Top Concepts for Six Sigma

Six Sigma pertains to the methodology that directs its focus on continuous improvement, defect elimination, and overall profitability increase within an operation. Motorola was the first company that was able to introduce this model into the manufacturing process and these principles were employed by the company to bring down the defect rate within their production line. After Motorola implemented this concept, Six Sigma methods became the norm across various other countries around the globe. 

Today, Six Sigma is a must-have for manufacturing operations that are seeking to achieve a much leaner operation and seek to eliminate waste. One of the companies that benefited significantly was General Electric, in which they earned a staggering $300 million because of their efforts to implement Six Sigma principles into their operation. Six Sigma is also normally integrated with Lean and integrates into a concept known as Lean Six Sigma. Through combination of these two concepts, the ultimate result is process improvement, waste reduction, effective monitoring - which will lead to an overall increase in profit margins. 

Top Concepts Pertaining to Six Sigma 

The top concepts and factors that pertain to Six Sigma within a manufacturing operation include the following: 

• Leadership Responsibility - Leadership is a key component for the success of any project. The project leader plays a critical role within the operation. Project leaders have the responsibility to prioritize all business activities that are in the right sequence. They have to ensure that all resources are available to the team in order to start the production process in the timeframe requested. 
• Resource Allocation - It is advisable to a project manager that he employ the best/correct members in the project team. If the team members are already Six Sigma certified members then the project manager will also assign them the task of monitoring the project development process - assuming they are well-versed with the method and techniques pertaining to Lean Six Sigma. 
• Employee Training - Proper training is a necessity need to be conducted in order to accurately implement the Six Sigma methodology. This is important due to the need for employees to have a clear understanding of the project and how Six Sigma will benefit the overall operation. 
• Reporting - It is essential that procedures must be documented in a correct manner, in which it will give the organization complete information about the impact that has been created after the implementation of Lean Six Sigma. The financial impact of every Six Sigma project must be properly measured and reported by the project manager. 

Along with the concepts pertaining to Six Sigma, there are a variety of benefits as well. These benefits of Lean Six Sigma pertain to your customers, stakeholders, and employees. Lean Six Sigma is an integral part of operations that are seeking to enhance their operation and ultimately directs its focus on continuous improvement within an operation. A software that can aid with the concept and implementation of Lean Six Sigma is PlanetTogether’s Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS) Software. PlanetTogether’s Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS) Software is a must for manufacturing facilities that are seeking to enhance their overall operation and ultimately reduce waste within their facility. 

Advanced Planning and Scheduling Software 

Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS) software has become a must for modern-day manufacturing operations due to customer demand for increased product mix and fast delivery combined with downward cost pressures. APS can be quickly integrated with a ERP/MRP software to fill gaps where these system lack planning and scheduling flexibility and accuracy. Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS) helps planners save time while providing greater agility in updating ever-changing priorities, production schedules, and inventory plans.

• Create optimized schedules balancing production efficiency and delivery performance
• Maximize output on bottleneck resources to increase revenue
• Synchronize supply with demand to reduce inventories
• Provide company-wide visibility to capacity
• Enable scenario data-driven decision making

Implementation of Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS) software will take your manufacturing operations to the next level of production efficiency, taking advantage of the operational data you already have in your ERP.