Continuous Improvement in Design Engineering
By Kurt Ansorge
Continuous improvement is key to ensure customers are receiving value for the engineering services provided by any company involved in the design, development, and improvement of existing products. Continuous improvement requires identification of areas for improvement and appropriate action taken to realize improvement in the development process. At Mettle Ops, we are always observing processes and reviewing methods used in development to ensure we enact improvement plans as opportunities are identified.
The continuous improvement model is based on the Shewhart Cycle of Plan, Do, Study, Act. The planning phase involves identification of opportunities to improve a given process or method used during the development engineering process. Identification of potential improvements happens both organically through realization during the design and development cycle as well as directly through customer (internal and external) feedback loops. The doing phase involves implementing changes that address the root cause of the shortcoming(s) which led to the desire for a process improvement.
After improvements are made to existing processes, the study phase occurs. The study phase involves review of the new actions added to or supplanting prior actions taken to realize product during the design/development cycle. Once enough observations are made of a successful process improvement, it can then be implemented across the company as a new procedure to ensure all future developments benefit from the new and improved process. Taking proactive measures while designing components and assemblies, our company ensures each iteration of design is performed better and more efficiently than the last, ensuring customer value in the process.
