centered around reducing waste. Many forms of waste exist, waste does not only mean scrapped products. On example is JIT (Just-In-Time) inventory software that can reduce excessive warehouse space needed to store raw material and finished goods. Preventative Maintenance (PM or CMMS) Software ensures that maintenance is being performed on your equipment on a routine basis so that equipment breaks less often reducing downtime and operating costs. Downtime Software used in conjunction with CMMS make visible which machines require attention. Advanced CMMS suggests when supervisors should purchase replacement machines vs when to simply replace a part of a machine to improve efficiency.

Six Sigma and Lean applications that are tailored to company-specific product flows work out the best. Inflexible Lean Six Sigma systems can not be changed, so they are often difficult to use and usually fail upon implementation due to the unique business situations many manufacturers have. “Out-of-the-box” software can not flag the defect root causes necessary to attack the symptoms at the core. To reflect continuous improve efforts within a software system, one must have an agile application. Agile systems conform to individual business situations, resulting in a system that is user-friendly that also highlights KPI (key performance indicators) for executives. The benefits of tailored systems are being recognized with concepts that incorporate company-specific elements such as Lean Six Sigma.

If you're interested in more information on Lean Sx Sigma you should also check out this article on Manufacturing Software Today.