ABSTRACT
Improvement, in any endeavor, requires a detailed knowledge of the current situation and a team that understands the intricacies of the process. That is to say, if improvement is to occur, then adequate data on problems that exist must be collected so that problems can be defined and the correct priority established. This case involved a subsupplier of pinions to a major European auto manufacturer. Pinions are used in things like turn signals and headlight levers. Even after system was implemented, when new operators were working on the machines, the communications to them about the new procedure was inconsistent or nonexistent. Clearly this study had demonstrated how overadjustment of a process will actually cause the process to deteriorate and produce defective parts. The real problem on these two grinders was the excessive amount of variation within the process with respect to the tolerance width, most of the excessive variation was being caused by an operator or supervisor overadjusting the process.
