Huh. I don’t remember the original source either. I don’t think it was strictly six sigma. I htink Mikel HArry made the limits ‘popular’ or commonly known beyond automotive?
AIAG manuals in the early 90s do mention them and that they are GUIDELINES, not hard and fast rules.
Larry Berrentine probably has the first publicly documented publication in his Concepts for R&R studies published in ‘91.