Magnet Wire

These are typical of the questions one must ask when dealing with any particular manufacturing or manufacturing associated process:

- Is it the right process for the machine?
- Is it the right machine for the process?
- Is it the best machine for the process?
- Is it the best process available?
- Is the process 100% reliable and if not, why not?
- Is the overall process optimized from the set up, the run and the shut down perspective?
- Is the scrap generated by the overall process as above at an absolute minimum and if not, why not?
- Is the scrap controlled or does it "just happen"?
- What is the situation regarding the material usage variance and this process?
- Is each material usage variance well managed, sort of controlled or does it "just happen"?
- Is the material usage variance monitored at the process where the material variance is generated?

Shipping Reel Photos Courtesy of
Baker Division of Sonoco Products Co.

A normal curve showing the six standard deviations or sigmas.

For those comfortable with the terms commonly associated with statistical process control, we at Stewart-Hay Associates will first work with you to ensure that your existing process or processes under review are statistically stable and capable. Once that is confirmed or the identified processes modified to ensure stability and capability, we will work with you to effectively reduce the variation in those processes.

The relationship between the product specification and the statistical process reality.

In 1986, Dr. Mikel J. Harry initially developed and deployed the Six Sigma methodology at the Motorola Corporation^® and in 1988, Motorola^® won the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. Since 1986, Motorola^® has put much effort into what it calls its Six Sigma Quality Program. The goal of this program is to reduce the variation in each process so that a spread of 12 sigmas (6 sigmas on either side of the process mean) fits inside the product specification limits.

Motorola^® then allocates 1.5 sigmas on either side of the process mean to allow for a shift in that mean. If this then happens, it would still leave 4.5 sigmas between the shifted process mean and one of the product specification limits. This insures a worst case of 3.4 defects in a million on each side of the distribution (6.8 defects in a million total) and a best case of 1 defect in a U.S. billion on each side of the distribution (2 defects in a U.S. billion total). If the process mean were centered as it is in the above drawing, we would get a Capability Ratio C_p of 2.00 and a Capability Index C_pk of 2.00.

We at Stewart-Hay Associates would be pleased to assist you with any portion of, or with all of the process giving you problems at your electrical wire and cable or optical fiber cable plant. We are quite familiar with essentially all of the processes in your plant and we look forward to working with you to permanently resolve the issues you have identified. We would also be pleased to work with you on scrap reduction programs, on material variance reduction programs and, on the upgrade of your existing processes. These items are all foundation components of a lean manufacturing program. Further, we would be pleased to work with you on the development of new products and processes including manufacturing cells. Finally, we perform plant-wide process audits and department process audits if indeed you are looking for an independent technical opinion. Please contact us to discuss your requirements in detail. All inquiries and transactions will be kept 100% confidential.

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A member of the Wire Association International, Inc. since 1972.
A lifetime member since 2004.