Improvement of the alveolar slab production process under Lean Six Sigma methodology in the public cement company EPCE

Abstract

The generation of waste in the alveolar production process is the problem that is generating losses for the EPCE company. The need arises to find the solution for these problems using the Lean Six Sigma methodology. The methodology consists of five stages, which are: definition, measurement, analysis, improvement, and control, one that is complemented by the use of lean manufacturing tools. The problem was diagnosed in the definition phase. In the measurement phase, data were taken from 2016. The process performance was determined, and the measurement system's acceptance through a study of Fleiss Kappa statistics. The leading cause of the problem was controlled in the analysis phase, this being the operation, verification, and calibration of the sliding machine, defining as variables that affect the generation of product not according to the frequency of vibration and temperature of the loss before tension head cable cut. Total productive maintenance (TPM), just in time (JIT), and Kanban were the lean tools used in the improvement phase, raising the final objective indicators contemplated in the control phase to facilitate monitoring the actions' effectiveness keep the results obtained. The project was evaluated financially, with a duration of 6 months, showing a relatively low investment compared to waste expenses, thus defining that the improvements achieved a positive economic impact by generating significant savings for the company.