How Six Sigma resolved a complex manufacturing challenge and delivered record yields

A speciality chemicals plant in Frankfurt had been struggling to consistently produce product within specification for many months.  The process itself involved six key steps: synthesis, methanol treatment, filtration and washing, drying, blending, and milling.  The primary metric for the product, Mass Tone Purity, along with exactly matched customer requirements.  However, in one campaign 65% of the batches failed to meet the primary metric specification and some of the secondary metrics were bordering on the edge of tolerance. 

As a consequence of this, the company was incurring extra costs by sending the out-of-specification product to another organisation for additional drying treatment.  The lead time was consequently extended and, to make matters worse, overall capacity was constrained on a product that was in short supply.  If the company could make more product they could sell it. 

Now obviously the people running the plant had a lot of expertise, were highly qualified chemists and chemical engineers, and had been working hard to bring the variables under control.  Nevertheless, the solution had eluded them and the process was simply not delivering the required output consistently. 

WCI were asked to provide a six sigma specialist to resolve the problem.  The company had not used the six sigma methodology before so this was an opportunity to find out just how suitable it could be within their particular environment, as well as improving the performance on the specific production line.

A WCI Master Black Belt (MBB) was assigned to work with the plant team for a total of 20 man-days over a three month period to analyse the data, understand the variables and bring the process under control.  The local personnel from the plant provided data and detailed knowledge of the process; they were not being trained in six sigma techniques as this would have extended the timescales too much, although they were engaged in the search for understanding root causes and identifying solutions.

To read the case study in full, please click on the pdf link below:

Plotting a course through the fog

For further information about this project please contact Kate Adams at kate.adams@wcigroup.com