Statistical Process Control (SPC) methods can significantly increase organizational efficiency if appropriately used. The primary goal of process capability studies is to obtain critical information about processes to render them even more effective. This paper proposes a comprehensive framework for proper implementation of SPC studies, including the design of the sampling procedure and intervals as well as process capability indices. Some of the most essential process capability indices in the literature were reviewed to develop a methodology to utilize process capability indices within the SPC framework. The current study presents an efficiency-oriented criterion designed for measuring SPC implementation productivity. The framework is applied to the windshield installation process of an Iranian automobile assembly line. The process was sampled in various sessions. Results verify that the implemented SPC framework could successfully improve the process and that the proposed framework could significantly address bottleneck in the process and enhance the quality level of the process from satisfactory to excellent according to the reference values of process capability indices. Managerial insights are also drawn from results.

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Process Capability Studies in an Automated Flexible Assembly Process: A Case Study in an Automotive Industry

Aircraft﻿ground﻿handling﻿is﻿an﻿integral﻿part﻿of﻿airline﻿operations.﻿Although﻿ground﻿handling﻿operations﻿ usually﻿are﻿straightforward,﻿it﻿could﻿be﻿very﻿complicated﻿in﻿certain﻿situations,﻿such﻿as﻿troubling﻿cargo﻿ loading﻿and﻿unloading﻿incidents,﻿weather﻿conditions﻿or﻿improper﻿use﻿of﻿equipment﻿and﻿breakdowns.﻿ Ground﻿handlers﻿need﻿to﻿orchestrate﻿a﻿number﻿of﻿activities﻿within﻿a﻿confined﻿area﻿around﻿airplane﻿ in﻿a﻿short﻿period﻿of﻿time.﻿Punctuality﻿is﻿important﻿for﻿airlines﻿and﻿resulting﻿increased﻿efficiencies.﻿In﻿ this﻿article,﻿scheduling﻿aircraft﻿ground﻿handling﻿operations﻿with﻿uncertain﻿durations﻿using﻿the﻿critical﻿ path﻿analysis﻿and﻿Monte﻿Carlo﻿simulation﻿is﻿considered﻿with﻿the﻿aim﻿of﻿improving﻿aircraft﻿ground﻿ services﻿during﻿the﻿turnaround.﻿Having﻿an﻿accurate﻿estimate﻿of﻿aircraft﻿turnaround﻿time﻿considering﻿ its﻿type﻿and﻿load,﻿the﻿recourses﻿would﻿be﻿assigned﻿to﻿the﻿ground﻿operations﻿more﻿efficiently.﻿A﻿case﻿ study﻿of﻿a﻿long-range﻿wide-body﻿twin-engine﻿jet﻿aircraft﻿is﻿discussed﻿in﻿detail.﻿The﻿results﻿indicate﻿ that﻿the﻿proposed﻿method﻿gives﻿improved﻿scheduling﻿relative﻿to﻿the﻿routines﻿observed﻿at﻿a﻿hub﻿airport. KeywORDS Aircraft Ground Handling, Airport, Critical Path Analysis, Monte Carlo Simulation, Scheduling, Uncertainty

Scheduling Aircraft Ground Handling Operations Under Uncertainty Using Critical Path Analysis and Monte Carlo Simulation: Survey and Research Directions

Lean six sigma methodology offers a broad range of assessments and implementation services to meet the demands and challenges organizations face in today’s global marketplace, where improved processes and unobstructed flow are essential elements for reducing costs and maintaining a competitive advantage. So that organizations can maximize profits and increase business value by providing knowledge and guidance on implementing continuous improvement, culture change, methodologies, and tools. From this standpoint, the purpose of this study is to analyze and enhance improvements for the non-value adding processes in airline ground handling operations via lean six sigma methodology and utilization of the appropriate tools.

Dilek Akburak

Papers

Implementation of Lean Six Sigma for Airline Ground Handling Processes