Solving Manufacturing Problems with 8D Methodology: A Case Study of Leakage Current in a Production Company

Abstract

Khalid Mahmood

Customer satisfaction is critical for the success of any organization. This case study presents a design company and man- ufacturing supplier that has received customer complaints about defective temperature sensors and power supply units in maritime vessels. The research aims to identify the root cause of the issue and implement a solution to prevent its recurrence using the Lean Eight Disciplines methodology. This includes: (1) a 5 Whys analysis by a cross-functional team, (2) confirma- tion of the problem description, (3) containment actions, (4) root cause analysis of the occurrence, (5) permanent corrective actions, (6) implementation of the permanent corrective action, (7) actions to prevent recurrence, and (8) closure with an 8D report and congratulations to the cross-functional team from the design, engineering, and supplier production sites.

This study presents the development and implementation of the Eight Disciplines (8D) investigation tool for addressing issues in the factories and improving the product life cycle in the manufacturing industry. The 8D tool is designed for the cross-functional teams to work together to identify the root cause of problems using the "five whys" method and implement corrective and preventive actions to prevent similar issues from occurring in the future. The novelty of this case study is the development of an 8D analytics template for product managers and practitioners in manufacturing and production compa- nies to use for improving the quality of products throughout their life cycle. The case study also highlights the challenges and opportunities of using the 8D tool for problem-solving, including the high warranty cost and production failures, the unreliability of products and resources, and different scopes of issues. In one example, the 8D analytics template was used to identify a long-term fix for a circuit prone to leakage current by using a different flux chemistry that can be cleaned with a water-based solvent, rather than the traditional "no-clean" solder flux that requires specific solvents for effective cleaning.

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