QUALITY

1. Explain what is mean by quality by referring to one type of product. Brand Based on the basic definition, quality is a satisfaction level driven by marketplace, by the competition and especially by the customer. In this point of view ,where we can relate the quality term with the Panasonics washing machine, is in term of the brand itself. Nowday, there a lot of washing machine produced by many company in the various brands. But, Panasonic is one of the famous and well-known electronic equipments brand that already have gained the customers trust since long ago. By having the good image from the Panasonic branding itself, customer will having no doubt to make decision to choose the washing machine from this brand compare to others since it already qualified in the quality, safety and satisfaction level given by the responsible bodies like SIRIM and other international qualification body. Price Panasonic also is one of the electronic equipments brand that offer their product (washing machine) at the very reasonable and affordable price. The quality of their washing machine (Panasonic) also at the price offered to their customer since they can have many choices of the washing machine with their needed function at the very suitable price. It means that, even some price of the washing machine might sound very fancy, but in reality the function that included on the washing machine itself is very up to date, complete and multifunction. So, we can conclude that, the price offered by Panasonic for the customer to have their washing machine is really reasonable with the function included and the customer also can choose and get their washing machine at their affordable price that they can pay.

2. Classify the possible sources of poor quality in Question 1. Poor quality is a result of

1) human error miss training leak of information

2) machine error setting maintenance calibration

3) material use of unspecified material use of the specified material in a non specified way

4) two other indirect causes are the money and method or the environment

2 Explain briefly the possible defect during its manufacturing process.

Tear Most sheet metal parts, including the body, are formed by a machine that presses a piece of sheet metal between two halves of a mold (die). When deforming the metal sheet into various shapes (depend on design), it will cause sheet metal tear when unsuitable force use depend on the material. Cracking Generally, after sheet metal being rolled into a drum shape, the side is welded. The weld is then smoothed out and the drum is placed on an expander, which stretches the tub into its final shape. A bottom is then welded onto the drum, and this weld is also smoothed. The cracking defect can possibly defect the weld joint because it change the original structure of the sheet metal. Disjoint soldering in Printed Circuit Board A washing machine circuit board is a printed circuit board (PCB) a board with electrical parts for controlling machine that often functions like the brain of a washing machine. Nearly every function performed by the washing machine is controlled by the washing machine circuit board. The circuit board is responsible for ensuring that the machine carries out all the washing functions correctly, and it also commonly times the functions. Circuit in PCB is joint by soldering process. If the process of soldering is inappropriate, the PCB will not totally function. Wrinkle The inner part of washing machine is typically sheet metal. The sheet metal commonly will be shape into the design of manufacturer. The process of shape the sheet metal is bending process. Wrinkle is the possible defect in the bending process. The sheet metal will wrinkle when there have inappropriate pressure use in that process.

3. As process engineer involves in producing the product in question 1: a. Briefly explain how the quality tools can be applied to improve the quality of product. One of the requirements of Business Survival is continuous quality improvement for both products and services. The seven quality tools can help and give overall guiding for improvement and continuous improvement. Failure to continually improve in business processes, service and product quality will at some point result in the demise of livelihood. There is always some company out there trying to compete with another company by being cheaper, quicker, better, or more reliable, sooner or later they will take the overall market if some company not improve their processes. This is why continuous quality improvement is so important business. Walter Shewhart suggested 7 Quality tools that should be used for continuous improvement, these have been improved and added to over the years, mainly by the Japanese manufacturers who implemented the works of the great quality Gurus such as Deming, Shewhart and Juran. Quality tools are used by organizations to help monitor and manage quality initiatives. There are several types of tools used but there are seven that are the most common. Different tools are used for different problem solving opportunities and many of the tools can be used in different ways. The trick is to become familiar and comfortable with all the quality management tools so that the appropriate tool can be pull from toolbox when there is a problem solving need to quality improvement. The 7 quality tools are flowchart, check sheet, cause and effect diagram, pareto chart, control chart and scatter diagram. Most of us are familiar with flowcharts. You have seen flowcharts of reporting relationships in organizational structures. Flowcharts are also used to document process flows. This tool is used when trying to figure out bottlenecks or breakdowns in current processes. Flowcharting the steps of a process gives a picture of what the process looks like and can shed light on issues within the process. Flowcharts are also used to show changes in process when improvements are made or to show a new work flow process. The second tool that help organization to improvement are check sheet. A check sheet is a basic quality tool used to collect data. A check sheet might be used to track the number of times a certain incident
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happens. As an example, a manufacturing plant may track number of defects by category per day. This check sheet would total number inspected as compared to rejected items. The next tools are cause and effect diagram. A cause and effect diagram, also know as a fishbone diagram, shows the different causes of a problem. The problem is identified and written in the box (head of the fish) to the right. There is then a spine of the fish and off the spine, list major causes of the problem. Causes are typically categorized into categories of people, process, materials and equipment. Causes are identified through brainstorming with a group familiar with the problem. Once all causes are identified, they can be used to develop an improvement plan to help resolve the identified problem. Then a pareto chart is a bar graph of data showing largest number of frequencies to the smallest. When looked at from largest to the smallest occurrences, it is an easy picture to see how to prioritize improvements efforts. The most significant problems stand out and can be targeted first. Otherwise, Control charts or run charts plot data points on a line over time and give a picture of data movement. It demonstrates when data is consistent or when there are high or low outliers in occurrences of data. It focuses on monitoring performance over time by looking at variation in data points. It distinguishes between common cause and special cause variations. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is a good example of a control chart. Then, histograms are bar chart pictures of data that shows patterns that fall within typical process conditions. Changes in a process should trigger new collection of data. A minimum of 50-75 data points should be gathered to ensure an adequate number of data points have been collected. The patterns that are detected demonstrate an analysis that helps understand variation. Lastly, Scatter diagrams are graphs that show relationship between variables. Variables often represent possible causes and effect. Each tool has advantages for certain situations and not all tools are used for all problem solving. Once a tool is learned, it can be adapted to different problem solving opportunities. As with anything else, using tools properly takes practice and experience. That is how the tolls can help to improve quality and process of the product.

b. Briefly explain the daily role or function of process engineer in improving the quality.

1) Lead improvements to product quality through manufacturing processes enhancement. Continually seek to drive improvements in process design, manufacturing layout and operational performance. So everyday the process engineer must seek to drive improvement so that the company can compete with the others which produce the same product. 2) Analyze processes, product, materials or equipment specifications and performance requirements. Order, install, and qualify new equipment that been provide by the company. In this function the engineer must analyze what possibility that taken part when producing product in the production department itself. Somehow the equipment also been check to control the reliability so that there should be any problem occur when used that equipment. It help a lot in improving the quality. 3) Demonstrate good working knowledge and application of validation and statistical techniques in order to comply with associated regulatory requirements and internal standards. The statistical technique can help the engineer to define an optimal setting for the machine to produce the good product. In other word the standard also can produce improvement to the quality. 4) Establish and support a work environment of continuous improvement that supports end sense. Safety rules, Quality System and the appropriate regulations. The process engineer should also thinking about the environment to take care of their product and company image. 5) Participate to data collection of the manufacturing indicators and their analysis. Not only in their division, they also can give an idea to other department to enhance the quality level in their company.

RELIABILITY

1. Explain the relation of reliability to Quality by referring to one type of product as in Question A(1)

Reliability is "The probability that an item will perform a required function without failure under stated conditions for a stated period of time." In this case the relation of reliability to quality is important which mean the reliability will determine the washing machine is in good quality or not. For example, the average useful life of washing machine is less than 2 years without any internal problem such as damage to the motor of the machine, but when it arrives at time less than 2 years the area has been damage. These mean that the reliability of this washing machine is not good.

2. Relate the application of reliability concept from customer perspective Application of reliability concept from customer perspective in terms of:a) Brand As the customer, they will only choose, buy and use something produced from their trusted sources. In this case, as the customer who willing to buy the washing machine produced by Panasonic, they will expect that the machine is reliable for them. The terms of reliable in this point of view are more focused to the Panasonic brand itself. They (customers) chose to buy this machine from Panasonic because of the big name and the good manufacture image that the Panasonic bring along this time. Since Panasonic is qualified in produced the electronic equipment, customer will assume that all the product (especially washing machine) that produced from this company is in high standard of reliability level so that they can still use this machine for a long period time that warranty targeted. b) Multifunctional washing machine As the experienced electrical company, customers will expect that Panasonic will produce the latest and updated washing machine model with the multifunctional usage (wash, soak, spin) with the maximum capacity (load) of the clothes to being washed and can be run in the maximum operation time. The customer also assumed that with all these function that have on this washing machine, Panasonic already

choose the best raw material and equipment in order to prevent the worst breakdown from happened to this machine after using it in a short period of operation time. c) Price Sometimes, customers are not mind about to pay for a washing machine at the higher price as long as the machine is good in quality and can be used in a long time period with rarely maintenance activities needed. As a customer, they are willing to pay more at the first time when they decide to buy the washing machine rather than they need to pay more at many times for the maintenance service once the washing machine start to breakdown in future.

3. Explain the relation of good supplier towards the reliability of product Reliability is probably the key factor to look for with our suppliers. Good suppliers will ship the right number of items, as promised, on time so that they arrive in good shape. Good shape and delivery mean the reliability of the product have been take care very good by the supplier. Sometimes you can get the best reliability from a large supplier. These companies have the resources to devote to backup systems and sources so that, if something goes wrong, they can still live up to their responsibilities to you. Some industry has devoted much time over the years to concentrate on developing reliability models for equipment and product. The better way to access the new product can be done with their supplier. Some of example the software has been develop between company and supplier to predict reliability. The name is the Automated Reliability Prediction Procedure (ARPP), which is an Excel-spreadsheet software tool that automates the reliability prediction procedures in SR332, Reliability Prediction Procedure for Electronic Equipment. FD-ARPP-01. It provides suppliers and manufacturers for making Reliability Prediction Procedure (RPP) calculations. It also provides a means for understanding RPP calculations through the capability of interactive examples provided by the user. The RPP views electronic systems as hierarchical assemblies. Systems are constructed from units that, in turn, are constructed from devices. The methods presented predict reliability at these three hierarchical levels:

1. Device: A basic component (or part) 2. Unit: Any assembly of devices. This may include, but is not limited to, circuit packs, modules, plug-in units, racks, power supplies, and ancillary equipment. Unless otherwise dictated by maintenance considerations, a unit will usually be the lowest level of replaceable assemblies/devices. The RPP is aimed primarily at reliability prediction of units. 3. Serial System: Any assembly of units for which the failure of any single unit will cause a failure of the system or overall mission. So in conclusion the relation of supplier and manufacturer is good toward the reliability of the product and for the sake business itself.

4. Explain (5) type of relevant method used to measure and conform the reliability of chosen product

Reliability is a measure of how well a product will perform under a certain set of conditions for a specified amount of time. Many times, reliability will be stated along with a minimum confidence level. Reliability and confidence are two separate concepts. Reliability refers to a failure rate, while confidence refers to the minimum certainty that the claimed failure rate is accurate. Many factors can influence the reliability of a product, including the consistency of the manufacturing processes as well as the controls on the specifications that govern the product design. Below are the relevant methods that can be used to measure and conform the reliability of washing machine. 1. Fault tree Analysis A technique by which conditions and factors that can contribute to a specified undesired event are identified and organized in a logical manner and represented by graph or picture. Besides that, the manufacturer can also use a Potential Failure Mode Analysis (PFMA) which approach in looking for and identifying potential failure modes. By applying the FTA, it will help to analyze a problem, identify the components of a problem. It is also as tool to stimulate thinking and increased understanding of the potential problem. 2. Design Of Experiment DOE is a systematic approach to investigation of a system or process. A series of structured tests are designed in which planned changes are made to the input variables of
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a process or system. The effects of these changes on a pre-defined output are then assessed. DOE can be used to find the main contributing factor to a problem of product or how well does the system/process perform in the presence of noise. 3. Quality Function Deployment QFD is used to translate customer requirements to engineering specifications. It is a link between customers, design engineers, competitors, and manufacturing. It provides an insight into the whole design and manufacturing operation from concept to manufacture and it can dramatically improve the efficiency as production problems are resolved early in the design phase. QFD can be use as a tool to conform and measure reliability of product because the manufacturer can benchmark their product reliability with the information gather from customer. 4. Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) FMEA is a systematic analysis of potential failure modes aimed at preventing failures. This is intended to be a preventative action process carried out before implementing new or changes in products or processes. An effective FMEA identifies corrective actions required to prevent failures from reaching the customer and to assure the highest possible yield, quality and reliability. The main purpose of an FMEA is to identify possible failure modes that could occur in the design or manufacturing of a product. By that, it can be use as a tool to identify corrective actions that could reduce or eliminate the potential for failures to occur. Besides that, FMEA can be use to quantify the risk level associated with each potential failure mode.

5. Weibull analysis Weibull analysis can help manufacturer attempts to make predictions about the life of all products in the population by fitting a statistical distribution to life data from a representative sample of units. The parameterized distribution for the data set can then be used to estimate important life characteristics of the product such as reliability or probability of failure at a specific time, the mean life and the failure rate.

MAINTENANCE 1. Explain your understanding on the importance of good maintenance practices towards quality and reliability of your chosen product in question A1.

a) Good maintenance practices are defined in two categories which are standards and methods. Standards are the measurable performance levels of maintenance execution. Methods and strategies must be practiced in order to meet the standards. The combination of standards with methods and strategies provides the elements of an integrated planned maintenance system. Achievement of the good maintenance practice standards also known as maintenance excellence is accomplished through an interactive and integrated series of links with an array of methods and strategies. b) Before defining the standards for good maintenance practices, it is a good idea to make sure that there is common agreement on the definition of maintenance to keep in its existing state, preserve, continue in good operating condition and protect equipment and product. c) In practice, many organization beliefs the prevalent interpretation of maintenance is to "fix it when it breaks." This is a good definition for repair, but not maintenance. This is reactive maintenance. Proactive maintenance is the mission. To change the organization's basic beliefs, it must identify the reasons why it does not follow these good practices in maintaining its equipment. Two of the more common reasons that a plant does not follow good maintenance repair practices are maintenance is totally reactive and does not follow the definition of maintenance, and the maintenance workforce lacks the discipline to follow good maintenance repair practices or management has not defined rules of conduct for good maintenance practices.

The potential cost savings of good maintenance practices may be beyond the understanding or comprehension of some managers. They do not believe that repair practices directly impact an organization's bottom line or profitability. A good organization must be willing to admit to a maintenance problem and actively pursue a solution.

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d) Be proactive, disciplined, accountable, manage to maximize available resources, and manage based on information. Adopting a proactive approach to maintenance will improve its effectiveness dramatically and more rapidly than instituting an aggressive program of maintenance effectiveness improvement within the confines of the organizational and cultural environment of an existing, predominantly reactive maintenance program. e) The standards for good maintenance practices at the maintenance management level flow down to equipment-specific practices that are benchmarks for performing preventive maintenance. Somehow, there are several practices are not achieved in organization, and they are not targeted as maintenance department objectives. In order to fix the problem, they must understand that the culture of the organization is the cause. f) There has to be shift in mentality to allow the planning and scheduling process to work. It has been shown that when maintenance is planned and scheduled, a 25 person maintenance force operating with proactive planning and maintenance scheduling can deliver the equivalent amount of work of a maintenance crew of 40 persons working in a reactive maintenance organization. Selling this concept before making the needed changes can go a long way toward easing the transition. The compelling aspects of the proactive approach to maintenance include improved employee effectiveness, fewer "extended" work days, increased personal pride, and the resulting improvement in employee morale. In other word, good maintenance practice help a lot in quality and reliability of organization product. 2. Relate the concept of good maintainability product from customer perspective.

The meaning of good maintainability product in customer perspective is the product can continuously be kept in a condition of good repair or efficiency. To consumers, a high-quality product is one that well satisfies their preferences and expectations. This consideration can include a number of characteristics, some of which contribute little or nothing to the functionality of the product but are significant in providing customer satisfaction. There is a relationship between quality or customer satisfaction and measures of system effectiveness, including reliability and maintainability. Customers are concerned with the performance of the
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product over time. For example of the washing machine product, over the period of usage, the user can always perform small maintainability of the machine such as clean the filter and hoses. When the user feels easy to perform maintenance task, automatically they will consider the product has the characteristics of good maintainability.

3. Explain the relation of maintenance elements to support the success of application of DOE, 6 Sigma, JIT and Lean manufacturing.

DOE In DOE, we learn about the understanding of when and why to do the experiment in useful way by using different strategies in order to understand what a factorial experiment is and what kind of information it can provide. The relation of maintenance elements to support the success of application of the DOE is in term of the reliability of the machinery and the reducing the defect and rework activities itself. For example, by doing the DOE which identify the suitable machine operation with its time operation and how to conduct the machine in appropriate way, automatically, the schedule of the maintenance activity towards the machine and the cost from the maintenance itself can be reduced immediately. Referred to the 6 big losses term, the speed losses are caused by reduction in operating speed in which the machine cannot be operated at original or theoretical speed which we can concluded as its has being used in the wrong expectation capability of the machine. So, DOE helps the manufacturer especially, in order for them to reduced the maintenance cost due to using the wrong process for the wrong machine and equipment.

Six Sigma Six-Sigma is about results, enhancing profitability through improved quality and efficiency. It emphasizes the reduction of variation, a focus on doing the right things right, combining of customer knowledge with core process improvement effort and a subsequent improvement in company sales and revenue growth. Besides, its methodology encourages companies to take a customer focus in order to improve the business. The relationship of Six Sigma with the maintenance elements is in term of reducing the number of the defect and rework item so that the cost for maintenance (machinery, process and human capability and expertise) will be in stable and decreased time by time. For example, by having Six Sigma in analyze the only needed process that might included to produce a product, the manufacturer can reduced the cost of the unwanted process (non value added), reduced the number of machine usage and increased the efficiency of the machine.

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Just In Time Just-in-time (JIT) is a philosophy of manufacturing based on planned elimination of all waste and on continuous improvement of productivity. It also has been described as an approach with the objective of producing the right part in the right place at the right time (in other words, just in time). Waste results from any activity that adds cost without adding value, such as the unnecessary moving of materials, the accumulation of excess inventory, or the use of faulty production methods that create products requiring subsequent rework. JIT (also known as lean production or stockless production) should improve profits and return on investment by reducing inventory levels (increasing the inventory turnover rate), reducing variability, improving product quality, reducing production and delivery lead times, and reducing other costs (such as those associated with machine setup and equipment breakdown). In this case, the maintenance elements is related to the breakdown losses and the setup and adjustment losses that included in 6 big losses list. By doing JIT, the manufacturer will reduced the number of the equipment defect maintenance activities that might require any kind of repairing technique and method (costly). It also can decreased the downtime that the manufacturer have to take along in order to find the expert labor who know to solve the breakdown and to looking for the suitable spare parts that required to fix the equipment. So by applying the JIT concept, the manufacturer may reduce or eliminate setup time through better planning, process redesign, and product redesign. Besides, JIT also can reduce lot sizes (manufacturing and purchase): reducing setup times allows economical production of smaller lots; close cooperation with suppliers is necessary to achieve reductions in order lot sizes for purchased items, since this will require more frequent deliveries.

Lean Manufacturing Lean Manufacturing is a systematic methodology that identifies and eliminates all types of waste or non-value-added activities in production and service industry as well. Lean is about creating more value for customers by eliminating activities that are considered waste. Any activity or process that consumes resources, adds cost or time without creating value becomes the target for elimination.The relation between Lean Manufacturing and maintenance elements are in term of the reducing the lead time by moving work stations closer together, applying group technology and cellular manufacturing concepts, reducing queue length (reducing the number of jobs waiting to be processed at a given machine), and improving the coordination and cooperation between successive processes while delivery lead times can be reduced through close cooperation with suppliers, possibly by inducing suppliers to locate closer to the factory.Lean also can provide the flexible work force since workers should be trained to operate several machines, to perform maintenance tasks, and to perform quality inspections so that the

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company no need to call for the outsider expertise everytime there have the problems on machinery and human itself with the huge amount of payment.

4.

Relate the importance of maintenance management towards quality, cost delivery and

safety of the production line for the chosen product.

Good maintenance management is important for the company cost control. As companies go in for automation to become more competitive, they increasingly rely on equipments to produce a greater percentage of their output. It becomes more important that, equipments operate reliably within specifications. The following are some of the objectives of maintenance management: Minimizing the loss of productive time because of equipment failure (i.e. minimizing idle time of equipment due to break down). Minimizing the repair time and repair cost. Minimizing the loss due to production stoppages. Efficient use of maintenance personnel and equipments. Prolonging the life of capital assets by minimizing the rate of wear and tear. To keep all productive assets in good working conditions. To maximize efficiency and economy in production through optimum use of facilities. To minimize accidents through regular inspection and repair of safety devices. To minimize the total maintenance cost which includes the cost of repair, cost of preventive maintenance and inventory carrying costs, due to spare parts inventory. To improve the quality of products and to improve productivity Impact of Poor Maintenance Maintenance operations include all efforts to keep production facilities and equipments in an acceptable operating condition. Failure or ml-functioning of machines and equipments in manufacturing and service industries have a direct impact on the following:
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1. Production capacity: Machines idled by breakdowns cannot produce, thus the capacity of the system is reduced. 2. Production costs: Labour costs per unit rise because of idle labour due to machine breakdowns. When machine malfunctions result in scrap, unit labour and material costs increase. Besides, cost of maintenance which includes such costs as costs of providing repair facilities, repair crews, preventive maintenance inspections, spare parts and stand by machines will increase as machines break down frequently. 3. Product and service quality: Poorly maintained equipments produce low quality products. Equipments that have not been properly maintained have frequent break downs and cannot provide adequate service to customers. For example, air craft fleets of the airline, railway and road transport services not maintained well can result in poor service to customers. 4. Employee or customer safety: Worn-out equipment is likely to fail at any moment and these failures can cause injuries to the workers, working on those equipments. Products such as two wheelers and automobiles, if not serviced periodically, can break down suddenly and cause injuries to the stress. 5. Customer satisfaction: When production equipments break own, products often cannot be produced according to the master production schedules, due to work stoppages. This will lead to delayed deliveries of products to the customers.

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