Reducing the delivery lead time in a food distribution SME through the implementation of six sigma methodology

Purpose – Six sigma is a systematic data driven approach to reduce the defect and improve the quality in any type of business. The purpose of this paper is to present the findings from the application of six sigma in a food service “small to medium sized enterprise” (SME) in a lean environment to reduce the waste in this field. Design/methodology/approach – A simplified version of six sigma is adopted through the application of appropriate statistical tools in order to focus on customer's requirements to identify the defect, the cause of the defect and improve the delivery process by implementing the optimum solution. Findings – The result suggests that modification in layout utilization reduced the number of causes of defect by 40 percent resulting in jumping from 1.44 sigma level to 2.09 Sigma level which is substantial improvement in SME. Research limitations/implications – Simplicity of six sigma is important to enabling any SME to identify the problem and minimize its cause through a systematic approach. Practical implications – Integrating of supply chain objectives with any quality initiatives such as lean and six sigma has a substantial effect on achieving to the targets. Originality/value – This paper represents a potential area in which six sigma methodology along side the lean management can promote supply chain management objectives for a food distribution SME

The performance of ultra-hard cutting tool materials in maching aerospace alloy TA48

A study has been made of the respective performance of cubic boron nitride (CBN) and polycrystalline diamond (PCD) cutting tool materials and compared to various coated and uncoated tungsten carbide grades when cutting titanium alloy workpieces. Two important experimental techniques were employed during the course of this work, firstly a quasi-static contact method was employed to establish the workpiece/tool interfacial temperature above which strongly adherent layers may be formed. This technique revealed that the critical temperatures which marked adhesion and welding, were 740, 820 and 800 °C for coated and uncoated carbides, and 760 and 900 °C for PCD and CBN tools respectively. Furthermore, the technique has been used to study the integrity of the bulk; tool material, and/or individual coatings on their substrates, when welded junctions formed between the tool and workpiece are separated. With regard to the latter it was observed that in all cases fracture was initiated in the bulk of the harder tool material rather than in the workpiece or at the welded junction interface. Secondly, a quick-stop technique was used to study chip formation and tool wear when cutting with carbides, CBN and PCD tools under nominally the same conditions.The predominant wear mechanisms for each of the tool materials was found to be based on a diffusion/dissolution process. The wear process is discussed in detail for each of the tool materials and reasons advanced for observed differences in performance when removing material from a titanium alloy workpiece. The wear resistance and quality of the machined surface was found to be superior when cutting with the ultra-hard materials than with the carbide grades and in particular the PCD tool was found to produce exceptionally good surface finish. In the case of coated carbide tool grades rapid removal of the coated layers occurred leaving the substrate vulnerable to reaction with the workpiece material and this is considered to explain the seeming absence of beneficial effects when cutting with these grades

The performance of ultra-hard cutting tool materials in maching aerospace alloy TA48

A study has been made of the respective performance of cubic boron nitride (CBN) and polycrystalline diamond  (PCD) cutting tool materials and compared to various coated and uncoated tungsten carbide grades when cutting  titanium alloy workpieces. Two important experimental techniques were employed during the course of this work,  firstly a quasi-static contact method was employed to establish the workpiece/tool interfacial temperature above  which strongly adherent layers may be formed. This technique revealed that the critical temperatures which  marked  adhesion and welding, were 740, 820 and 800 °C for coated and uncoated carbides, and 760 and 900 °C  for PCD and CBN tools respectively. Furthermore, the technique has been used to study the integrity of the bulk  tool material, and/or individual coatings on their substrates, when welded junctions formed between the tool and  workpiece are separated. With regard to the latter it was observed that in all cases fracture was initiated in the bulk of the harder tool material rather than in the workpiece or at the welded junction interface. Secondly, a quick-stop  technique was used to study chip formation and tool wear when cutting with carbides, CBN and PCD tools under  nominally the same conditions.The predominant wear mechanisms for each of the tool materials was found to be based on a diffusion/dissolution  process. The wear process is discussed in detail for each of the tool materials and reasons advanced for observed  differences in performance when removing material from a titanium alloy workpiece. The wear resistance and quality of the machined surface was found to be superior when cutting with the ultra-hard materials  than with the carbide grades and in particular the PCD tool was found to produce exceptionally good surface finish.  In the case of coated carbide tool grades rapid removal of the coated layers occurred leaving the substrate  vulnerable to reaction with the workpiece material and this is considered to explain the seeming absence of  beneficial effects when cutting with these grades

Evaluating sustainability in the UK fast food supply chain: Dimensions, Awareness and Practice

Purpose - This paper investigates the level of concern and practice of sustainable management in the fast food supply chain in the North of England, targeting a business population with cultural, social and economic diversity. Methodology – A questionnaire using Likert Scoring recorded variations in current practice and attitudes towards sustainable business. A two-stage Cluster Analysis was conducted to analyse the multi-attribute ordinal data obtained from the questionnaire. Findings - Significant differences were found among clusters of Fast food businesses in terms of their sustainability concern and practice, which is of interest to policy makers, consumers and supply chain partners. Medium-sized fast food dealers emerge with high environmental and social concern, but poor practice; larger retailers and fast food chains appear to have both fair social and environmental awareness and practice; and there is a cluster of small takeaway-specific outlets that have particularly low levels of knowledge of sustainability or sustainable practices. Market failure is prevalent amongst these businesses and without regulation this represents a possible threat to the sector. Research limitations – Reliance on stated rather than revealed preferences and the regional focus of the study may limit the implications of this analysis but it is a major step forward in understanding what has in the past been a very difficult sector to investigate due to data paucity. Practical implications - Fast food is a sector with a lack of transparency which has attracted little academic attention to date, due to the difficulties of empirical analysis rather than lack of interest in a key food consumption sector. The message for the sector is to monitor its act, across all business types or face regulatory and policy intervention. Originality - The research conducts a three-dimensional sustainability analysis of fast food supply chains to investigate the differences and trade-offs between different sustainability dimensions

Contact area, pressure distribution and mechanical stability in external arthrodesis of the ankle joint

The ankle joint is often affected by arthritis, giving a joint that is painful, stiff, and restricts movement. This can result in a huge loss of mobility for the sufferer. Unlike replacement of the hip, the replacement of a diseased ankle joint is not as straightforward and the outcomes do not reach the same success levels. The preferred surgical choice is arthrodesis, a procedure whereby the two bones forming the joint are fused together to eliminate the joint and hence pain. The success of the procedure is dependent upon several factors, two of the most significant being the levels of contact area and pressure achieved during the compression period, during which bone growth occurs across the two bones being compressed together. These factors influence joint stability and micromotion at the bone to bone interface during this growth phase. This study investigates the levels of contact areas and pressures that can be achieved for different arthodesis variables. These variables include the joint shape, which can be curved or flat, and the position of the compression pin within the talus, namely anteriorly or centrally positioned with reference to the talar dome. Influence of the Achilles tendon in joint stability is also investigated. A test rig was developed allowing load/deflection curves to be determined for various configurations of these variables. Models representing the bones under consideration, together with pressure sensitive film, allowed measurement of contact areas and pressures within the joint under compression, achieved using pins and instrumented compression rods. Results indicate there is little significant variation in contact area and pressure for the different shaped joint cuts, however, if the talar pin is placed in a more anterior position then the contact area can be improved over a centrally positioned pin. Anterior pin placement also gives increased resistance to motion and mechanical stability. It has been established that the athrodesis construct is especially weak in terms of rotation about the tibial axis, and the results from this study indicate that through the use of a curved joint shape the resistance to this motion can be improved greatly

Assessment of key sustainability indicators in a UK fast food supply chain: a life cycle perspective

The purpose of this article is to investigate the understanding of businesses and end consumers of key sustainability measures in the UK fast food Supply Chain. A quantitative method was used in which two sets of well-structured questionnaires were designed separately for fast food businesses and end consumers. The data analysis was conducted through “cluster analysis”. It was found that social responsibility was scored as the most important fast food sustainability concern for businesses, whilst the end consumers were found to be more concern about environmental impact of fast food industry. However, no statistical difference was found between fast food businesses and end consumer views. This research was carried out in north of England, where may have different proportion of cultural, social and economical diversity. The collected data from fast food businesses was also not scattered evenly, as there were more responds from smaller fast food firms than food manufacturers and processers. More research attention is needed in this field in which there are various issues and challenges to promote a lean and green food supply chain. This research could partly investigate these challenges including the different trade-offs between social, environmental and economic measures of sustainability in a specific food supply chain. This article conducts a research investigation in three dimensional sustainability of fast food supply chain, which includes all types of businesses in this sector to investigate the differences between end consumers and businesses to promote lean and green fast food supply chain

Quality management vision of future early career operations managers

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the gap between the current vision and knowledge of future early career operations managers (OM) and a common strategic total quality management (TQM) framework. Design/methodology/approach A survey questionnaire and a non-parametric test for different groups of participants were adopted to identify the gap and analyse the significance of these groups on the factors in the TQM framework. Findings A new set of TQM factors with the necessity of more knowledge and understanding of future generation were identified, followed by the identification of clear differences amongst different groups of this generation. Practical implications A sustainable OM practice needs managers and leaders with a sustainable knowledge development of quality management (QM); and as the result of this study, the current vision of future young OM would not echo this. Originality/value This study has a systematic, non-parametric approach towards currently fragmented QM analysis, and is integrated with human resource and visionary elements of future young OM and universal QM models and theories

LSS, a problem solving skill for graduates and SMEs: Case Study of investigation in a UK Business School curriculum

Purpose - This research aims to investigate the feasibility of a systematic Lean Six Sigma (LSS) education through the curriculum of business schools to respond to the existing gap between the graduate’s expectation of employability and skill requirements by the Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs). Design/approach/methodology - One UK business school has been used as a case study to conduct an extensive module and programme review followed by a semi-structured interview with the potentially suitable core and programme-specific module leaders and also the comparative Analysis between content of these modules and the existing LSS high-street training themes. Findings – The result revealed a high potential of the existing modules in the business schools equivalent to the private sector training providers to increase the level of LSS problem solving knowledge and skill for all graduates and improve their employability and productivity for the SMEs. Practical implications/limitations – This research has been carried out in a single UK–based Business School through a qualitative approach. A further in-depth analysis in a broader scale is required to investigate the practical implications in a better way. Originality/Value – The result of this study highlights the role of LSS to reduce the knowledge and skill gap between the business schools as the source of the explicit knowledge, graduates as the knowledge and skill bearer, and SMEs as the knowledge and skill users