Can reduction of scrap be considered as a continual improvement project ? If not, why?

I'd say that it is a very good project for continual improvement, profitability improvement, and process improvement.

JMHO but I would think that reduction of scrap would be considered as Corrective Action, since it is an action to eliminate a nonconformity (scrap). Preventive action would be any action taken to "prevent" scrap from occuring BEFORE the process began creating scrap.

I think ultimately it's just more semantics. I have focused on parts that have historically been high scrap via the Corrective Action process. I have also facilitated a plant wide scrap campaign involving equipment & processes and called it a Continuous Improvement Program. If it reduces costs, improves Quality and improves Customer Satisfaction, then I say that is indeed a Continuous Improvement Project-----you call it what ya want----just get it going to capture the savings !!!! :thedeal:

Originally posted by Andrews
Can reduction of scrap be considered as a continual improvement project ? If not, why?

I'll say it would. This is something most of us work with continually (whether we know it or not) anyway, so it's certainly continual and most definitely about improvement. Getting it organized in a project sounds like a good idea too. Go git'em :D

/Claes

Originally posted by ddhartma
JMHO but I would think that reduction of scrap would be considered as Corrective Action, since it is an action to eliminate a nonconformity (scrap). Preventive action would be any action taken to "prevent" scrap from occuring BEFORE the process began creating scrap.

ddhartma,

In my company a NC is when someting does'nt meet a specifcation, order etc. A CAR is raised when we stray from a laid down procedure, have a failing in a system or customer complaint etc. A CI is when we improve on anything. If we make a process better we have achieved a CI. If we train people better we have achieved CI. If we have better meetings, again CI. CI is anything that improves our way of doing business and can have returns in money, time or resources. Our QA system is ongoing CI. JMHO.:)

Greg B

I feel, to be more specific the CI projects are such projects which give valuable directions, targets, responsibilities and give clear cut value addition. However Muda Elimination is also considered as CI project, but how do you eliminate waste so that it does not occure again that should be prime focus.
CI in our factory are e.g.
(i) Improvement of Metal Recovery from X% to Y% in T period of time.
(ii) Achieve Zero PPM rejection in one stream of product.
(iii) Reduce of paint consumption from X% to Y%
(iv) Increment of Motivation level of employee from X Score to Y score.
(v) At least 4 launching of new products.

etc, etc.

We all go into a new process with the knowledge that there is inherant variation. I would think that reducing inherant causes of variation is a continuous improvement process. As always, there will be special causes which would typically handled, when they happen, as a corrective action that would lead to updating control plans and FMEA's.

This may lead to future continuous improvements if they are determined to be inherant and not special to the process.

As a matter of good business, I would put as many situations in the continuous improvement program other than issuing corrective actions.

Report a corrective action and we are acknowledging a failure to an auditor, reporting it as a continuous improvement will reflect a proactive aproach to business.

Al...:bigwave: