Implementation of Quality Improvement Tools In Brass Industry To Improve Quality & Enhance Productivity

Abstract

Significance of quality with increased productivity at an affordable cost is out of question. In this regard, applications of Statistical Quality Tools go a long way not only to improve the quality of a product but also to eliminate the causes, which gave birth to Non – Conforming units. In engineering production units where workforce is unaware to Quality Management system (QMS) it is very difficult to manage production with in acceptable quality standard. Heavy input costs at shrunk/ reduced outputs are no longer sustainable. In most of the production units the rejection of components is never analyzed and resultantly factors causing these high rejection percentages are not rooted out. The focus of study here has been Brass Industry with special emphasis on reducing rejection percentage to a lower possible limit in 70:30 Brass strip and Gilding Metal Claded Steel (GMCS Strip). Initially, data regarding rejection in Brass and GMCS Strip was collected for complete analysis. The process of applying relevant Statistical Quality Tools was started in order to find out the major defects and the root causes of the same. The analysis made so far revealed that existing rejection percentage in Brass and GMCS Strip has been in the range of Fifteen percent (15%) and Twenty one percent (21%) respectively, which is an alarming situation. The ultimate end of the study was to reduce the existing rejection percentage to a range of 8 – 10 % in Brass, and 12 – 14 % in GMCS, and thereby improve the quality, savings, enhance productivity and hence to reduce the wastages.

Keywords: Quality improvement tools, brass industry, productivity and quality