By Ruby Amey Southwestern College of Professional Studies Quality Management & Statistics Dr. Mohamed Elaoudiy March 30, 2013

 WP Inc. is a manufacturer of small metal parts. They create tools, stamps, bends, and forms metal parts. They deburr, wash, and ship the parts to the customer. WP has a continuous problem with automatic parts washer that is used to wash small particles of dirt and oil from the parts. The parts washer works like a dishwasher. The problem that is reoccurring involves the spray nozzles that clog with particles, causing the parts washer to shut down. The nozzle clogging problem causes serious time delays, because every part that is manufactured goes through the parts washer. The parts washing operation is a critical part of WP’s quality process. (Summers, 2010)

 The clogging of the nozzles need fixing and free- floating particles have to be stopped.

 The team: will identify, select, and implement the solution.  Evaluate the solution, ensure permanence, and have continuous improvement.  Review the process of how the nozzles are clogging.  Drain, and retest the solution by checking more than four times a day for this process.

 1. Recognize a problem issue exists.  2. Form an improvement team.  3. Develop performance measures.  4. Clearly define the problem.  -Identify customers  -Identify customer wants  -Identify processes  -Write problem-improvement statements  5. Document and analyze the problem/process

 6. Determine possible causes  -Perform root cause analysis  -Determine root cause  7. Identify, select, and implement the solution  8. Evaluate the solution  9. Ensure permanence  10. Continuous improvement

FINDING PARTICLES  hard water build up  calcium  paint chips from metal parts  soap flakes  something caused by a chemical reaction  type of gravel or dirt  non dissolution of soap flakes  water not heated to correct temperature  metal particles not insolvent.

 Team members suggest the tank be drained  Bottom of the tank is coated with a layer of hard soap  Water in the tank is heated causing evaporation to occur  Concentration of soap content has increase in the solution  Operator decreases fluid level in the tank while adding more soap and water solution  Soap reaches a high level, can no longer be held in solution, particles precipitate to the bottom of the tank  Tank is drained and new solution is put in  Causes a disturbance of soap particles on the bottom of the tank and the particles become free-floating in the tank  Soap dissolves in the water best at an elevated temperature. It has been too low.

 In conclusion, testing temperature of water for appropriate degrees will help to keep nozzles unclogged. Making sure filtering systems exists between the tank and the nozzles will help the particles to stay at the bottom of the tank and not float to the top. When the tank is drained, the water is emptied. New soap is added and water is put into the tank. The parts washer is turned on. Evaporation occurs: water and soap are added. The coils heat the water. Dirty parts are placed in the machine. Parts are run. If the parts are clean, they move to production and the next step. If they are still dirty, they are washed again. The water is drained and the process starts all over again. Filtering systems and warmer water will help ensure less defect days and more productive days.