Quadrant Engineering Plastic Products
By Tom Harper
Don’t mess with Scott Laman. He’s achieved that kind of respect in the business community by earning his black belt – and it has nothing to do with karate.
Laman, a principal engineer with Quadrant Engineering Plastic Products (EPP) in Reading, obtained his black belt certification in Six Sigma. Six Sigma isn’t a martial arts philosophy but rather a management philosophy that focuses on improving a company’s bottom line through eliminating defects in processes and other means.
Quadrant EPP’s bottom line must be doing well; the global manufacturer of engineering plastic stock shapes and finished products has 16 sites with more than 1,000 employees worldwide. Despite its success, “we are interested in improving our manufacturing efficiency and doing things right all the time,†Laman says.
Doing things right all the time is at the core of Six Sigma, according to The Manufacturers Association instructor Dwight Bowen, who specializes in Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma training. “Six Sigma statistically means failure is allowed only every 3.4 parts per million,†Bowen says. “That’s 99.9996 percent good.â€Â
Bowen worked with Laman and five production operators at Quadrant EPP over the course of four days in June in error-proofing to reduce mistakes made in one production area. As Bowen tells it, the company was creating significant waste, but the waste was difficult to track given the sensitivity of the process.
“I liken it to when you bake cookies,†Bowen says. “You put the cookies in the oven, but you can’t look at the cookie dough until it’s done baking. The only difference is, it’s costing you $100 per cookie.â€Â
Together, Bowen says, he, Laman and the other trainees “looked at the process and eliminated everything but the absolutely necessary, leaving little or no extra wasted steps.”
“That’s exactly what Lean Manufacturing is all about, simplifying and streamlining operations as well as cutting waste. ‘Six Sigma,’†Bowen says, “Perfects the process.â€Â
Laman adds, “that Six Sigma incorporates principles of project management, a team-based approach and statistical techniques to complete projects and solve problems, thus positively impacting a company’s bottom line. Six Sigma uses a five-pronged, sequential methodology – define, measure, analyze, improve and control, or simply DMAIC – to achieve the intended outcome.â€Â
One of the primary areas Bowen worked on with his trainees was a production folder that was more than 20 pages long. Following the training, they had come up with a one-page document that even featured two good-size digital photos.
Dwight Bowen’s Lean Manufacturing/Six Sigma training, Laman says, “has already paid off in the reduction of operator mistakes and a significant simplification of process documentation.â€Â
Although the concepts behind Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma are very similar, Laman says, “Companies often use them separate from one another. Not only are ideas from both easy to implement, he says a combination of the two would be most beneficial to companies.â€Â
“Lean strategies reduce waste and improve the efficiency of operations. Six Sigma provides an improvement methodology that leads to a high likelihood of thorough and permanent solutions,†he says.
“Lean tools are necessary at various stages of Six Sigma projects. Lean by itself does not address statistical control, while Six Sigma by itself needs Lean Tools to improve process speed and efficiency.â€Â
Most ideas are only good if they are implemented successfully and are supported by management, and it’s no different for Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma concepts.
But it all starts with the training. Laman knows a thing or two about Six Sigma training – remember the black belt? – And says his training has been extremely valuable and recommends it to others.
“Six Sigma project management and statistical tools have been used to complete several projects within the last two years. These projects have resulted in significant, documented savings due to yield and productivity improvements.”
