Applications of Six Sigma
In The Composite Materials
Industry
12th IAQG General Assembly Meeting
Melbourne
April 2007
Cytec Engineered Materials Business Confidential and Proprietary
Six Sigma at Cytec
What is Six Sigma?
A philosophy:
Implementation at CEM
Cytec Corporate Steering Committee
Scientific methods - bridges education,
perspective & experience.
The acquisition and utilization of
knowledge driven by Critical Thinking.
A goal:
Monthly Leadership Team meetings
Continuous Improvement Leader
5 master black belts
65 trained blackbelts
A mathematical expression to describe
the process and predict results: Y = f(x)
103 trained greenbelts
All managers trained in Six Signa
And a methodology:
A multi-phase process, rooted in
statistics, for identifying sources of
variation, reducing and controlling that
variation to ensure improvements stay in
place.
External resources used to
supplement CEM resources as
required.
A successful business strategy to drive
continuous improvement using a data driven
process.
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Progression of a Project
Define problem statement.
Develop thought map.
Develop process map with inputs and
outputs.
Develop data acquisition strategies:
 Measurement System Evaluation (MSE).
Develop a mathematical
understanding of the
problem in terms:
 Components of Variation (COV).
y=ƒ(x1,x2,x3,…xn)
 Design of Experiments (DOE).
where n<=6
Control key variables and move on to
another theory on the thought map.
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Where Are Six Sigma Methods Used?
Measurement System Improvements
 Improved, more reliable results leading to better decisions
 Elimination or reduction of unnecessary testing
Technical Service Problem Solving
Product Qualifications
Raw Material Resite Qualifications
New Product Development
New Process Development
Operations Problem Solving
Product Variation Reduction
Waste Reduction / Cost Reduction
Productivity Improvements
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Variation Reduction
Six Sigma tools support a multi-phase process for identifying sources
of variation in a process, minimizing that variation and establishing
control plans to ensure the improvements stay in place.
Sources of variation:
 Material - Raw materials and intermediates
 Machine - Performance and repeatability
 Methods - Instructions and interpretation
 Workforce - Person to person, shift to shift
 Measurement - Trust those outputs? Gage R&R (MSE)
 Environment - Cultural or maybe phase of the moon
Variation is the enemy - Six Sigma is a proven
process for identifying and reducing sources of
variation.
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Reducing Variation - The Nature of the Problem
Off Target
LSL
Variation
USL
LSL
USL
LSL = Lower spec limit
USL = Upper spec limit
On Target
Reduced Variation
LSL
USL
Center the
Process
Reduce the
Spread
THE STATISTICAL VIEW
OF A PROBLEM
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Cost Reduction
It’s not always about statistics
Recent case demonstrated excellent use of Six Sigma “critical
thinking”
 Thought maps
 Process maps
Project
Objective(s)
& Existing
Knowledge
Suspicions
Validation
Ideas/Suggestions
Data/Information
Questions
Methods/Tools
New Knowledge
New Questions
New Ideas
Future Work
Analysis showed that the water we were discharging was actually
cleaner than the water we were receiving from the utility company.
Implementation of a neutralizing unit and recycling resulted in over
$250K savings – less than one year payback on project and
environmentally friendly.
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Six Sigma / Lean to Drive Productivity Improvements
Six Sigma Improvements
•
•
•
•
Reduced testing
Improvements in raw materials
Reduced rework
Analysis via thought maps and
process maps
Lean Improvements
•
•
•
•
Value stream mapping
Process Simplification
Set-up Reduction
Standard Work
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Six Sigma / Lean to Drive Productivity Improvements
A combination of the
approaches makes use
of the tools and
achieves the greatest
results
Examples
CA Product - Through-put increased from 12K lbs./month to 16K lbs./month
Winona Product – Increased production rate from 5 to 32 lbs./hr
Wrexham Product – Increased output from 12 to 33 units/day
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Summary
The widespread adoption of composite materials in aircraft
structures makes reduction of variation and costs through
continuous improvement critical.
Six Sigma methods are an essential part of the continuous
improvement toolbox.
Critical thinking skills required for successful Six Sigma
deployment are as, if not more, important that the analytical
techniques.
Many examples of variation reduction and productivity
improvements within CEM – all ultimately benefiting the
customer.
Six Sigma Is Critical To The Continuous
Improvement Process Essential To Support High
Composites Usage In Aircraft
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