Implementation of Six Sigma in SMEs. A Case Study in Swedish Industry

Many big companies today have already solid Six Sigma infrastructures. However, all over the world SMEs are only now approaching the methodology. In this presentation we expose an industrial application of a Six Sigma Black Belt project. It shows how Six Sigma was introduced and successfully implemented in a Swedish small-medium sized company. The project was carried out within the Six Sigma Black Belt course run at Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg. This case study is included in the book “Statistical and Managerial Techniques for Six Sigma Methodology, Theory and Application” (Wiley, 2012). The company is Structo Hydraulics AB, a manufacturing firm, located in Storfors, which produces steel tubes, mainly for the hydraulic industry. The project focused on the improvement of the warehouse activities, specifically the cutting processes. A high yield is always desirable in an industrial process, maximizing the utilization of materials and reducing costs. This was the project main objective. The argumentations follow the DMAIC framework. The main finding was that the planning for cutting processes was mostly based on operators’ knowledge and it was not structured in the optimum way. Four main improvement recommendations were given concerning: maintenance, calibration, tolerance analysis, tools for short and long term planning. The case ends with the implementation of the recommendations and a control plan designed for the future activities. General considerations concerning the implementation of Six Sigma in SMEs will be also provided.