The Process of Quality

Still, it may be wise to use technology to detect any problems that do get through, especially if we are not convinced that the problem is actually solved. A barcode reader that attempts to read the carton label could signal that a label is missing, unreadable or in the wrong position, for example. However, high-cost or high-complexity approaches, such as sophisticated vision systems, should be avoided.

Sometimes, there are political reasons we cannot influence the previous process. If the previous process occurs at our customer's location or in a more “important” part of the company, there might not be much willingness to improve that process. It would be best to give it a try, but if you are unsuccessful, then you may need to adapt your own process to correct or eliminate the problems. But don't give in too easily, as this increases cost in your process!

The last failure, carton orientation, might be better addressed in your process. Technically, it may be very difficult to ensure proper orientation of a carton transported to you through multiple conveyors, but it's relatively easy to install a simple alignment mechanism to remedy the problem.

We can boil this down into three rules:

1. If you control what causes the failure condition, control it.

2. If you don't control it, find out who does and try to get them to fix it.

3. If you can't convince the other party to correct the problem, you may have to correct it yourself.

Obviously, the third choice is least desirable, but it may be better to correct the problem rather than letting it go. If we allow a damaged carton through the system, we may end up with a palletizer jam, unstable load, or at least a customer complaint!

This approach of identifying how each process step contributes to overall requirements, then identifying failures and determining how to prevent them, is repeated for all of the identified process steps. By applying this approach to every known failure to meet requirements, you will eventually eliminate them from your operation.

Clues of Variability

Don't miss the opportunity to visually review each step of your process, looking for clues that it is not working properly. Look for things that are clearly wrong as well as things that are different but should not be.

Things that are different, such as unplanned differences in label locations or visible differences in pallet wrap patterns, are indicators of process variability. This variability is a powerful signal that the process is not working as it should, inviting you to take a closer look to understand what is happening.

To further bullet proof your processes, consider potential failures — those that might occur but have not yet. We can often identify many more potential failures than actually occur, which seems like an impossible task! We don't have to eliminate all of them, but we can prioritize the list (based on severity or likelihood) and then attack the ones that matter most. Consider actual conditions in the workplace; a low-severity problem when handling paper products may be a high-severity problem when handling hazardous materials.

Once the necessary process improvements have been made, we need to confirm that the improvements are effective on an ongoing basis. This is done with process audits — systematic reviews that confirm output requirements are being met and that the process is working as intended. If your business is ISO 9000 registered, you may be familiar with this audit process. However, don't rest on your laurels if you are ISO 9000 registered. If you are still having problems, you may not have identified all of the important issues. If this is the case, simply apply the improvement process as described, and adjust your ISO 9000 documentation accordingly.

All of this may seem like an enormous amount of work, but imagine how much better things can be when just about everything that could go wrong simply can't happen! If we can focus on getting the work done instead of “fire fighting” problems, we can all go home at the end of the day with a lot less stress and a lot more accomplished.

William (Bill) Eureka is president of consulting firm EurekaResults.com, headquartered in Lowell, Mich. He has more than 40 years of experience in engineering, manufacturing and consulting with more than 400 companies. He is a Six Sigma Master Black Belt, Jonah (Goldratt Institute, Theory of Constraints) and Lean Master, with more than 60 kaizen events completed. Learn more at www.eurekaresults.com.

Quality: The Heart of Lean Material Handling

The basic measures of a lean strategy are quality, cost and delivery, says Tony Manos, chair of the Lean Enterprise division of the American Society for Quality (ASQ) and process improvement consultant at Profero Inc. “You need a balance of all three.”

Manos suggests companies focus on quality at the source — in other words, don't put a bad product on the shelf. To ensure quality at the point of sale, material handling professionals must develop controls and techniques for eliminating wasteful tasks.

“Product recalls reflect a company's focus on delivery over quality,” he says. “When production rates are beat into employees' heads, there is more pressure to let things go. But you don't necessarily need 800 parts an hour; you need 800 good parts.” After all, he adds, bad parts require rework, which means more waste and cost.

For processes that require testing, Manos recommends finding a quicker way to conduct tests (such as doing them just in time) and building a system that won't allow product out the door until it's been tested. “Lean is not about working harder,” he says, “it's about focusing on value-added tasks like testing and getting rid of wasted effort.

“5S, often underestimated, is fundamental to a lean supply chain,” Manos adds. “Cleaning is only one portion of 5S. It also includes inspection. While cleaning, employees should be looking for things that are not normal, and if they find them, it should lead to an investigation.”

Quality can also be built directly into processes, says John Glahn, senior field engineer at the Mid-America Manufacturing Technology Center (MAMTC). “3-D measurement technologies, for example, can check quality as a process is running,” he says. “This allows an operation to catch problems faster and stop the line to correct them before it produces reject parts.”

Over the years, ISO requirements have become more process based, Glahn says. “The six written procedures required include control of documents (quality procedures), control of records (quality testing and verification), control of non-conforming product, internal auditing, corrective action procedures and preventive action procedures.”

One thing that hasn't changed, however, is the need for support from the top. “Quality improvements require top-management commitment,” explains Glahn. More than ever, quality is a distinct marketplace advantage, and that can help managers attain the executive-level support they need. “ISO 9001 expands a company's ability to bid on more opportunities and grow its business,” Glahn says.