Application of the six sigma methodology in the area of paste preparation of a company in the ceramic sector

Abstract

At present, there are a large number of quality improvement techniques, making it difficult for companies to decide which to apply. In this research, the paste preparation area of ​​a ceramic tile manufacturing company was studied, and the result of this stage is directly reflected in the quality of the final product. The general objective was to apply the Six Sigma methodology in the paste preparation process of a ceramic company; likewise, to evaluate the measurements of the variables that intervene in the paste preparation area of ​​the productive process of a ceramic company and the causes that affect the quality. The application of the six sigma methodology requires the application of statistical tools because the term sigma represents the standard deviation of a distribution and is key to know its variability (Sharma, Bhardwaj, & Kumar, 2013). The implemented methodology is the one proposed in the DMAMC cycle: Design, Measurement, Analysis, Improvement, and Control or DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control). The critical quality variables were established for each of the three stages of the pasta preparation area: raw materials, grinding, and atomization. The data obtained in the technological tests were organized in tables and graphs, to analyze the results qualitatively and quantitatively, using Minitab and SPSS. As a result, the evaluation of the paste preparation area is obtained, as well as the processing capacity of the different variables of the raw material stage, which exceeds 95%, except for the variables of loss by fire and viscosity. As for the grinding stage, the variable viscosity (Z = 1.45), with a processing capacity equivalent to approximately 85%. There are statistically significant differences. Finally, the variables of the atomization stage have a higher process capacity, 98%.