Case Study 1

The name of the company we dealt with won't be shared due to Non-Disclosure Agreement. It is a global technology company with the engineering expertise to deliver solutions that make a measurable difference for their customers. They deliver value to aviation, energy, and military customers around the world.

Following a review of previous processed batches of Nozzle Gas Vanes for an aerospace client, several non-conformances were observed. The parts exhibited aluminising coating bleed on machined surfaces as well as coating thickness outside the required specification’s range. The client requested to reduce non-conformances and therefore improve process Turn Around Time (TAT). The Right First Time (RFT) was measured at 36% at the start of the project.

To tackle the challenges outlined in the problem statement, we turned to the DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve and Control) methodology. In the Measure phase, we carefully quantified the extent of the issue using tools like Pareto charts, time plots, and process mapping, which gave us a clear picture of where inefficiencies were occurring. With the data in hand, we moved to the Analyse phase, where we employed powerful root cause analysis techniques. We conducted brainstorming sessions and used tools like the Fishbone Diagram to visually identify potential causes, while the Affinity Diagram helped group related issues together. Additionally, we leveraged PFMEA (Process Failure Modes and Effects Analysis) to prioritise risks based on their severity and likelihood. This comprehensive approach led us to pinpoint the most probable root causes, which laid the groundwork for the Improve phase, where targeted solutions were developed and implemented. 

Right First Time was increased to 95%.

Saved over £100K of COPQ.

Turn Around Time was reduced from 11 weeks to 8 weeks.

Standard work instructions have been updated.

Workforce has been trained to the new SOPs.

A tooling maintenance plan has been created.

A control and reaction plan has been implemented.