LAI's Six Sigma Team Cuts Production Time Twenty Percent

LAI International, Inc. (Scottsdale, AZ) has reduced production time by 20 percent for a critical structural aerospace component using a recently completed Six Sigma program.

A team of LAI employees in engineering, quality control and production formed a team to complete a comprehensive Six Sigma study that includes intensive workflow assessment, process analysis, value streaming and control planning of a manufacturing process for a precision-manufactured structural panel for a jet fighter.

"We also took every step off of our flowchart and measured the time to do each and every step of the process,? John Rogers, vice president of operations, said. ?The team examined key process input variables and studied methods to do each step more efficiently."

An evaluation seven months after the Six Sigma project was completed revealed savings of $196,000 in the program, related to a reduction in cycle times, more efficient inspections and an overall reduction in production time by 20 percent.

Six Sigma removes variation within a process, decreasing opportunities for defects. A Six Sigma process is defined as one with 3.4 defects per million opportunities.

The aerospace sub-assembly program involves supply chain management of multi-sequenced manufacturing processes, including material acquisition, precision grinding, heat-treating, advanced waterjet machining, hot forming, alpha-case removal, five-axis trimming, drilling, counter-sinking, hardware installation, painting, finishing and inspection.

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