A SIX SIGMA AND SYSTEM DYNAMIC INTEGRATION FOR PROCESS VARIABILITY REDUCTION IN INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES

In today's globalized and dynamic world, companies face pressures related to high-quality product offerings that meet customer expectations, with minimum variability. Likewise, they deal with complex systems, such as industrial processes. The objective of this article was to design a five-phase model of the DMAIC cycle by integrating the six sigma and system dynamics approaches for variability reduction in critical quality characteristics. Model validation was carried out via a case study in the electrolytic tin plating process, in a Colombian metal- mechanics company. Thus, the current process was simulated and various scenarios were analyzed, that which would benefit the company the most was selected. The results show significant quality improvement by way of the reduction of variability in the coating thickness, and profit increases achieved through poor quality and reprocessing cost reductions. The proposed model serves as a financial viability tool, given the implementation of a six-sigma project, by guiding management to determine the best scenario for investments in the process, so as to obtain results that benefit companies, in terms of both profits and product quality.