Assignment Brief
A gear-cutting process is supposed to take 120 minutes +/- 15 minutes to complete. A manufacturer has collected the data below in response to customer feedback on late deliveries and poor quality. Over a 30-day period, the manufacturer has collected data 3 times a day to establish the process capability of the main production line. The times provided are in minutes. Develop an X-chart to be used in conjunction with an R-chart using Z =3 limits to monitor the process times and indicate if the process is in control using these charts. Determine whether the manufacturer is capable of consistently cycle times of 120 minutes +/- 15 minutes without improving the process. (40%)
Student guidance: Students will be awarded marks for their calculations and illustrations of the X and R-bar charts. A narrative of the process output and implication is just as important as the calculations. Students will be awarded marks for their calculations of process capability and comments on the variability of process output. If the process is not in control, students must use the output to explain why this is the case. Marks are also allocated for correct use of Quality Management statistical tools e.g. The Table of Constants. Use 450 to 500 words for this section.
|
Sample |
Time 1 |
Time 2 |
Time 3 |
|
1 |
210 |
188 |
177 |
|
2 |
115 |
156 |
120 |
|
3 |
97 |
105 |
147 |
|
4 |
99 |
99 |
138 |
|
5 |
169 |
210 |
140 |
|
6 |
215 |
118 |
189 |
|
7 |
188 |
121 |
199 |
|
8 |
156 |
126 |
166 |
|
9 |
115 |
210 |
123 |
|
10 |
173 |
134 |
144 |
|
11 |
147 |
121 |
144 |
|
12 |
154 |
112 |
116 |
|
13 |
168 |
108 |
123 |
|
14 |
99 |
105 |
101 |
|
15 |
97 |
97 |
113 |
|
16 |
123 |
115 |
100 |
|
17 |
116 |
109 |
158 |
|
18 |
163 |
133 |
161 |
|
19 |
161 |
133 |
190 |
|
20 |
201 |
211 |
195 |
|
21 |
178 |
167 |
135 |
|
22 |
165 |
152 |
139 |
|
23 |
120 |
177 |
189 |
|
24 |
182 |
145 |
162 |
|
25 |
200 |
189 |
165 |
|
26 |
119 |
207 |
199 |
|
27 |
167 |
155 |
150 |
|
28 |
156 |
156 |
147 |
|
29 |
171 |
138 |
128 |
|
30 |
203 |
210 |
210 |
The production manager has moved to collect more data to establish some of the reasons for delays. The Table below shows key reasons for the delays and the frequency with which they have occurred over a period of time.
|
Cause |
Frequency |
|
Shortage of materials at the assembly line |
36 |
|
Cleaning staff unavailability |
3 |
|
Engineer unavailability during machine breakdown |
51 |
|
Accidents on the shop floor |
2 |
|
Missing equipment |
8 |
|
Lack of communication on scheduling |
15 |
|
Slow Friday afternoons and Monday mornings |
10 |
|
Slow start to shift |
7 |
|
Late deliveries from suppliers |
28 |
|
Machine breakdown |
72 |
Use appropriate Quality tools to analyse the data in the Table above. Apply your knowledge of improvement methodologies to formulate a plan that will improve the gear cutting process times to meet the process cycle time specification. (60%)
Student Guidance: In this section, students must demonstrate an ability to apply appropriate tools to generate visual and /or statistical interpretations of the data provided. Marks will be allocated for multiple tools and techniques employed to draw various conclusions from the same data. Using one tool is usually insufficient. Secondly, students must demonstrate knowledge of the implications of their findings. Clearly written consequences drawn from the analysis of data will score higher marks. Students will also score marks for highlighting missing data and/or information that may have given more robust conclusions. Finally, students will be awarded marks for making practical recommendations (informed by known methodologies of process improvement) and the actions that are required to improve the process outcomes. Improvement ideas must be supported by prior analysis. Use between 700 -800 words for this section.
- References: Cite all sources the research/report uses following the Harvard Referencing style.
- Report Format: The report should be well-organised, professionally formatted, and written in clear, concise language. Use headings, subheadings, and bullet points to enhance readability.
Submission Guidelines and/or Requirements
- Submit your work as a PDF document. ONLY a PDF submission will be accepted.
- Conduct thorough research and reference credible academic sources.
- Focus on practical and innovative solutions.
- Demonstrate a clear understanding and application of engineering and management principles.
- Ensure the paper is professional, clear, and well-organized.
- Adhere to the word limit and structure requirements.
Note: Plagiarism will result in a severe academic misconduct process and/or penalty. Ensure all sources are properly cited using the recommended Havard Referencing Style and adhere to academic integrity guidelines