HOW DO SMART TECHNOLOGIES CHANGE SIX SIGMA'S TRADITIONAL DMAIC FRAMEWORK

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT WITH TONY

Newsletter, Volume 12, August 1, 2024

Smart Technologies offer the means to improve all phases of the DMAIC framework by creating a digital twin of physical operations, automating data collection, and using big data analytical tools.1

DMAIC Framework Overview: The DMAIC framework (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) is a structured approach used in Six Sigma projects to improve processes and reduce defects. It combines Lean principles (focused on productivity) with data-driven Six Sigma tools (aimed at reducing variations and defects).

Industry 4.0 and DMAIC: Industry 4.0 refers to the digital transformation of manufacturing and supply chain processes using technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Computer Vision, Robotics, and Cyber-Physical Systems.

Industry 4.0’s Smart Technologies Impact on DMAIC Phases:

Define: I4.0 enables better data collection and problem definition through IoT sensors and real-time monitoring.

Measure: Advanced analytics and AI improve data analysis accuracy.

Analyze: This phase benefits the most from I4.0. Techniques like Data Mining, Machine Learning, Big Data Analytics, and Process Mining enhance root cause analysis. Much of the labor-intensive efforts to gather and analyze data is automated.

Improve: I4.0 supports rapid experimentation and simulation for process improvement.

Control: Real-time monitoring and predictive analytics help maintain process stability. Computer Vision and IoT sensors combine to create a virtual twin of physical operations. When a process starts to regress, the digital twin alerts stakeholders in real time.

In summary, Industry 4.0 and Smart technologies enhance data-driven decision-making, accelerate improvement cycles, and provide new insights within the DMAIC framework. Lean Six Sigma practitioners can leverage these advancements to address increasing complexity and data volumes in their projects.

Prediction

The DMAIC framework will be formally modified to incorporate Smart Technologies. If it does not, it will lose its relevance. There are already proposals by academic researches for a DMAIC 4.0 Framework.2

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Cheers, Tony

Anthony Tarantino, PhD

Six Sigma Master Black Belt, CPM (ISM), CPIM (APICS)

Adjunct Professor, Santa Clara University – Smart Mfg. & Industry 4.0

Author of Wiley's Smart Manufacturing, the Lean Six Sigma Way Amazon Links

Senior Advisor to IM Republic, https://imrepublic.com

?(562) 818-3275?? ?[email protected] ? ?Anthony Tarantino

?NOTES

[1] Tarantino, Smart Manufacturing, The Lean Six Sigma Way, (Wiley and Sons, 2022)

?[2]? ?Tanawadee Pongboonchai-Empl, Integration of Industry 4.0 technologies into Lean Six Sigma DMAIC: a systematic review, https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09537287.2023.2188496

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