SUPPLIER QUALITY PROJECT

Project summary

Situation

• ​New motor supplier
  
• High electrical motor failures for "weak/slow".

TASK

• Improve motor performance from supplier.​

ACTIONS

1. Visit supplier in China
2. Walk process and understand complexity (Gemba)
3. Brainstorm product and process
4. Train & develop supplier in Quality tools/methodology
5. Conduct DOE to find the bigest contributing factors
6. Control shaft straightness (SPC & Capability)
7. Increase carbon brush spring force (Capability)
8. Introduce inline coil windings resistance check

RESULTS

• Motor speed increased by +200 RPM (13% increase)
• Zero Defects at customer (monitored & confirmed for 1yr period)
• Saved £40K and No disruption at the customer

WARRANTY
​COST REDUCTIONS

Project summary

Situation

• £1.5 mil / yr customer world wide warranty charges

TASK

• Understand warranty claims and review liability
  
• Reduce warranty costs

ACTIONS

1. Analyse warranty claims
2. Review actual parts
3. Fully understand Customer T&C's
4. Reject claims were not liable
5. Rank / Pareto liable failures
6. Understand B10 life failure rate for top claim
7. Improve design of product 
8. Confirm reliability by inducement testing (Weibull analysis)
9. introduce modification

RESULTS

• £500k of claims rejected back to customer
• Design change long term reduction awaiting data
• Ongoing project, monitored monthly & quarter
• 6yr project, current data, actual scrap cost / yr. is £180k (£1.3 mil or 88% total saving)

​WASTE SCRAP COST REDUCTIONS

Project summary

Situation

• £5 mil / yr scrap costs

TASK

• Define what and where the top contributing reasons for the scrap
  
• Reduce scrap costs.

ACTIONS

1. Rank / Pareto failures
2. 40% of the failures were surface defects (£2 mil)
3. Confirm/reject failures by aligning customer & in-house standards
4. Set & standardise all surface defect failure types
5. Train and verify all staff to the standards (GR&R)
6. Improve handing of parts (gloves / packaging in house and at the suppliers)
7. Change assembly jigs & nest design and materials (soft inserts)

RESULTS

• 75% reduction of the surface defects
• £1.5 mil scrap cost saving (1st project saving)
• Ongoing project, monitored weekly & monthly
• 5yr project, current data, actual scrap cost / year is £250k (£4.5 mil or 95% total saving)

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