In the final project, you have just been selected to be the Operations Manager at a large phone manufacturing company, Phones4U. You have only been on the job for six days when you are tasked, by the

M6A2: Final Project

Statistical Process Control Analysis

Control Charts were created for each individual step within the process. The control charts plot the data from 2016 for only Phone B. According to Cachon and Terwiesch (2017) any data point that lies outside of the upper and lower control limits are considered statistically unlikely, and thus the need to probe the probable cause. Worth noting, zeros are used as lower control limits if after computation of the lower control limit the value is negative; this is because in a manufacturing negatives are impossible in the process. From the control charts for each step given below, it clearly the data points in each step falls between the upper control limit.

Figure 1: Step 1 Control Chart

Figure 2: Step 2 Control Chart

Figure 3: Step 3 Control Chart

Figure 4: Step 4a Control Chart

Figure 5: Step 4b Control Chart

Figure 6: Step 5 Control Chart

Figure 7: Step 6 Control Chart

Figure 8: Step 6 Delay Control Chart

Figure 9: Step 7 Control Chart

Lean process evaluation

The rationale of lean process evaluation is to produce improved products and services depending on what customers want besides eliminating wasteful practices and enhancing efficiency (Acharyaa, 2011). It acts as tool for cost reduction, and enhancing customer satisfaction thus boosting the overall profitability of a manufacturing firm. Typically, the process results to added importance for consumers at less cost. The Phone4U manufacturing plant recognizes the consumers’ worth and therefore incorporate comprehensive planning and ensures total commitment from its workforce. Additionally, Phone4U aims to make available flawless products and services to the consumers through a seamless procedural value- manufacturing practices that characterized with zero waste. To achieve this, Phone4U manufacturing plant should eliminate wastage within its entire process and devise simpler manufacturing process or system. From the analysis conducted, it recommends the removal of rework step 2 and rework 5, as well as the custom or standard case process which increases the delay time at step 6. This course of action lessens the time taken to manufacture phones, and the capital.

Recommendations

One of the recommendations is to eliminate non-value adding steps in the manufacturing process, as much as possible. The non-value-added activities leads to inefficiencies and do not align with the principles that improve the services and products in regard to what customers want and value (Acharyaa, 2011, p. 358). Phone4U plant should simpler and streamlined manufacturing process to produce products that are consistent and meets the customers demand. The manufacturing plant should also continuously improve its entire practices as well as employ metrics to measure the effectiveness of improvements. (Acharyaa, 2011, p. 358).

After elimination of wastages in the system, more effort may be diverted on creating value to the customer. The result would be higher demand for Phone B. The previous projected forecast for the next three years, table below shown, reflects the growth in demand.

References

Acharyaa, T. K. (2011). Material Handling and Process Improvement Using Lean Manufacturing Principles. International Journal of Industrial Engineering, 18(7), 357–368.

Cachon, G., & Terwiesch, C. (2017). Operations Management (1st ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.