MANUFACTURING GLOSSARY

↑ AOI: Automated Optical Inspection

Automated visual inspection of an object, in order to perform measurements or check for defects.

↑ ATE: Automatic Test Equipment

↑ CI: Continuous Improvement

See Kaizen

↑ COTS: Commercial-Off-The-Shelf

A term used to describe non-bespoke components, usually designed for general tasks, but can be integrated into bespoke systems. The use of COTS equipment provides significant benefits such as: reduced costs, spares availability, support and upgrades.

↑ DMAIC: Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve, Control

A methodology used in Six-Sigma. This process defines the general stages of a Six-Sigma project: Define the project goals, Measure the current process, Analyse the data to determine relationships and causality, Improve the process based on the conclusions drawn during the analysis phase and finally Control the process into the future by maintaining the framework for measuring and correcting defects.

↑ JIT: Just In Time

A strategy for streamlining processes in order to reduce inventory. This is often coupled with "pull" production, or producing output in accordance with customer demand. In essence, Just In Time ensures that wastage is reduced - in terms of warehouse space and employee time, and that risk is reduced by producing to order.

↑ Kaizen:

Often referred to as "Continuous Improvement", this is a cycle whereby processes are improved in order to match business or operating requirements. This involves monitoring existing processes, planning required modifications, implementing the new strategy and maintaining the realised benefits. The cycle then repeats to ensure that the process remains at peak performance, and responds to the needs of the business.

↑ Lean Manufacturing:

A combination of methods and tools used to reduce wastage, and to streamline process flow. Lean works on the principle of ensuring that all steps in a process flow are used to add value, that these steps undergo continuous improvement and that non-value adding steps are identified and reduced to the bare minimum. By measuring and understanding your existing processes, it becomes possible to put these improvements in place improve productivity, stock levels, quality and OEE - whilst reducing costs.

↑ OEE: Overall Equipment Effectiveness

A measure of how well a piece of equipment is performing compared to its ideal operating conditions. Expressed as a percentage, this value takes into account downtime (scheduled and unscheduled), production yields, cycle time and disjointed flow (as part of the overall manufacturing process).

↑ Process Capability:

A statistical measure of how well a process is performing, with respect to its variation and how well it is centred between its specification limits. It can be used to predict the number of defects or errors produced by the process. Process Capability is often expressed as one or more of the following indices: Cp, Cpk, Pp, Ppk - with each one having special significance in different situations.

↑ SPC: Statistical Process Control

A method used to monitor processes in order to detect variations which may cause defects. It enables the possibility to predict failures, ensuring that preventative maintenance or modifications can be carried out to reduce rework and scrap.

↑ Single-Piece Flow:

The state of a manufacturing process where production forms a single flow from input materials to output product - with a significant reduction or total elimination of batch production and inventory.

↑ Six-Sigma:

Provides a framework to deliver significant quality and efficiency improvements. Utilising a number of statistical tools, it is possible to identify potential causes for error, or defects, and apply long-term solutions. The term Six-Sigma is often used to denote 3.4 defects per million opportunities - a statistical figure derived from a normally-distributed process having six standard deviations between its upper and lower specification limits.