Investigating the Transnet foundry quality system

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of the Witwatersrand, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters in Engineering: Industrial Date: 11 October 2016This research investigates Transnet‟s Foundry Quality System, focusing on the quality issues in the Foundry. This includes determining the total cost of quality for the business, investigating the impact of the specific defects on the productivity of the business. Two products were analysed namely, the top centre casting and the brake shoe holders. Root cause analysis was done on each stage of the Foundry process to understand the causes of defects. Data was collected and analysed and most of the defects that occur were found to be the result of poor quality management which consequently causes low productivity and low profits. Also identified was a lack of skilled personnel in specific areas in the Foundry. Furthermore data collection as part of the quality system in the Foundry is not effectively executed and this implies that performance cannot be fully measured. Non Compliance reports from customers were analysed and the total cost of quality was calculated to be R1 214 690.73 based on the data that was available. The impact of defects on productivity was also analysed for the financial year 2014/2015 and it was calculated to be 47% for the brake shoe holders. The target for the Foundry for the financial year was R4 048 799.30 for the actual productivity in sales amounted to R 1 915 510.60. For the top centre the estimated target for the financial year 2014/2015 was R6 271 500.00 and the actual productivity amounted to R3 305 250.00. Statistical process control charts were drawn and it was discovered that some of the machines owned by the business are not capable of producing to specification. Qualifound was identified as a framework to improve the Transnet foundry quality system. It is recommended that top management be educated in the concept of cost of quality and its impact on business profitability and that skilled quality coordinators be appointed to facilitate continuous quality maintenance.MT201

Lean six sigma to reduce pharmacy medication errors in Thai hospitals : an action research study

Hospital medication errors are costly and contribute to patient mortality, morbidity and decreased health care quality. Although healthcare organizations have endeavoured to reduce medication errors by using several approaches, the errors remained, returned or could not be resolved. The use of CI methodologies, such as Lean Six Sigma, can enable healthcare practitioners to ascertain the problems in the medication process and identify and eliminate the root cause of such problems. However, the existing literature does not address the need for an LSS roadmap in reducing medication errors; therefore, healthcare practitioners do not have an LSS roadmap to follow to reduce medication errors. This study aims to develop an LSS implementation and sustainability roadmap that can guide healthcare practitioners in the implementation of LSS to reduce medication errors. A systematic review was conducted to understand the benefits, challenges, and success factors of LSS implementation in reducing medication errors in a global context. The action research methodology was used to illustrate the employment of Lean Six Sigma through collaboration between the researcher and participants in an inpatient pharmacy of two public hospitals in Thailand. This study was carried out through action research based on the following key phases: identification of problems, reflection, planning action, taking action, evaluation, reflection and specify lessons learnt. The key finding of the systematic literature review revealed that Lean Six Sigma can be very useful on reducing medication errros in a hospital setting and improving patient care. The action research findings clearly show that Lean Six Sigma application improved the inpatient pharmacy dispensing process and contributed to reduced dispensing errors and enhanced patient safety. This is the first study that has developed an LSS roadmap which healthcare practitioners can follow to reduce medication errors using, LSS methodology and, and to sustain LSS in their organizations. This study provides a greater awareness for senior managers and medical directors in hospitals about the role of LSS and its associated tools and techniques in tackling medication errors. Future research can apply the roadmap in other hospitals to ensure its practical validity and enhance the application of LSS in the healthcare setting

Fundamental investigation understanding casting of lead sheet

Lead sheet is widely used in the construction industry for roofing and flashing applications. The roots of this process can be tracked back to the Roman times when sandcast lead sheets were used for a wide variety of applications. Sandcast lead sheets are characterised by their superior aesthetic performance and mottled appearance. These days such sheets are used for premium roofing and flashing applications in the heritage construction industry. Lead sheet is also manufactured using a type of continuous casting process also called as the ‘Direct Method (DM)’. This thesis focuses on a fundamental investigation of both these processes used for manufacture of cast lead. Just like any casting process, sand casting of lead sheet suffers from the presence of surface defects. In this study, a surface defect type, hereby referred to as ‘grooves’, has been investigated. The focus has been laid on the identification of the main factors affecting defect formation in this process. Based on a set of screening experiments performed using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) as well as the existing literature, a number of factors affecting the formation of such defects was identified and their corresponding significance was estimated. Two-dimensional Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations have been performed to simulate the melt flow and solidification stages of the lead sandcasting process. The effects of process parameters such as pouring temperature, screed velocity and clearance between the screed and the sandbed on the final quality of the lead sheet are investigated. Sheet quality is quantified by measuring the variance and the average of the final sheet thickness over the sandbed length. The CFD model has been validated against experimental results by comparing the evolution of the lead-sandbed interface temperature against data collected by thermocouples during the evolution of the process. The direct method of casting lead is a much more energy efficient compared to the conventional rolling process which requires a casting process before rolling to achieve the required thickness. This work also looks into the energy consumption in different stages of the DM process and suggests pointers for improvement. An energy audit of the process is conducted, and the consumption is analysed at different stages and compared with rolled lead. A two-dimensional numerical model of the DM process was developed and different process parameters affecting the thickness of the final cast sheet is studied. Effects of parameters like volume flow rate, heat transfer coefficient, speed of rotation of the casting drum and its immersion are investigated. The studies were conducted in collaboration with ML Operations, a cast lead sheet manufacturer based in Derbyshire and the findings of the study were implemented successfully.Manufacturin

Understanding and improving the manufacturing and changeover process in Saudi Arabian business - a multiple case study approach

The importance of the changeover process in the manufacturing industry is becoming widely recognised. Changeover is a complete process of changing between the manufacture of one product to manufacture of an alternative product until specified production and quality rates are reached. The initiatives to improve changeover exist in industry, as better changeover process typically contribute to improved quality performance. A high-quality and reliable changeover process can be achieved through implementation of continuous or radical improvements. This research examines the changeover process of Saudi Arabian manufacturing firms because Saudi Arabia’s government is focused on the expansion of GDP and increasing the number of export manufacturing firms. Furthermore, it is encouraging foreign manufacturing firms to invest within Saudi Arabia. These initiatives, therefore, require that Saudi manufacturing businesses develop the changeover practice in order to compete in the market and achieve the government’s objectives. Therefore, the aim of this research is to discover the current status of changeover process implementation in Saudi Arabian manufacturing businesses. To achieve this aim, the main objective of this research is to develop a conceptual model to understand and examine the effectiveness of the changeover process within Saudi Arabian manufacturing firms, facilitating identification of those activities that affect the reliability and high-quality of the process. In order to provide a comprehensive understanding of this area, this research first explores the concept of quality management and its relationship to firm performance and the performance of manufacturing changeover. An extensive body of literature was reviewed on the subject of lean manufacturing and changeover practice. A research conceptual model was identified based on this review, and focus was on providing high-quality and reliable manufacturing changeover processes during set-up in a dynamic environment. Exploratory research was conducted in sample Saudi manufacturing firms to understand the features of the changeover process within the manufacturing sector, and as a basis for modifying the proposed conceptual model. Qualitative research was employed in the study with semi-structured interviews, direct observations and documentation in order to understand the real situation such as actual daily practice and current status of changeover process in the field. The research instrument, the Changeover Effectiveness Assessment Tool (CEAT) was developed to evaluate changeover practices. A pilot study was conducted by examining the CEAT, proposed for the main research. Consequently, the conceptual model was modified and CEAT was improved in response to the pilot study findings. Case studies have been conducted within eight Saudi manufacturing businesses. These case studies assessed the implementation of manufacturing changeover practice in the lighting and medical products sectors. These two sectors were selected based on their operation strategy which was batch production as well as the fact that they fulfilled the research sampling strategy. The outcomes of the research improved the conceptual model, ultimately to facilitate the firms’ adoption and rapid implementation of a high-quality and reliability changeover during the set-up process. The main finding of this research is that Quality’s factors were considering the lowest levels comparing to the other factors which are People, Process and Infrastructure. This research contributes to enable Saudi businesses to implement the changeover process by adopting the conceptual model. In addition, the guidelines for facilitating implementation were provided in this thesis. Therefore, this research provides insight to enable the Saudi manufacturing industry to be more responsive to rapidly changing customer demands

An Integrated Retail Supply Chain Risk Management Framework: A System Thinking Approach

It is often taken for granted that the right products will be available to buy in retail outlets seven days a week, 52 weeks a year. Consumer perception is that of a simple service requirement, but the reality is a complex, time sensitive system - the retail supply chain (RSC). Due to short product life-cycles with uncertain supply and demand behaviour, the RSC faces many challenges and is very vulnerable to disruptions. In addition, external risk events such as BREXIT, extreme weather, the financial crisis, and terror attacks mean there is a need for effective RSC risk management (RSCRM) processes within organisations. Literature shows that although there is an increasing amount of research in RSCRM, it is highly theoretical with limited empirical evidence or applied methodologies. With an active enthusiasm coming from industry practitioners for RSCRM methodologies and support solutions, the RSCRM research community have acknowledged that the main issue for future research is not tools and techniques, but collaborative RSC system wide implementation. The implementation of a cross-organisational initiative such as RSCRM is a very complex task that requires real-world frameworks for real-world practitioners. Therefore, this research study attempts to explore the business requirements for developing a three-stage integrated RSCRM framework that will encourage extended RSC collaboration. While focusing on the practitioner requirements of RSCRM projects and inspired by the laws of Thermodynamics and the philosophy of System Thinking, in stage one a conceptual reference model, The �6 Coefficient, was developed building on the formative work of supply chain excellence and business process management. The �6 Coefficient reference model has been intricately designed to bridge the theoretical gap between practitioner and researcher with the aim of ensuring practitioner confidence in partaking in a complex business process project. Stage two focused on a need for a standardised vocabulary, and through the SCOR11 reference guide, acts as a calibration point for the integrated framework, ensuring easy transfer and application within supply chain industries. In their design, stages one and two are perfect complements to the final stage of the integrated framework, a risk assessment toolbox based on a Hybrid Simulation Study capable of monitoring the disruptive behaviour of a multi-echelon RSC from both a macro and micro level using the techniques of System Dynamics (SD) and Discrete Event Simulation (DES) modelling respectively. Empirically validated through an embedded mixed methods case study, results of the integrated framework application are very encouraging. The first phase, the secondary exploratory study, gained valuable empirical evidence of the barriers to successfully implementing a complex business project and also validated using simulation as an effective risk assessment tool. Results showed certain high-risk order policy decisions could potentially reduce total costs (TC) by over 55% and reduce delivery times by 3 days. The use of the �6 Coefficient as the communication/consultation phase of the primary RSCRM case study was hugely influential on the success of the overall hybrid simulation study development and application, with significant increase in both practitioner and researcher confidence in running an RSCRM project. This was evident in the results of the hybrid model’s macro and micro assessment of the RSC. SD results effectively monitored the behaviour of the RSC under important disruptive risks, showing delayed effects to promotions and knowledge loss resulted in a bullwhip effect pattern upstream with the FMCG manufacturer’s TC increasing by as much as €50m. The DES analysis, focusing on the NDC function of the RSC also showed results of TC sensitivity to order behaviour from retailers, although an optimisation based risk treatment has reduced TC by 30%. Future research includes a global empirical validation of the �6 Coefficient and enhancement of the application of thermodynamic laws in business process management. The industry calibration capabilities of the integrated framework application of the integrated framework will also be extensively tested

Advances in Manufacturing Technology XXVII: Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Manufacturing Research (ICMR2013)

ICMR2013 was organised by Cranfield University on the 19-20 September 2013. The conference focuses on any aspects of product development, manufacturing technology, manufacturing systems, information systems and digital technologies. It provides an excellent avenue for researchers to present state-of-the-art multidisciplinary manufacturing research and exchange ideas. In addition to the four keynote speeches from Airbus and Rolls-Royce and three invited presentations, there are 108 papers in these proceedings. These papers are split into 24 technical sessions. The International Conference on Manufacturing Research is a major event for academics and industrialists engaged in manufacturing research. Held annually in the UK since the late 1970s, the conference is renowned as a friendly and inclusive environment that brings together a broad community of researchers who share a common goal; developing and managing the technologies and operations that are key to sustaining the success of manufacturing businesses. For over two decades, ICMR has been the main manufacturing research conference organised in the UK, successfully bringing researchers, academics and industrialists together to share their knowledge and experiences. Initiated a National Conference by the Consortium of UK University Manufacturing Engineering Heads (COMEH), it became an International Conference in 2003. COMEH is an independent body established in 1978. Its main aim is to promote manufacturing engineering education, training and research. To achieve this, the Consortium maintains a close liaison with government bodies concerned with the training and continuing development of professional engineers, while responding to the appropriate consultative and discussion documents and other initiatives. COMEH is represented on the Engineering Professor’s council (EPC) and it organises and supports national manufacturing engineering education research conferences and symposia

Process and efficacy of applying the TRIZ methodology to medical device innovations

The pharmaceutical business is driven by innovation and new technologies. In order to improve the overall efficiency, the modern R&D organisations nowadays have integrated problem-solving techniques in their innovation process. This thesis aims to explore and analyse the application of TRIZ technique in the problem-solving process in the medical device sector of the pharmaceutical industry. The findings of the literature review indicate that TRIZ can effectively guide the problem-finding process with a tool kit that can recognise patterns and regularities based on the past solutions in a knowledgebase. The results suggest that such systematic approach is more effective than the conventional methods of trial-and-error. This study conducted a survey amongst the innovative medical device departments of various pharmaceutical companies in the Rhine-Main region in Germany and provided contemporary data on the application of problem-solving tools, especially TRIZ, in those institutions. As a result, the survey data also delivered some possible criteria for technical solutions of medical devices which were subsequently discussed and finalised with a group of experienced experts (expert panel). The next step of the study was organised as a 2x2 experiment. During the experiments, two groups of experienced practitioners were asked to improve the design of two sample medical devices, alternatively using TRIZ and brainstorming. The efficacy of TRIZ application was analysed both in terms of the quality of the technical solutions and that of the group work. The SYMLOG Adjective Rating Form method initiated by Bales was used for the assessment of the group work. The results of the experiment indicate that the impact of the problem-solving tools is influenced by the type of innovation problem. For the analysis of such influences, this research makes a contribution to knowledge by proposing a 2-dimensional framework to capture the problem types. In addition, a TRIZ procedure for the technical innovations of medical devices was developed based on the model of Su et al. Due to the sensitive protection of intellectual property in the pharmaceutical industry, field studies of R&D processes in large pharmaceutical firms are limited in the public literature. This work provides valuable insights into this business sector, especially in respect of application of problem-solving tools and how those tools may potentially improve the outcomes of the R&D activities in the pharmaceutical industry

Implementation of the leadership, people, process and outcome model of Lean using soft systems methodology in triangulation

For decades, Lean has been viewed as an optimisation and process excellence philosophy that sets an organisation on the zenith in its industry through continuous process improvement and customer satisfaction when successfully implemented and sustained. However, attempts by some organisations to implement Lean has been fraught with overwhelming challenges due to the mode of implementation and the lack of understanding of the key drivers of the philosophy. This study investigates how different factors such as leadership, empowerment, motivation and organisational culture influence the successful implementation of Lean philosophy in organisations. The Soft Systems Methodology (SSM)in triangulation, an interactive, interpretive and systems based approach has been employed to analyse Lean as a system optimisation philosophy. This philosophy instils a culture of continuous commitment to waste elimination, process efficiency and effectiveness, consistent competency development, product improvement and customer satisfaction. This Thesis presents the Lean ‘Leadership, People, Process, Outcome’ (LPPO)implementation model, that is flexible and easily adaptable. This model which shows measurable outcome and a drive for continuous improvement is system based, people driven and customer centred. The Lean LPPO model is theoretically built from existing models and practically tested in the fields through industrial based idiographic study. The model used for Lean implementation identifies committed leadership, competent, empowered and motivated people and an organisational culture of continuous learning and improvement as the driving force of the Lean philosophy. It shows that the success of Lean implementation and its sustenance in an organisation is based more on the social technical aspects and soft systems fabric of the organisation. Using results from the industrial based study carried out with the Lean LPPO model within the soft system methodology in Triangulation from April 2010 to June 2011 in seven organisations: one in Europe, five in Nigeria and a cross-continental group; the relationships between the different identified factors were examined. The results revealed that the environment, leadership commitment, organisational culture, human resource competence, empowerment and motivation are directly related to the level of successful outcome from Lean implementation. These factors and the corresponding positive outcome also ensure the sustainability of Lean as a continuous improvement and optimisation philosophy in an organisation.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Proceedings of the 2nd Conference on Production Systems and Logistics (CPSL 2021)

Proceedings of the CPSL 202