Flow-Days Reduction Using Six Sigma Toolbox at Air Force Base Engine Maintenance Center

Abstract

Abstract - When the United States entered World War I in 1917, the U.S. government searched for a company to develop the first airplane engine "booster" for the fledgling U.S. aviation industry General Electric accepted the challenge first and other followed the path in the “Business of War”. The claim for jet engines were the boom of the moment and their maintenance became “The Business”. The following discussion presented a productivity improvement approach in a Maintenance Repair Operation Center (MRO) and deals with an application of Six Sigma DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve &, Control) methodology in a military repair center ruled by the Federal Aviation Association (FAA). The need for fast production with safety and higher quality is one of the criteria considered to achieve 44% time reduction. The liaison with a non-profit organization put short time deadline where Six Sigma must be analyzed from a management standpoint that takes into consideration the routine of repair and not production line culture. Key Terms - DMAIC, Flow Days, MRO, Six Sigma