The Application of Six Sigma Methodology in a Die Casting Process

Abstract

Six Sigma is a quality program thatimproves process, production, and the customer’s experience through quality products, lowers costs, and better leadership. The researcher applied thesix sigma methodology in a die-casting process. Company XYZ producing Product A "Hard Disk Drive". Die-casting process has a very low yield for the past month of production due to QC-rejectedproducts afterthe production. The study used applied research method, because it is a scientific study. This research seeks to solve specific practical problems. Also, theexperimental design is used to provide the hypothesis and design of experiment; collect data; and analyzethedata and provide a conclusion. Since this is an applied research,the researcher used the cause and effect idea, determining the variable interest, the dependent and independent variable of the study, what are the factors resulting to the problem and determining the test need to use in the experiment. Using Six Sigma Methodology,the researcher determined the important variable of the study and how the study executed based on the gathered data. This study usedthe DMAIC framework of Six Sigma. Historical data shows that yield production for the past 4 months doesnot reach the targetofthe required yield of 97%. The last four months has an average of 90%. If theproduction is producing a million products,thatwould bea big loss for the company. Based on the gathered data, the contributor of the low yield performance of the die-casting production is the rejection of the products. Using a pareto chart,the researcher determinedthe top contributor of the rejectedproducts. Flow line is the top defect in the overall production with 52.30% of defect,which is almost the half of the overall contributor. Yield performance of product A is 78.88%,which is very low for the production. Yield target should be 97%. Product A has a rejection rate of 21.12%. This rate cause of 170,476 of defectiveproduct producing in the die-casting production for the last month. With this data it confirms that there is problem on the focus model and needsto be resolved. Using a pareto chart,the researcher determinedthe top defect of the product A. Top defect of the product is flow lines which has a rejection rate of 44.71%. Based on the overall top defect,Product A shows the same. With this kind of data, the researcher can say that this research is on the right track.