Quality Improvement: Problem Solving Case Study 3.1 By Ruby Amey Southwestern College of Professional Studies Quality Management & Statistics Dr. Mohamed Elaoudiy March 30, 2013

WP Inc. is a manufacturer of small metal parts. They create tools, stamps, bends, and forms metal parts. They deburr, wash, and ship the parts to the customer. WP has a continuous problem with automatic parts washer that is used to wash small particles of dirt and oil from the parts. The parts washer works like a dishwasher. The problem that is reoccurring involves the spray nozzles that clog with particles, causing the parts washer to shut down. The nozzle clogging problem causes serious time delays, because every part that is manufactured goes through the parts washer. The parts washing operation is a critical part of WP’s quality process. (Summers, 2010)

WP INC

The clogging of the nozzles need fixing and free- floating particles have to be stopped.

PROBLEM STATEMENT

The team: will identify, select, and implement the solution.

Evaluate the solution, ensure permanence, and have continuous improvement.

Review the process of how the nozzles are clogging.

Drain, and retest the solution by checking more than four times a day for this process.

QUALITY ASSURANCE

1. Recognize a problem issue exists. 2. Form an improvement team. 3. Develop performance measures. 4. Clearly define the problem. -Identify customers -Identify customer wants -Identify processes -Write problem-improvement statements 5. Document and analyze the

problem/process

PROBLEM SOLVING STEPS

5. Document and analyze the problem/process

6. Determine possible causes -Perform root cause analysis -Determine root cause 7. Identify, select, and implement the

solution 8. Evaluate the solution 9. Ensure permanence 10. Continuous improvement

PROBLEM SOLVING STEPS (CONT.)

FINDING PARTICLES hard water build up calcium paint chips from metal parts soap flakes something caused by a chemical reaction type of gravel or dirt non dissolution of soap flakes water not heated to correct temperature metal particles not insolvent.

BRAINSTORMING

/ m = 7/30 = 0.2333= 23UCLc = c + 3 = 23 + 3 =37.38= 37LCLc = c- 3 = 23 - 3 = 8.6 = 9

FORMULA FOR C CHART

Team members suggest the tank be drained Bottom of the tank is coated with a layer of hard soap Water in the tank is heated causing evaporation to

occur Concentration of soap content has increase in the

solution Operator decreases fluid level in the tank while

adding more soap and water solution Soap reaches a high level, can no longer be held in

solution, particles precipitate to the bottom of the tank

Tank is drained and new solution is put in Causes a disturbance of soap particles on the bottom

of the tank and the particles become free-floating in the tank

Soap dissolves in the water best at an elevated temperature. It has been too low.

DRAINING OF THE TANK

AUTOMATIC PARTS

WASHER REOCCURRING CLOGGED NOZZLES

METAL

PARTS

WATER TEMPERATURE LOW FREE FLOATING

SOAP PARTICLE BUILDUP

WATER TEMPERATURE

CAUSE- and- EFFECT DIAGRAM

NEED MORE QUALITY INSPECTIONS

TOO COSTLY

TOO MANY OCCURENCES OF CLOGGED NOZZLES

NUMBER OF DELAY TIMES

DEFECTS DURING PARTS WASHING-CLOGGED

QUALITY ASSURANCE INSPECTION

CHANGE in the SYSTEM

NO FILTERING SYSTEM BETWEEN TANK

AND NOZZLES

CLOGGED NOZZLES

HARD WATER BUILDUP

WATER NOT DISSOLVING-SOAP FLAKES

WATER NOT HEATED PROPERLY

CALCIUM

PAINT CHIPS

METAL CHIPS

DIRT OR GRAVEL

CHEMICAL REACTION

INCREASES IN SOAP CONCENTRATION

HARD WATER BUILDUP

DECREASING FLUID LEVEL

PARTICLES PRECIPITATE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE TANK

SOAP DISSOLVES BEST AT ELEVATED TEMPERATURE

In conclusion, testing temperature of water for appropriate degrees will help to keep nozzles unclogged. Making sure filtering systems exists between the tank and the nozzles will help the particles to stay at the bottom of the tank and not float to the top. When the tank is drained, the water is emptied. New soap is added and water is put into the tank. The parts washer is turned on. Evaporation occurs: water and soap are added. The coils heat the water. Dirty parts are placed in the machine. Parts are run. If the parts are clean, they move to production and the next step. If they are still dirty, they are washed again. The water is drained and the process starts all over again. Filtering systems and warmer water will help ensure less defect days and more productive days.

CONCLUSION

Arvanitoyannis, I. S., & Savelides, S. C. (2007). Application of failure mode and effect analysis

and cause and effect analysis and Pareto diagram in conjunction with HACCP to a

chocolate-producing industry: a case study of tentative GMO detection at pilot plant

scale. International Journal Of Food Science & Technology, 42(11), 1265-1289.

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2621.2006.01304.x

Paquin, J., & Koplyay, T. (2007). Force Field Analysis and Strategic Management: A Dynamic

Approach. Engineering Management Journal, 19(1), 28-37.

Summers, Donna C. S. (2010),Quality, Fifth Edition. Pearson Education Inc., Upper Saddle

River: New Jersey, Prentice Hall.

REFERENCE