Define

Measure
Analyze
Improve
Control
Step 1: Define.
During this phase, the six sigma project is defined.
Must Define:

The Customer

The Customers CTQ issues
Critical To Quality(CTQ)- refers to the product or
service characteristics which are defined by customer.

The Core Business Process involved


Set
Temperature
Heat parts to
be joined
Apply Lead
Look for
Concave
Fillet
Hand Soldering Process
Step 2: Measure.

This phase consists of a number of sub-process.

I. Identify measures.

II. The measures have to be defined unambiguously.

III. Identify the target performance for the process as
deduced from the customer requirements.



IV. Measure current performance and identify the gaps.

Assume that the current level defect level is 1% and the
benchmarking indicates industry best as 0.1%.

Step 3: Analyze.
Determine the root causes of defects.
Quality of
Soldering
(Y)
Environment Men Machine
Material Methods Measurement
Set
temperature (C)
Skill of
Operator (X)
Dust level (N)
Room
Temperature (N)
Type of
Solder (C)
Type of
Flux (C)
Bit shape (X)
Duration of
Soldering (X)
Skill of Inspector
(C)
The cause and effect diagram in this case helps us to
understand the following:

Constant (C)- these factors cannot be changed.

Noise Factors (N)- efforts are to be made to reduce the
noise, these factors cannot be eliminated.

Experimental factors (X)- these factors can be
modified to improve the response (Y).
The project team can make use of the CNX diagram to
experiment to improve the performance and reduce
variations.


Hand Soldering
S
e
t

t
e
m
p
e
r
a
t
u
r
e

T
y
p
e


o
f


S
o
l
d
e
r

T
y
p
e

o
f

F
l
u
x

S
k
i
l
l

o
f

I
n
s
p
e
c
t
o
r

Noise Variables (N)
Skill of Operator
Bit Shape
Duration of
Soldering
E
x
p
e
r
i
m
e
n
t
a
l

F
a
c
t
o
r
s

(
X
)

D
u
s
t

L
e
v
e
l

R
o
o
m

T
e
m
p
e
r
a
t
u
r
e

Quality of Soldering
(Y)
Constant Variables (C)
Step 4: Improve.
The team modifies the process to stay within the
maximum permissible range of the performance of the
key variables.

Step 5: Control.
Tools are put in place to ensure that the key variables
remain within the maximum permissible ranges
continuously.