REVIEW OF LEAN 6σ, FUSION OF QUALITY AND SPEED

Lean manufacturing and 6σ are two powerful tools used to improve productivity. These tools were used independently with a considerable improvement in output. They both have a great impact on all types of business activities. Six sigma talks mainly about quality and Lean about speed. Lean Six Sigma is a new concept of combining advantages of these two to get added advantage. 6σ is the latest quality tool, used by experts for the benefit of the organization, is defined as per the purpose it was used for. Six Sigma is a revolutionary business process geared toward dramatically reducing organizational inefficiencies that translates into bottom-line profitability(1). Six Sigma is a philosophy based on setting attainable short-term goals while striving for long-term objectives. Six sigma is a highly disciplined approach used to reduce the process variations to the extent that the level of defects are drastically reduced to less than 3.4 per million process, product or service opportunities (DPMO). Six Sigma, in many organizations, simply means a measure of quality that strives for near perfection. Six Sigma is a disciplined, data-driven approach and methodology for eliminating defects (driving towards six standard deviations between the mean and the nearest specification limit) in any process; from manufacturing to transactional and from product to service. Six Sigma is a statistical measurement. It tells us how good our products, services, and processes really are. The Six Sigma method allows us to draw comparisons to other similar or dissimilar products, services and processes. In this manner, we can see how far ahead or behind we are. Most importantly, we can see where we need to go and what we must do to get there. In order words, Six Sigma helps us to establish our course and gauge our pace in the race for total customer satisfaction.