Supplier improvement via SPC applications workshops

To fill the gap between basic classroom courses and help bring suppliers to a Six Sigma level, the Supply Management Quality Assurance organization developed the concept of SPC applications workshops. These workshops combine classroom training with actual hands on applications using the supplier´s process as the training materials. This leaves the supplier with an understanding of how to implement the tools for `his´ process. Each workshop is designed to meet the needs of the supplier as well as to provide Motorola with essential data for evaluating the capability of a supplier to produce product to meet Motorola´s need. Each workshop contains several basic elements which are common to all: problem definition, measurement capability studies, multi-vari analysis, process capability analysis, correlation analysis, and the development of data collection and reporting format. The author discusses the methodology for performing an applications workshop