I.

4 Implementation Issues
Fundamentals of Problem Solving
DOE Implementation Issues
DOE Stages
Helicopter Experiment
Project Reports
Problem Solving/DOE
Levels of Understanding
 Fundamentals of
Problem Solving
The Scientific Method
Science is built of facts the way a
house is built of bricks; but an
accumulation of facts is no more
science than a pile of bricks is a
house.
-Henri Poincare
 Fundamentals of
Problem Solving
The Scientific Method
The Scientific Method
Cycle Between Theories (or Hypotheses)
and Data Collection/Analysis to Repute
or Refute the Theories
The Shewhart/Deming Plan-Do-Study-Act
Cycle Is Based on This
Fundamentals of
Problem Solving
PDSA Cycle--The Shewhart/Deming Cycle
Most Problem Solving Strategies
Are Elaborations on the PDSA
Cycle PLAN

ACT DO

STUDY
 Fundamentals of Problem Solving
The PDSA Cycle

Define Problem And Its Scope

Processes
PLAN
Assess Current Situation

Analyze Causes

DO Experiment With Theories

STUDY Analyze The Results

Verify Conclusions

Adopt or Abandon The Change

Revise The Standard Operating Procedure
ACT
Plan Continuous Improvement
Fundamentals of Problem
Solving
Comments
Getting Rid Of ACV (Assignable Or
Special Cause Variation) Is NOT
Process Improvement!
Conclusions Drawn From Data
Collected When The Process Is Not
Stable Are Suspect!
 DOE Implementation
Issues
DOE Stages
Stages and Substages Are Just An
Elaboration Of The PDSA Cycle and
The Seven Steps
DOE Implementation Issues
DOE Stages

A DOE Project Is Composed

Of A Number Of Stages
The Preliminary Stage
The Basic Understanding Stage
The Refinement Stage
The Verification Stage
Each One Of These Stages And Their
Substages Have Certain Objectives
DOE Implementation Issues
DOE Stages - Objectives

The Overall Objective Of The Project

Oftentimes Broad And Not Specific
E.g, The Overall Objective May Be To
Simply Improve A Process
Stage Objectives Are Specific
DOE Implementation Issues
DOE Stages
The Preliminary Stage
Considerations
Measurement Methods
Factor Selection
Process and Measurement Variation
Some Relevant Objectives For This
Stage
Determining The Quality Of The
Measurement Process
Understanding The Current Situation
DOE Implementation Issues
DOE Stages
To Fix These Ideas Lets Design a Helicopter
Background
Product Development at We R Toys is
developing a cheap "distraction" toy for
use at restaurants to keep young
children entertained while waiting for
service. The toy - a paper helicopter -
needs to be simple in design since the
children will be assembling it using
scissors, tape, paper clips, etc. A study
done using the prototype has discovered
that customer satisfaction is directly
related to the the total flight time of the
DOE Implementation Issues
DOE Stages
To Fix These Ideas Lets Design a Helicopter
Background
Engineering has been assigned the task
to optimize the flight time. Because of
the assembly requirements, the
modifications should not result in a
design that is drastically different in
form for that of the prototype.
DOE Implementation Issues
DOE Stages
Helicopter Experiment - The Basic Design

Cut Cut

Cut Cut Cut

4.75"

11"

Fold Fold

Cut Cut

Cut Fold Fold Cut 4.75"

Cut
1.5" 1.5"

4.25"
DOE Implementation Issues
DOE Stages
Helicopter Experiment - Stage Objectives
Overall Objective: To increase flight time.
Stage One Objectives: Brainstorm to
decide on factors that possibly influence
flight time. Decide which factors are
control factors and which ones are noise
factors.
Stage Two Objectives: Decide on factors
that are to be included in an eight run
screening design and determine their
levels for the design.
DOE Implementation Issues
DOE Stages
Helicopter Experiment - Stage Objectives
Stage Three Objectives: Run the DOE from
Stage Two to screen out active factors from
inactive ones. For the active factors,
decide on possible settings for the next
DOE Decide on what new factors might
be included in the next design.
Stage Four Objectives: Run the DOE for
the factors and their settings decided in
the previous stage.
DOE Implementation Issues
DOE Stages
Helicopter Experiment - Stage Objectives

Stage Five Objective: ???????

Stage ???? (The Validation Stage)
Objective: Your sequence of DOE's have
led you to some "Ideal Factor Setting" that
"Optimize" the performance of the
helicopter with regard to its flight time.
This was done under laboratory conditions.
Will this performance be replicated under
normal operating conditions? This is the
purpose of the validation stage.
Problem Solving/DOE
Levels of Understanding

The Operational Level - Empirical

Model Building
What Factors Affect the Response
How Do They Affect the Response
The Basic Research Level -
Fundamental Theories
Why Do They Affect The Response
Problem Solving/DOE
Levels of Understanding

Two Approaches To Correct Defects -

Theoretical and Empirical
1. Theoretical Approach (Mechanistic
Models and Technical Analysis) -
Theoretical Principles are Used to
Search for Cause-and-Effect
Relationships
2. Statistical Based (Empirical Model
Building) Allows One to Discover
Corrective Measures.
 Problem Solving/DOE
Levels of Understanding
Tale of the TV Tuner
(Karatsu)

Statistical analysis discovered that a

TV tuner should be placed as far as
possible from the speaker to avoid
malfunction. There was no good
theoretical explanation for this.