Lean on the shop floor: Reducing setup times on an automated packaging operation with the seven tools of quality: A case study

In today's competitive manufacturing environment, reducing setup times is critical for improving operational efficiency. This case study focuses on applying some of the Seven Tools of Quality (Cause-and-Effect diagram, Individuals and Moving Range (I-MR) control charts, and Pareto chart) using MinitabTM v۲۲ and the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle to reduce setup times in an automated packaging operation during a five-month study at a corrugated box plant located in the USA Southeast. The pre-intervention (n = ۱۳۸) began by establishing a baseline average setup time using I-MR control charts, followed by documenting delays and their causes using Pareto analysis. During the "Plan" phase, a brainstorming session with the machine crew and management led to the identification of key areas for improvement. In the "Do" phase, these intervention suggestions were implemented, and post-intervention results were tracked over two months. Post-intervention analysis (n = ۱۵۳) using the "Check" phase revealed a ۲۳.۳% reduction in average individual setup times (from ۳۱.۴ min to ۲۴.۰۷ min) and a ۶۴.۳% reduction in average Moving Range setup times (from ۱۷.۰۱ min to ۶.۰۸ min). The data points passed the tests for significance using the Western Electric rules. Finally, in the "Act" phase, improvements were reviewed and standardized. The findings highlight the value of combining Lean principles, the PDCA cycle, and the Seven Tools of Quality to achieve significant process improvements without additional capital investment.

کلیدواژه ها:

setup time reduction ، seven tools of quality ، PDCA cycle ، Lean