When a line or cell has trouble meeting output targets or when poor quality is affecting yields, attention often turns to the machinery, but is this fair? There’s no doubt that not doing enough preventive maintenance, or doing the wrong things, can affect quality and efficiency, but other factors could also be at work. The 6M method helps you determine what those might be.
When faced with a problem, rather than jumping to conclusions, what’s needed is a systematic method of getting to the root cause. Fishbone diagrams, also known as cause and effect diagrams, or the Ishikawa technique, are such a method. They help a team identify all the possible contributors to a problem. Only once that has been done does the team begin capturing and analyzing data to reach a better understanding of what’s gone wrong.
The 6 M’s are prompts that support effective problem analysis. By providing a framework for considering every aspect of manufacturing, they help teams avoid latching on to the first possible cause. Using the 6 M’s in manufacturing has been shown to increase success at identifying and addressing root causes.
What are the 6 M’s of manufacturing?
Lean manufacturing originally identified 5 M’s, but over time the need for a sixth prompt related to environmental factors became clear. Sometimes referred to a “5M’s + E,” it has become more common to speak of “Mother Nature,” thus making six M’s. These are:
1. Manpower: Even with automation, human input remains an essential aspect of manufacturing. Maximizing output, efficiency and quality needs workers that are motivated and engaged, trained, experienced and well-managed.
2. Machinery: Unreliable machinery leads to stoppages, lost output and frustrated workers. Even if working correctly, excessive variability can result in nonconforming product. Preventive maintenance aims to drive down unplanned downtime, although predictive maintenance, when sensors report on machine health, promises a bigger impact on OEE.
3. Methods: Consistent quality relies on every job being done the “best” way every time, regardless of who does it. This is achieved with tools such as standard operating procedures (SOPs) and checklists. Failure to follow the correct method, or absence of a defined way to do things, can result in both quality and productivity problems.
4. Materials: This category encompasses the provision of raw materials, along with material quality and the tools and devices needed for production. Material shortages will halt production while substandard materials, resulting from supplier issues or poor handling or storage, will cause problems with how machines run. The same applies to missing or poorly maintained fixtures and hand tools.
5. Measurement: This covers both the metrics used to monitor production and the equipment used for inspection and testing. Good, and regularly updated, metrics enable early detection of operational problems like rising machine downtime. In terms of measurement devices, these must be maintained, stored and used correctly, and calibrated at appropriate intervals.
6. Mother nature (environment): Conditions inside and outside the factory can affect product quality and output. Many materials and processes are sensitive to changes in temperature and humidity, and if these reach uncomfortable levels they will impair the ability of workers to concentrate on their jobs. External conditions can also affect material supply, power supplies and the ability of workers to get to their jobs.
Benefits of applying the 6 M’s in manufacturing
The 6 M’s don’t create better products or more efficient manufacturing. What they do is give teams charged with solving a problem a structure for their root cause analysis work. Applying 6M as a Lean manufacturing tool via Ishikawa or fishbone diagrams helps identify potential causes. From here, the team can gather data that helps identify root causes while eliminating other factors from further consideration.
In short, the 6M method leads to:
- Improved quality: Identifying sources of variation reduces the occurrence of defects and ensures consistency.
- Increased production efficiency: Processes become more streamlined by finding and addressing root causes of production problems, in turn, raising productivity.
- Lower costs: Eliminating and preventing problems helps drive out waste and supports better resource optimization.
- Better risk management: Acting on the findings of root cause analysis efforts reduces the risk of unplanned and unexpected events. This ranges from breakdown prevention to accident avoidance.
Prevent machine problems with ATS
When problems arise and people are under pressure it shouldn’t be surprising when they reach for the quick fix. This is a problem though because it means root causes remain hidden, and repeat occurrences are almost certain.
The 6 M’s of production management provide structure for root cause investigations. By encouraging consideration of six areas where issues can originate, they lead to problem prevention and, by extension, higher quality and efficiency.
Machine condition and maintenance emerge as factors in many root cause analysis efforts. ATS helps manufacturers address short term maintenance needs and implement long term improvement programs that address the root causes of poor quality and low efficiency. Contact us to learn more.
