Table Of Content9781138338494_fc.indd 1 13/04/19 9:55 AM
Contentsvii
Lean Problem Solving and QC
Tools for Industrial Engineers
Lean Problem Solving and QC
Tools for Industrial Engineers
By
Maharshi Samanta
CRC Press
Taylor & Francis Group
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New York, NY 10017
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Library of Congress Cataloging‑in‑Publication Data
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Samanta, Maharshi, author.
Title: Lean problem solving and QC tools for industrial engineers / Maharshi
Samanta.
Description: First edition. | New York, NY : Taylor & Francis Group, 2019. |
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2018044843| ISBN 9781138338494 (hardback : acid-free paper)
| ISBN 9780429441707 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Quality control. | Lean manufacturing. | Problem solving.
Classification: LCC TS156 .S266 2019 | DDC 658.5/62–dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018044843
Visit the Taylor & Francis Web site at
http://www.taylorandfrancis.com
and the CRC Press Web site at
http://www.crcpress.com
To the tireless, frontline, shop-floor managers and natural
team leaders in the manufacturing and service industries who
taught me the fundamentals of lean problem-solving.
To my mom, Mrs Mridula Samanta, who persisted till the end, and to my dad, Late
Dr. Gajendra Nath Samanta, who would have been very pleased with the outcome
of this effort. To my daughter, Roupkatha, for life’s ultimate problem-solving.
And to our eventful journey of life that teaches us wisdom beyond
intellect. That wisdom makes us what we are today.
Contents
Preface ...................................................................................................................xiii
Acknowledgments .............................................................................................xvii
About the Author ................................................................................................xix
1. Read Me First ...................................................................................................1
Objectives ..........................................................................................................1
The Scenario .....................................................................................................2
The Approach in This Book ...........................................................................4
Who Should Read This Book .........................................................................5
What This Book Will Bring to the Reader’s Mind .......................................6
Why Do People Fail to Solve Problems? .......................................................6
Jumping on an Untested Solution May Not Prove to be Fruitful.........8
How to Achieve a Fairly Good Result in Problem-Solving .......................9
Review Questions.................................................................................10
References .......................................................................................................10
2. Introduction to Problem‑Solving ..............................................................11
Objectives ........................................................................................................11
Chapter at a Glance........................................................................................11
The Concept of Nonconformity ...................................................................12
Types of Nonconformity ...............................................................................12
The Concept of a Problem .............................................................................13
The Concept of Problem-Solving .................................................................14
The Concept of Variation ..............................................................................15
Variations Induced by Common Causes and Special Causes .................17
The Concept of Cost of Quality ...................................................................18
Understanding a Problem .............................................................................20
Different Categories of Problems ................................................................21
Problem-Solving Over the Years: Modern Problem-Solving Versus
Traditional Problem-Solving ........................................................................22
Different Problem-Solving Methodologies ................................................23
PDCA Methodology .................................................................................24
Steps in the PDCA Cycle for Problem-Solving ................................24
DMAIC Methodology ...............................................................................25
Steps in the DMAIC Process ...............................................................25
A3 Problem-Solving ..................................................................................25
Steps in A3 Problem-Solving ..............................................................26
vii
viii Contents
8D Methodology ........................................................................................28
Steps in 8D Problem-Solving ..............................................................28
Review Questions.................................................................................29
References .......................................................................................................30
3. General Philosophy of Problem‑Solving .................................................31
Objectives ........................................................................................................31
Chapter at a Glance........................................................................................32
Characteristics of a Problem .........................................................................32
Guidelines for Attempting Problem-Solving .............................................33
A Few Fundamental Approaches ................................................................35
Reducing the Variation of the Measured Parameters—Paula’s
Fever Teaches a Lesson .............................................................................35
Converting the Process or Product into One That is
Nonsensitive—Hard Porcelain Doesn’t Break ......................................36
Changing the Very Way the Inputs are Made to React in the
Pre-Defined Changed Process.................................................................37
Life Cycle of a Problem-Solving Journey ....................................................38
The Unified Approach Toward Systematic Problem-Solving .................38
Common Mistakes in Problem-Solving .....................................................40
Survivor’s Guide ............................................................................................41
The Problem-Solver’s Oath ...........................................................................43
The Qualities of a Problem-Solver ...............................................................43
Problem-Solvers’ Knowledge and Skill Requirements ............................43
The Competencies of a Problem-Solver ......................................................44
A Problem-Solver’s Experiential Learning.................................................45
Review Questions.................................................................................47
References .......................................................................................................48
4. Fundamental Steps of Problem‑Solving ..................................................49
Objectives ........................................................................................................49
Chapter at a Glance........................................................................................50
Universal Problem-Solving Sequence .........................................................50
Problem Symptom .........................................................................................51
Reporting a Nonconformity and Identifying a Problem ....................51
Differentiating a Symptom from a Problem .....................................51
Cause Identification .......................................................................................56
Discovering the Root Cause of the Problem .........................................56
Defining a Problem and Goal Setting ....................................................56
IS/IS NOT Analysis ..................................................................................57
Goal Setting ...............................................................................................58
Summarizing Informations Through 5W2H Technique ....................59
Collecting Data and Analysis ......................................................................61
Data Collection ..........................................................................................61
Guidelines for Collecting Data for Problem-Solving ......................62
Contents ix
Scope of Data Collection Affects the Problem Analysis ......................63
Measurement System Analysis ..........................................................64
Discipline in Data Collection ..............................................................67
Data Analysis .............................................................................................67
Finding the Root Cause ............................................................................68
Discovering the Unpredictable Root Cause Through
Why-Why Analysis ...................................................................................69
Why Does the Oil Spread on the Shop-Floor? ......................................70
Present Solution .............................................................................................72
Testing a Hypothesis and Identifying the Probable Solutions ...........72
Creating a Hypothesis .........................................................................72
Testing a Hypothesis ...........................................................................73
Gathering the Data and the Concept of Sampling ..........................73
Innocence Till Proven Guilty Beyond a Reasonable Doubt ................75
Identifying a (Probable) Solution .......................................................77
Implementing Solutions and Monitoring Results .....................................77
Implementing a Solution ..........................................................................77
Monitoring Results ...................................................................................78
Planning a Standardized Response in the Case of Failure .................79
Perpetual Solution .........................................................................................79
Standardizing the New Process or Method ..........................................79
Following Up .............................................................................................81
Review Questions.................................................................................82
References .......................................................................................................82
5. Techniques and Tools for Generating Ideas and Organizing
Basic Information .........................................................................................83
Objectives ........................................................................................................83
Chapter at a Glance........................................................................................83
Techniques for Generating Ideas and Organizing Basic Information .......84
Brainstorming ............................................................................................84
Basic Requirements ...................................................................................85
Mantras for a Successful Session ............................................................85
SWOT Analysis of a Fortune 500 Company to Aid in a Merger ........88
Multi-Voting ...............................................................................................90
Why are the Plates being Rejected? ........................................................91
Tools for Generating Ideas and Organizing Basic Information ..............93
Affinity Diagrams .....................................................................................93
Implementing an Organization-Wide Structured Problem-
Solving Approach .....................................................................................95
Tree Diagram .............................................................................................96
Why Does the Generator Fail to Start? ...................................................97
SIPOC Diagram .........................................................................................98
SIPOC with Finance ................................................................................100
Process Flow Chart .................................................................................100
Cause and Effect Diagram .....................................................................101
