Assignment Details

Given the requirements and specifications outlined by the design engineer, it is up to your team to

design the production process and determine through experimentation how capable the production

process is$.$ This assignment consists of four phases, which are similar to Deming$$s PDCA cycle.

$1.$ PLAN: Develop a production plan, a quality control plan, and a spreadsheet template $($or use

Minitab$)$ for generating X$-$bar and R charts and for computing process capability.

$2.$ DO: During the class period designated for this exercise, conduct an experimental trial designed

to test the production process.

$3.$ CHECK: Prepare a final report that discusses your initial plans, changes that you had to make

to the plans during the trial run, the trial results.

$4.$ ACT: Recommend and implement process improvements before mass production begins.

While you are producing the initial product run of $180$ units, you will create X$-$bar and R charts to

monitor the process. These charts will be based on $20$ samples of four products each. You will use

MS Excel or Minitab for this exercise. You are welcome to test your production plan before class,

but you may not bring any pre$-$processed material to class.

Requirements$/$Deliverables

$1.$ You must submit a paper copy of your production and testing plan at the beginning of class

before beginning your experimental trial. This report must include the following information:

a$.$ Role of each team member in the production and testing processes.

b$.$ Process design that explains how you are going to produce the product. The plan

must include a list of tasks and a description of the work that must be performed to

complete each task. Include a detailed flow chart that illustrates your plan.

Production Number

#

a b

$53$ mm

$3$

c$.$ Testing plan that explains how you are going to sample and test your products to

ensure process stability. This plan must include the measurements that you are

going to make and how you will translate these measurements to control charts.

$2.$ Your team must provide the tools. The tools that you are allowed to use during class, which

you must provide, may include pencils, rulers $($metric$),$ drawing squares, protractors, and

scissors. In addition, you may, at your option, bring a jig$1$ or template to aid production,

which your team manufactured for your process. Scissors and vernier callipers will be

supplied as discussed in class, if required.

$3.$ If you are going to use Excel, you must create a template before class, which you will use

to monitor process stability. Alternatively, you must be able to use Minitab and explain the

answers generated.

$4.$ At least one student must bring a notebook computer to class. You will use this computer

to enter the sample measurements into your Excel template or Minitab.

$5.$ Final deliverables:

a$.$ Completed Excel spreadsheet or Minitab including a brief analysis of the stability

and capability of the process. This should include SPC chart$($s$)$ and Cusum chart$($s$).$

b$.$ Complete the MS Forms survey questions for your team to ensure that everyone

will receive credit.

c$.$ Final Report that includes the following:

i$.$ Title page with names of team members

ii$.$ Executive summary of your principal findings

iii. Original production plan that you submitted before the experimental trial.

iv$.$ Discussion of changes that you made during the experimental trial.

v$.$ Analysis of process stability and capability. This section should answer the

following questions:

$1.$ Was your process stable?

$2.$ Was your process capable?

$3.$ What were the sources of random and non$-$random variation in your

study?

Please provide evidence to support each of your answers and include control

charts from the spreadsheet in your report.

vi$.$ Recommendations to management outlining how the process must be

improved before going to full production. This section should be based on

your experience during production and your analysis of process stability

and capability.

Hints

There are several possible ways to create a process control plan for this project. Your goal should

be to minimize the number of measurements because each measurement will require its own set

of X$-$bar and R control charts.

To be consistent during production and inspection, you should indicate which end is up when you

lay out the squares. In the product drawing, you will see that the specifications call for a production

number of the item at the top of the square. This number indicates the point in production when

the item was manufactured. You can use this label as your indicator of the top side of the square,

which will allow you to make sense of an inspection plan that says something like $$measure the

top of the square$$ or $$measure the right$-$hand diagonal.$$ Numbering the squares in this fashion will

also allow you to systematically sample the same four squares out of each nine produced.

Come prepared to class. You should have all the tools and materials,