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Six Sigma

What is Six Sigma?

The Six Sigma methodology, developed in 1986 by Motorola, is a company-wide technique to achieve breakthroughs in productivity gains, PPM reduction, and in-cycle time reduction. Motorola's creation of the original formula led them to unprecedented growth, profitability, and recognition with the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in 1999.

Six Sigma provides businesses with the tools to improve the sigma capability of their processes - leading to defect reduction and vast improvement in profits. Companies with an effective infrastructure that remains consistent with the classic Six Sigma system realize dramatic income improvements - often shortly after implementation.

Benefits of Six Sigma

By implementing Six Sigma wisely on carefully selected projects, companies will benefit from:

• Improved customer satisfaction
• Reduced cycle times
• Increased productivity
• Improved process flow, capacity and output
• Reduction in total defects
• Increased product reliability
• Decreased work-in-process (WIP)

Six Sigma deployment is a company-wide strategy and technique to achieve breakthroughs in productivity gains, PPM reduction, and in cycle time reduction. Though the training is an important facet of the deployment strategy, Omnex believes the key to successful implementation is the creation of a sustainable Six Sigma infrastructure.

Six Sigma is a statistical term that measures how much a process varies from perfection, based on the number of defects per million units.

1. One Sigma = 690,000 per million units
2. Two Sigma = 308,000 per million units
3. Three Sigma = 66,800 per million units
4. Four Sigma = 6,210 per million units
5. Five Sigma = 230 per million units
6. Six Sigma = 3.4 per million units

Six Sigma, however, is in no way just statistical training. It's hands-on training to complete a project that provides for savings greater than $125,000 for each project. To graduate, Six Sigma Black Belt Trainees must effectively apply each of the techniques taught -in the real world - in their own project.

Six Sigma Black Belts

There are three belts in Six Sigma, as follows:

Six Sigma Green Belt

An employee of an organization that will lead a process improvement or quality improvement team. Green Belts are champions and supporters of Six Sigma.

Six Sigma Black Belt

A managerial level or technical specialist assigned full responsibility to implement Six Sigma throughout the business unit.

Black Belts are on-site Six Sigma implementation experts with the ability to:

• Develop, coach, and lead cross-functional process improvement teams.
• Mentor and advise management on prioritizing, planning and launching Six Sigma projects.
• Use, teach, and disseminate Six Sigma tools and methods to Green Belts and team members.

Black Belts have an in-depth understanding of Six Sigma philosophy, theory, strategy, tactics, and quality management tools.

Six Sigma Master Black Belt

Master Black Belts are company-wide Six Sigma or quality experts. The Master Black Belt is qualified to teach other Six Sigma facilitators the methodologies, tools, and applications in all functions and levels of the company. In addition, the Master Black Belt is able to provide leadership integrating the Six Sigma approach into the business strategy of the company, and contributing to creating and carrying out the organization's strategic business and operational plans. A Master Black Belt has personally led several successful project teams.
Master Black Belts are qualified to teach the Green Belt and Black Belt curriculum.