Six Sigma for Technical Processes: An Overview for RandD Executives, Technical Leaders, and Engineering Managers

Use Six Sigma to achieve and sustain excellence in product development and commercialization!

To sustain growth and profitability, companies must tightly align product development and commercialization to fast-changing customer requirements. In this book, Clyde Creveling identifies the four process areas most crucial to doing so―and shows executives and managers how to optimize each of them.

Creveling introduces a Six Sigma-enabled workflow that encompasses strategic product/technology portfolio definition and development, research and technology development (R&TD), tactical design engineering processes for commercialization, and operational production and service support. He presents tools, methods, and best practices for selecting the right projects, prioritizing them, and executing them rapidly, consistently, and successfully.

•  Integrate all key technical processes so they work together in harmony
•  Create Phase/Gate control plans for delivering products with minimal risk
•  Establish scorecards for risk management in technical processes
• Use Six Sigma tools, such as Monte Carlo and FMEA, to improve project management
• Bring discipline to your product and technology portfolio renewal processes
• Systematically optimize your commercialization processes
• Define stripped-down “Fast Track” processes for commercializing high-risk, high-reward opportunities
• Provide effective operational support after you launch your product
• Preview the future of “lean” and Six Sigma in technical processes
• Use lean techniques to streamline repeatable processes such as R&D, product design, and post-launch production engineering support
• Learn how to manage the risk of doing a fast track commercialization project when you really must cut corners to get a product out into the market before your opportunity evaporates

Foreword by John Boselli  xiii

Preface  xv

About the Author  xxi

Chapter 1: Introduction to Six Sigma for Technical Processes  1

Chapter 2: Scorecards for Risk Management in Technical Processes  21

Chapter 3: Project Management in Technical Processes  35

Chapter 4: Strategic Product and Technology Portfolio Renewal Process  51

Chapter 5: Strategic Research and Technology Development Process  95

Chapter 6: Tactical Product Commercialization Process  163

Chapter 7: Fast Track Commercialization  275

Chapter 8: Operational Post-Launch Engineering Support Processes  293

Chapter 9: Future Trends in Six Sigma and Technical Processes  317

Glossary 323

Index 351

Clyde "Skip" Creveling is the president and founder of Product Development Systems & Solutions Inc. (PDSS) (http://www.pdssinc.com). Since PDSS' founding in 2002, Mr. Creveling has led Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) initiatives at Motorola, Carrier Corporation, StorageTek, Cummins Engine, BD, Mine Safety Appliances, Callaway Golf, and a major pharmaceutical company. Prior to founding PDSS, Mr. Creveling was an independent consultant, DFSS Product Manager, and DFSS Project Manager with Sigma Breakthrough Technologies Inc. (SBTI). During his tenure at SBTI he served as the DFSS Project Manager for 3M, Samsung SDI, Sequa Corp., and Universal Instruments.

Mr. Creveling was employed by Eastman Kodak for 17 years as a product development engineer within the Office Imaging Division. He also spent 18 months as a systems engineer for Heidelberg Digital as a member of the System Engineering Group. During his career at Kodak and Heidelberg he worked in R&D, Product Development/Design/System Engineering, and Manufacturing. Mr. Creveling has five U.S. patents.

He was an assistant professor at Rochester Institute of Technology for four years, developing and teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in mechanical engineering design, product and production system development, concept design, robust design, and tolerance design. Mr. Creveling is also a certified expert in Taguchi Methods.

He has lectured, conducted training, and consulted on product development process improvement, design for Six Sigma methods, technology development for Six Sigma, critical parameter management, robust design, and tolerance design theory and applications in numerous U.S, European, and Asian locations. He has been a guest lecturer at MIT, where he assisted in the development of a graduate course in robust design for the System Design and Management program.

Mr. Creveling is the author or coauthor of several books, including Six Sigma for Technical Processes, Six Sigma for Marketing Processes, Design for Six Sigma in Technology and Product Development, Tolerance Design, and Engineering Methods for Robust Product Design. He is the editorial advisor for Prentice Hall's Six Sigma for Innovation and Growth Series.

Mr. Creveling holds a B.S. in mechanical engineering technology and an M.S. from Rochester Institute of Technology.