P R O C E S S

I M P R O V E M E N T

Fit and Flow of Quality

Organizational process problems should be tackled one by one
by Timothy Bell and Timothy Becker

Planning (APQP) is a phenomenal process using powerful tools that offers the opportunity to get ahead of problems and solve them before the problems affect the customer. Unfortunately, if APQP is not approached in a systematic manner with the right intent, the end result can be less than positive. The process can be frustrating as it becomes infested with internal problems, and it can have a negative impact on the customer who should be the beneficiary. While much is written about APQP and how to do it well, little is written to assist those who find themselves responsible for processes where APQP failed. In these situations, the process may have been incomplete, the original process may have been developed before APQP tools were widely known, or maybe the APQP documents were completed, but only to satisfy customer paperwork requirements. Regardless of the reason, the suffering cusC E N A V D A Q U A L I T

DVANCED PRODUCT QUALITY

APQP
P L A N N Y

tomer continues to become less tolerant of poor quality and will demand that defects cease immediately. What should you do? How can you make order out of chaos? Which quality principles, tools and techniques should you use and in what order? The issue becomes how to prioritize corrections, shorten implementation time and quickly organize corrective actions so the overwhelming frustration of the customer and the operators, or people involved in the process, is resolved as quickly as possible. The following common sense three-phase approach details what to do: Phase I: Dont ship defects, or rebuilding basic quality system blocking and tackling. Phase II: Dont pass defects, or developing the quality system, including the use of Six Sigma. Phase III: Dont make defects, or integrating the quality system with the operating system. This article will focus on the tools and techniques used in Phase I (see Figure 1). The approach is integrated and iterative, with its
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FIT AND FLOW OF QUALITY

FIGURE 1

Fit and Flow of Quality, Phase I

Fit and flow of quality

Project management Microsoft project

1

How do you know?

2

Line talk
3

Effectiveness Customer focus RPN * Biggest bang for buck (Pareto 80/20 rule)
4

Efficiency To do list Follow up

5

Tracking chart
6

Action plan
7

Actions
8

External Yellow table

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Defect cause Problem solving

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15

Learning

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Internal End of line In process red table

Escape cause

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Problem corrected
9

13

Low process capability QAD** robustness test Traveler Reaction plan

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Y
21 22 23 24 25 26 27

Process

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Product verification Process verification Set up verification

Y
Problem
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Phase I

Quality alert Strengthening

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Operator instructions Second checklist Samples Inspection

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N
28

29 30 31 32

Contain defects

10

Gage R&R Subsequent inspection

Preventing

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FMEA***

35

Control plan

36

High RPN*

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Process Results tracking

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Process flow diagram

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Management checksheet

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Results

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Charts

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Key
*RPN = risk priority number **QAD = quality Assurance device ***FMEA = failure mode and effects analysis

Tire kicks Employee involvement Quality walks

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45 46 47 48

Management by shift, defect review

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Five minute daily meeting Performance boards

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driving principles being twoway communication and data driven decisions. It strikes a balance between results and process, people and technology, and learning and taking action.

TABLE 1

Examples of How To Strengthen Process Areas

Addresses Cpk is a measure of a processs capability at making good parts. The tools tied to this box identify effective methods of sorting through the process to define the greatest source of variation so it can be addressed and resolved first. Systematic testing of all QADs to assure that they will continue to work even after they experience strange situations. Use this form for the first piece made, either at the start of the shift or when a change is made, to define and document what the important check items are for the product. It helps reinforce the things that are most important to the customer. Use this sheet before production starts to make sure that the most important process parameters are addressed and controlled. Many operations notify operators of customer problems and other important issues. This tool differs from other types of notification tools because it informs the operator of the result of the problem. The operator learns the impact the defect has on the customer. The second part of the quality alert is to be specific on what the operator needs to do to avoid this problem affecting the customer again.

Title Resolve low process capability

Project management
The start and the heart of the Quality assurance project is an exercise called How devices (QAD) or poka yoke robustness testing Do You Know? In this exercise, upper management should bring Product verification operators and their direct supports, including management, quality engineers and process Process verification engineers, together to answer the question, How do you know Quality alert what a good part is? Allow the group to brainstorm and discuss various tools and techniques, such as gages and experiences. Then ask the group to answer the following questions: How do you know you are making a good part? and How do you know the part coming to you is good and the part you are passing on is good? Again, allow the group to discuss various tools and techniques, such as checking quality assurance devices (QADs) (also called poka yokes, or mistake proof devices) and doing first piece checks. Next, the group should discuss how it knows its gages are right. It should review the process of calibration and the importance of having an unbroken chain of comparisons all the way back to the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Finally, the group should talk about how it knows its experiences are right. This ought to evolve into a discussion of how the members of the group find out if the customer is satisfied and how they were trained to do their work. This exercise will ultimately give the group members an understanding of how important it is to know what the customer wants. After the above discussions conclude, have the group go to the work site and perform line talks.Ask operators with knowledge of the particular operation what defects occur at that station. Also ask the operators how the defects are detected, how frequently the defects occur and how easy it is to detect them. This should yield several easel-sized sheets full of issues. Remember, it is not important what the questioner knows about the process; rather, it is important to learn what the operators know. Questioners should not lead the operators. Three things happen during the How Do You

Know? exercise and line talks: 1. The entire group focuses on listening to the operator during the line talks. The group begins the process of questioning what steps the organization is taking to assure that things are done correctly when the group discusses how people know their experiences are right in relation to customer needs. 2. A list of current problems in the process is developed. Later, the list is used to implement improvements. 3. The list alerts management to poor conditions at the work site. The format used to gather information during the line talks is the same as the risk priority analysis found in a failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA). The severity of each defect is evaluated and added to the information gathered in the How Do You Know? exercise line talks to calculate the risk priority number (RPN). Augment the list with information from existing design and process FMEAs, current known process problems and information from other similar processes. Then, develop a comprehensive, prioritized list of items to work on. The list will force the organization to work on the things that are most important to the customer. Making sure the right items are being worked on is part of the effectiveness analysis. Continually update the list as you learn new things and gain a deeper understanding of the process. After identifying the right things to work on, make
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FIGURE 2

A Tracking Chart With Problem Solving Information

Close date: 5/15/00 Team members: Beth, Tim, Tim, Amanda, Chris and Katie Champion: Tim Approval: Tim 1) Part number XXXXXXXX 3) Trends Description Hydraulic hose assembly Customer XXXXXXXX 1 2 3 4 180 Problem description 160 Continuing warranty returns for leaks where hydraulic hose 140 is crimped to the steel tube. Only occurs occasionally with 120 currently no discernible pattern except it occurs at near 0 miles. Has been occurring since the start of production. No 100 occurrence of this problem in preproduction testing. 80 Sketch 60 Tube Assy 40 and crimp 20 Hose Ferrel 0 2/20 2/27 3/6 3/13 3/20 3/27 4/3 4/10 4/14 4/24 5/1 5/8 5/15 5/22 2) Containment Reinforce with the operators the importance of doing leak 1 Warranty 2 Audit test 3 Failed leak test 4 Mangled crimp test on 100% of parts. Later found the operators were doing the best they could. 4) Cause analysis Root cause Initial belief is that the operator is occasionally removing the part before the machine has finished its cycle. Later found that it was an equipment problem. Leak cause Initial belief is that the operator is not always leak testing all of the parts before putting them into the shipping container. When gage R&R done, found gaging problem.
C/M NO.

Due

Defects

Who

5) Counter measure Instruct operators of ramifications of not following operations instructions. Retrain. Do gage R&R on leak test. Found additional defects the second time hose pressurized. On some parts applying high pressure, then relaxing then testing finds additional leakers. Implement 2X test. Crimper cleaned to get more consistent crimps on 3/6. Little impact. Install larger cylinder. Set up preventative maintenance to assure crimp head operates smoothly by continuing application of grease. Install QAD (poka yoke) device to assure head always

Status 3 Mo. 100%

Continuing

1
2/27/99 Tim

2
3/13/99 Beth

100% OK Need 100% to clean 100% OK Still 100% in place

3
4/3/99 Chris

4
5/1/99 Tim

5/1/99 Amanda closes all of the way all of the time.

Management cause Initial thinking is a lack of discipline in production management to assure people do what they should be doing. New product introduction problem, gage and equipment never proven before use.

6) Where else can c/m be applied? Other crimp presses, done

Control plan/PFMEA updated Y N

sure the issues are solved efficiently. Use action plans and systematic follow-up to assure the maximum amount is accomplished with the minimum amount of resources. One of the most important things to do is to assure that the expected results are achieved, and you can
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use Demings plan, do, study, act cycle, to this end. To facilitate this cycle, combine the information problem solving with a tracking chart (see Figure 2). Record the implementation date of a solution on the results tracking chart so it is easy to see if the solution had the expected results.

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Learning
Quality Assurance Device (QAD) Robustness Test Form The tracking chart facilitates and forces learning from the Operation QAD Operation implementation process. When number: number: description: the actions do not achieve the Describe abnormality to be prevented or detected: expected results, you can gain a deeper understanding by studying why the results were not gained. Similarly, try learning from other sources to make Item Test: verify QAD works effectively after any of the following occur. Test OK? things systematic and to learn as 1 Cycle interrupted by emergency stop. much as possible as quickly as 2 Start line or machine and see if QAD start-up can be bypassed. possible. 3 Loss of electrical power. Learning opportunities come 4 Loss of air or hydraulic pressure. from both internal and external 5 Can entire machine be bypassed? sources. External learning sources 6 Can the QAD device be bypassed? include defects returned from the customer. Internal learning 7 Can the QAD accommodate all of the tolerance of the parts and the tolerance stackup of the assembly? sources include defects found within the process before they get 8 Can the QAD accommodate the variability of all the different fixtures used in the machine? to the customer. Early in the process you must 9 Can the QAD accommodate all the variability of all of the different product models made in that machine? relate external learning to internal learning. While external 10 Does pushing the part all the way to one side of the fixture fool the QAD? learning is more important, it is 11 Can the QAD be fooled by not putting the part in the fixture correctly? most often not very timely. 12 Can maintenance put the machine back together with the QAD not in the Similarly, the largest internal right place and functioning? defect may not be important to 13 Is it easy for the QAD device to be bent out of the way or come out of the customer, but is very timely. adjustment? You should try to determine how 14 Can the QAD be taped down and given a false positive signal so the machine the most important defect to the still functions? customer is directly related to a 15 If the QAD device fails, will the machine still function? specific internal defect. Achieve 16 Is it easy for the operator to verify that the QAD is still working correctly? timely feedback by tracking the Corrective actions needed/ taken: internal defect as an indicator of the external defect. Track this information on the tracking chart (see Figure 2). Analyze each defect for two Done by: Date: types of causes: Approved by: Date: 1. The root cause, or what physically occurred that made the defect. 2. The escape cause, or what sis. The objective of learning is knowing; however, failed in the quality control system that allowed the knowing and not doing is equal to not knowing at all. defect to escape from the facility. In Phase II, a third type of cause, the management Therefore learning must continually update the action cause, is also analyzed. It tries to answer the question, prioritization list. What allowed the situation to develop in which a Strengthening defect occurred and then escaped? Phase I emphasizes the escape cause to make sure Concurrent with learning more about the process defects are not shipped. However, you should also and defects, you will need to address shortcomings in attack the root cause. The information on root cause the production and inspection processes. The boxes in and escape cause goes back to the effectiveness analythe center of Figure 1 address how to balance process
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with results by dividing the strengthening section into two areas: process and inspection. This distinction allows teams to focus. The instructions, training materials and references to tools in the process area are further explained in Table 1. The QAD robustness test form, shown in Table 2, demonstrates how each of the items in Table 1 can be strengthened. The form lists a number of potential situations each QAD may experience. Remember, it is critical to use a QAD if you want to achieve zero defects. Even the most capable process will statistically still produce defects, so put QADs in place at critical points to catch failures. On the downside, the operators may begin to depend on the QAD and pay less attention to the process. Their lack of attention will increase the risk of failure if the QAD can be knocked off line. That is why, within the process verification stage, you need to check the QAD frequently to assure it is still working effectively and catching the applicable defect(s). As with the other tools, methods and techniques in this process, the QAD robustness test helps assure problems do not occur. It is designed to uncover problems before they affect the customer. The QAD robustness test is a compilation of various failures seen in operations. After all current QADs are tested, the test is added to the QAD sign-off process so when new QADs are introduced they are robust. Be sure to inform the group that designed the QAD of

the failures that were found during the test so the failures can be avoided in the future. The inspection section addresses many areas. See Table 3 for some specific examples.

Preventing
Much has been written about FMEAs and control plans, so there is no need to restate the definition of each tool in this article. Instead, the methods and tools pulled together in this article support and augment the APQP methods and tools. As stated earlier, the prioritization methods used to make sure the customers most important issues are addressed first are the same RPN methods used in FMEAs. As the system matures, update the FMEAs based on what is uncovered about the process and is identified on the effectiveness list. Thus, documenting issues in an FMEA spreads knowledge to other products and new projects.

Results tracking

Results tracking maintains the balance between the process and results, while process tracking is the posting of the current status of each process. Post the process status directly on a wall, making it as visual as possible, so the process can be strengthened concurrently while improving the results. The process and its results are directly linked, but many times there is a disparity between the improvements reported and the actual improvement to the process. For example, pressure on the proTABLE 3 Examples of How To Strengthen Inspection Areas duction team to reduce defects can result in the failure to report Addresses Title all the defects. The idea is to temporarily move the customer in-house. It is the key Second checklist Post the results of the process action to keep the defects away from the customer. Compile a list of next to the status of the process. defects that have or might escape to the customer. The source for this The results should include a first data is customer returns and a close review of the failure mode and time capability (FTC) metric. The effects analysis (FMEA) and control plan. FTC measures how difficult it is In addition, review how the customer uses the product. Include everyfor a part to make it through a thing from what mates to the product to material handling devices. Use process the first time without the list to generate instructions and standardize inspection so the chance of catching a defect and keeping it from reaching the customer modification. It is also an indicais increased. Even more importantly, this temporary inspection process tor of how hard it is for an operaprovides immediate feedback on what is failing in the quality control tor to concentrate on making a system so it can be fixed quicker. good part, and it makes manageAt the conclusion of the How Do You Know? exercise there is often a Samples ment aware of how often operaconsensus that samples are key to gaining an understanding of how the tors compensate for problems product is supposed to look, feel and even smell. without notifying anyone of the Subsequent inspection Within the production process, there is a need to be assured that someproblems severity. If the operator one down the line is looking at and verifying critical inspection points is continually disrupted by dealfor an operation that just concluded. Use subsequent inspection to assure that critical points are inspected before the product is complete. ing with a part that did not make More importantly it provides immediate performance improving feedit through the first time, the operback to the operator. ator wont be able to focus on

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making sure all of the parts are correct. To complete this cycle, tie the tracking charts and the results tracking together. One of the many benefits in tracking the results directly on the chart where the corrective actions are listed is that it is possible to forecast when results are expected to improve. For example, say a corrective action will take effect on Jan. 1, 2000, and a Pareto analysis shows that the defect corrected by the action accounts for 30% of the total defects. Then a 30% improvement can be expected on Jan. 1, 2000, on the results tracking chart.

plant manager gets involved. Quality walks convey to the entire plant that upper management cares about doing things right.

Wrap-up
The general reception of these principles, tools and techniques should be, Yes, of course these things just make sense. But oftentimes it is, Yeah, we used to do that. In the end, the issue comes down to time. The hallmark of most operations is that the people involved in the process do not have enough time to do it right, let alone improve it. Yet, after just a few minutes of discussion, most people also recognize that making improvements and doing things right keep the company in business. One definition of insanity is to expect different results from taking the same actions. The actions in Phase I must be taken to get different and improved results. Teams tend to get bogged down with forms and trying to figure out what to do next. The Phase I model gives structure to what to do and in what sequence, and the project plan that accompanies the Phase I model helps define the sequence. The Phase I model provides forms and cross references to sources for other forms and training to shorten the time spent in implementation. The Automotive Industries Action Groups series of books on quality is another outstanding source for information and forms. It would be wonderful if Phase I could be implemented with a magic wand that made all of the problems disappear so customers would never receive another defect and operators wouldnt be frustrated. Unfortunately, it cantthere is a mountain of work to be done. In fact, many of the tools and techniques used are very effective at uncovering more problems than most people knew were there. What these tools and techniques do is provide a systematic way of attacking the most important problems and solving them one by one. The methods are effective and efficient but do take work and dedication to carry out.
TIMOTHY BELL is a senior lean specialist at RWD Technologies in Troy, MI. He earned a bachelors degree in business management from Nazareth College in Kalamazoo, MI.

Employee involvement
Employee involvement may be listed last, but it is the most important part of the process. Throughout Phase I, peoples involvement is built into how things are done. For example, the How Do You Know? exercise comes at the very start of the process. This exercise specifically solicits input from the people directly involved in the process. Communication is the key. Quality alerts are structured to inform the operator that there was a problem, the impact of the problem on the customer and what needs to be done to fix the problem. This helps create a culture where the people involved in the process are building cathedrals and not just cutting stone. The following strengthening actions assure continued employee involvement: Tire kicks. Quality walks. Management by shift, defect review. The image of tire kicks comes from the auto industry where the plant manager and the staff go to the vehicle final staging area and kick the tires on the vehicles about to be shipped to the customer. By kicking the tires, you take the position of the customer. This daily review reinforces the idea, to the entire plant, that the customers satisfaction is important to you. Of course, not every facility has a product (like a car) that upper management uses everyday, but every facilitys upper managers should understand how the customer uses the product, so they can develop methods for evaluating the product from the customers point of view. Quality walks are another tool you can use to convey what is most important to the plant. Go on a daily quality walk to review the current conditions at the work site. In a 15- to 30-minute tour of the facility, find things being done correctly and praise the people in the process area. If you find something wrong, it should be corrected immediately. Focus on why the management in the area did not recognize and fix the problem before it was found during the quality walk. In doing so, the area managers strive to solve problems before the

TIMOTHY BECKER is a professional engineer and chief lean spe-

cialist at RWD Technologies in Auburn Hills, MI. He has a masters degree in business operations from Indiana University in Ft. Wayne.

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