What is Six Sigma?

Six Sigma is a business strategy that uses

statistical and non-statistical tools and
techniques, change management tools,
project management skills, teamwork skills
and a powerful roadmap to maximize an
organization's return on investment (ROI)
through the elimination of defects in
processes. 
What makes Six Sigma different
from other quality management
initiatives?
 Clear focus on achieving measurable and quantifiable
financial returns
 Importance on strong and passionate leadership
 Integrates human elements (culture change, customer focus,
belt system infrastructure, etc.) and process elements (process
management, statistical analysis of process data,
measurement system analysis, etc.) of improvement
What makes Six Sigma different
from other quality management
initiatives?
 Utilizes the tools and techniques for fixing problems in business
processes in a sequential and disciplined fashion
 Creates an infrastructure of Champions, Master Black Belts
(MBBs), Black Belts (BBs) and Green Belts that lead, deploy and
implement the approach
 Utilizes the concept of statistical thinking and encourages the
application of well-proven statistical tools and techniques for
defect reduction through process variability reduction methods
Benefits of Six Sigma
 Effective management decisions due to heavy reliance
on data and facts instead of gut-feelings and
 Increased understanding of customer needs and
expectations
 Increased cash flow by making processes more
efficient and reliable
 Improved knowledge across the organization on
various tools and techniques for problem-solving
Benefits of Six Sigma
 Reduced number of non-value-added operations
through systematic elimination, leading to faster
delivery of service, faster lead time to production,
faster cycle time
 Reduced variability in process performance, product
capability and reliability, service delivery and
performance
 Transformation of organizational culture from being
reactive to proactive thinking or mindset
Six Sigma Methodology
Five-stage methodology:
 Define phase - involves identifying a project's CTQ (critical-to-
quality) characteristics driven by the voice of the customer
 Measurement phase - identify the key internal processes that
influence CTQ characteristics and measures the defects currently
generated
 Analysis phase - establish process capability and define
performance objectives by benchmarking and identifying the
sources of variation
Six Sigma Methodology
Five-stage methodology:
Improvement phase - confirm the key
variables or causes and quantifies their
effects on the CTQs
Control phase - develop corrective actions,
new standards and procedures, finalize
documentation and share the key lessons
learned from the project
ASPIRE and Six Sigma at Tata
Steel
 Until 2002, Tata Steel was following a modular framework
that used numerous tools and techniques to bring about
process improvements
 Numerous process/performance improvement techniques and
models, such as VE, ISO, QIP, TBEM, etc., were adopted
over the years. But they did not have a perspective or
organized framework that would guarantee that the problem
solutions developed were the best or most optimal ones. Also,
due to the localized and contextual nature, the leverage of
solutions developed for one problem was not available for
other similar problems
ASPIRE and Six Sigma at Tata
Steel
In order to address this issue and provide
an integrated framework Six Sigma
methodology was started in June 2002

It was later merged with other initiatives

like total productive maintenance (TPM),
5S, value engineering (VE), Poka-Yoka,
theory of constraints and named as
ASPIRE (Aspirational Initiatives to
Retain Excellence).
ASPIRE DMAIC methodology (DMAIC, Define-
Measure-Analyze-Implement-Control) was deployed at
Tata Steel
Need for ASPIRE DMAIC
approach
Forthe production of 1 ton of hot metal
400–500 kg of coke is required

Coke is produced by carbonization of coal

at about 1000–1100°C

The coke so produced then undergoes a

quenching process.
Need for ASPIRE DMAIC
approach
A need was felt to bring about improvement
in the average levels of residual coke
moisture achieved as well as keeping its
standard deviation low

A large number of improvement projects

taken in the past but these projects had not
been able to make a permanent impact on the
intended objectives. Therefore, this process
was chosen for ASPIRE DMAIC approach
for improvement
ASPIRE DMAIC approach for
improvement  in the average levels
of residual coke moisture
Define phase - the CTQ identified was ‘moisture
% in coke’ and moisture content in coke should
never be more than 3.5%
Measure phase –
a) Measurement of coke moisture was carried
out every shift by recording the loss in weight of
the sample during testing
b) A Gage R&R study was used to validate the
measurement system
Average coke moisture from year
1999 February to 2002 February
Analyze phase -
a) The upper specification limit of coke
moisture was defined as 3.5%

b) A target was taken to improve the

sigma level of moisture up to
3 (corresponding to 6.7% defect)

c) To improve the coke moisture some

problem areas were identified after
brainstorming and these were analyzed
with the help of a ‘failure modes and
effects analysis' (FMEA)
 FMEA performed on quenching
Process/operation/fu Failure Effect of
Severity Causes Occurrence Control Detectability
nction mode failure
Quenching Inconsisten Different 4 Different water 7 No control 8
cy in flow amount of level in
rate water used quenching tank
  Leakage of Extra water 6 Leakage from dry 5 Time-to-time 5
water added fog nozzles, flap maintenance
sealing, spraying
valve

  Double Excess moisture 8 Initial quenching 9 By experience 6

quenching/ in coke not proper, faulty
spot parameter design
quenching

  Non- Hot coke in the 7 No 8 Controlled by 7

uniform wharf synchronization skill level of
distribution of speed between operator
of coke on loco and pusher
quenching ram
car

  Water Higher moisture 7 Improper drain- 5 By experience 6

carry over out, improper
in the parameter design
wharf by
quenching
car
d) Factors that impact the moisture level in
coke were identified. After a detailed analysis,
three critical parameters were shortlisted:
• Quenching time
• Crack opening time
• Drain-out time

Improve phase –
Once the parameters were finalized the
optimal combinations of these parameters for
getting lower average value and standard
deviation of the coke moisture were
determined.
• Control phase –
a) After implementing the best possible
combination the challenge was to make the
performance of coke moisture consistent

b)  the average value of coke moisture

improved from a base value of 3.43–2.7%.
Standard deviation of coke moisture also
improved from 0.9 to 0.44

c) To sustain the improvement in the long run

a rigorous automated control mechanism was
followed
THANK YOU
JOHAR MENEZES 519

SANTOSH PADHI 554