Six Sigma Programs Yields Dramatic Improvement Through Applications of Lean Manufacturing Methods in the Printed Circuit Board Industry

Marek L. Winiarz; James Fang; Howard Fuller

doi:10.4271/2001-01-0337

2001-03-05

Six Sigma Programs Yields Dramatic Improvement Through Applications of Lean Manufacturing Methods in the Printed Circuit Board Industry 2001-01-0337

The GE Operations Services and Solectron Corporation Six Sigma Program improved printed circuit board (PCB) throughput, response time, and capacity through the use of Lean Manufacturing concepts and the application of Lean Manufacturing techniques. This paper illustrates how Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma complement each other for maximum benefit.

The issues confronting the PCB industry include capacity and responsiveness to customer delivery demands. Rigorous Six Sigma Methods of Measurement and Analysis pointed towards Lean Manufacturing solutions. Lines were unbalanced, WIP clogged the flow and used valuable space, material flow interfered with operations, and non-value added (NVA) time exceeded 95% in some cases. Graphical techniques and time studies pointed toward sensible flow, reduction of bottlenecks and proper allocation of space and human resources.

The resulting improvement allowed for 142% capacity increase and 47% cycle time reduction. Defects were reduced by 93%. Additional revenue significantly increased customer satisfaction.

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Six Sigma Programs Yields Dramatic Improvement Through Applications of Lean Manufacturing Methods in the Printed Circuit Board Industry 2001-01-0337

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