Implementation of a Scrap Monitoring Process in a Manual Manufacturing Line of Medical Devices

Abstract

In the context of a manufacturing industry of medical devices, every organization has two primary goals that the organization has to accomplish: 1. Meet the expected performance of every produced product and 2. Produce revenue or income to the company. When an organization improves production quality to levels that guarantee high production efficiency and prevent waste is achieving a prime goal financially. The Cost of Quality is a measure of the costs associated with this achievement. This metric include costs incurred for prevention of non-conformance, appraisals for conformance and failures to meet requirements. One of the purposes to monitor scrap in a production line is for economic reasons. However, it gives the opportunity to evaluate the efficiency of other related control systems and provides valuable data for process improvement opportunities impacting the current process and related suppliers. This project will consist of the implementation of a scarp monitoring process on a manual production line, whose inspection methods are mainly visual inspections, made by several operators. To achieve the implementation a Define – Measure – Analyze – Improve and Control (DMAIC) methodology will be used. Key Terms - Cost of Quality, DMAIC, Manual Manufacturing Line, Scrap Monitoring Process, Scrap Reduction, Waste.