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Six Sigma Case Study: Everything You Need to Know

Explore the field of Six Sigma Case Studies in our comprehensive blog. From defining the methodology to real-world applications, our 'Six Sigma Case Study: Everything You Need to Know' blog sheds light on this powerful problem-solving tool. Uncover success stories and learn how Six Sigma can drive efficiency and quality improvements in various industries.

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By analysing such case studies, one can gain insights into the successful application of Six Sigma in various industries and understand its impact on process improvement. Read this blog on Six Sigma Case Study to learn how real-world businesses have achieved remarkable process improvement and cost savings. 

Table of Contents  

1) Understanding Six Sigma Methodology 

2) Six Sigma Case Study 

a) Improving customer service 

b) Improving delivery efficiency 

3) Conclusion 

Understanding Six Sigma Methodology

By applying statistical analysis and data-driven decision-making, Six Sigma helps organisations identify the root cause of problems and implement effective solutions. It emphasises the importance of process standardisation, continuous improvement, and customer satisfaction. With its focus on rigorous measurement and analysis, Six Sigma enables organisations to drive efficiency, reduce waste, and deliver exceptional products and services. The methodology follows a step-by-step process called Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve, and Control (DMAIC). These five phases are briefly explained below: 

a) Define: The project goals and customer requirements are clearly defined in this phase.  

b) Measure: In this phase, data is collected to understand the process's current state and identify improvement areas.  

c) Analyse: This phase focuses on analysing data to determine the root cause of defects or variations.  

d) Improve: This phase involves implementing solutions and making necessary changes to eliminate the identified issues.  

Six Sigma Case Study  

In this section we discuss two Six Sigma Case Study that will help you understand and use it better.  

Case Study 1: Improving customer service  

This Six Sigma Case Study will focus on a telecommunications company facing significant customer service challenges. The issues included long wait times, frequent call transfers, unresolved issues, and many more. The company decided to apply Six Sigma methodologies to enhance customer satisfaction.  

a) Define phase: Using the DMAIC approach, the team began by defining the problem: long wait times and inefficient call handling. They set a goal to reduce average wait time and increase first-call resolution rates.  

b) Measure phase: In this phase, data was collected to analyse call volume, wait times, and reasons for call transfers. This helped identify bottlenecks and areas for improvement.  

c) Analyse phase: During this phase, the team discovered that inadequate training and complex call routing were key contributors to the problems. They also found that certain product issues required better resolution protocols.  

d) Improve phase: In this phase, targeted solutions were introduced and implemented to address these issues. The team revamped the training program, ensuring agents were well-trained and equipped to handle customer inquiries. They simplified call routing and introduced automated prompts for quicker issue resolution.  

e) Control phase: Finally, monitoring systems were established in the control phase to track key metrics and ensure sustained improvements. Regular feedback loops were implemented to identify emerging challenges and make necessary adjustments.  

The results were exceptional. Average wait times were reduced by 40%, and first-call resolution rates increased by 25%. Customer satisfaction scores improved significantly, leading to increased loyalty and positive word-of-mouth.  

This Six Sigma Case Study highlights how Six Sigma methodologies can drive transformative improvements in customer service. By focusing on data analysis, process optimisation, and continuous monitoring, organisations can achieve outstanding outcomes and deliver exceptional customer experiences. 

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Case Study 2: Improving delivery efficiency

a) Define phase: The business used the Voice of the Customer (VoC) tool to understand customer needs and expectations. They identified prompt delivery, correct product selection, and a knowledgeable distribution team as crucial customer requirements. 

b) Measure phase: The team collected data to evaluate the problem of slow delivery. They discovered that their Order Fulfillment Cycle Time (OFCT) was 46% longer than competitors, leading to customer dissatisfaction.  

c) Analyse phase: The team brainstormed potential causes of slow delivery, including accuracy of sales plans, buffer stock issues, vendor delivery performance, and manufacturing schedule delays. They conducted a regression analysis, revealing that inadequate buffer stock for high-demand products was the main issue affecting delivery efficiency.  

d) Improve phase: The distributor implemented a monthly demand review to ensure that in-demand products are readily available. They emphasised ordering and providing customers with the specific products they desired.  

e) Control phase: The team developed plans to monitor sales of the top 20% of bestselling products, avoiding over or under-supply situations. They conducted annual reviews to identify any changes in demand and proactively adjust product offerings.  

By applying Six Sigma Principles , the plumbing product distributor significantly improved its delivery efficiency, addressing the root cause of customer dissatisfaction. Prompt action, data-driven decision-making, and ongoing monitoring allowed them to meet customer expectations, enhance its reputation, and maintain a competitive edge in the industry. This case demonstrates the power of Lean Six Sigma in driving operational excellence and customer-centric improvements. 

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Conclusion  

We hope this blog gives you enough insights into the Six Sigma Case Study. This blog showcased the effectiveness of its methodology in driving transformative improvements. By applying DMAIC and using customer insights and data analysis, organisations have successfully resolved delivery inefficiencies, improving customer satisfaction and operational performance. The blog highlights how Six Sigma can be a powerful framework for organisations seeking excellence and exceptional value. 

Learn the six-sigma methodology to achieve business objectives with our Six Sigma Certification Training today!  

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Top Six Sigma Case Study 2024

Home Blog Quality Top Six Sigma Case Study 2024

Six Sigma is an array of methods and resources for enhancing corporate operations. When Bill Smith was an engineer at Motorola, he introduced it in 1986 to find and eliminate mistakes and defects, reduce variance, and improve quality and efficiency. Six Sigma was first used in manufacturing as a quality control tool. When long-term defect levels are less than 3.4 defects per million opportunities ( DPMO ), Six Sigma quality is reached.

Six Sigma case study   offers a glimpse into how various companies have harnessed the five distinct phases: defining, measuring, analyzing, improving, and controlling, principles of Six Sigma to overcome challenges, streamline processes, and improve across diverse industries.

What Are Six Sigma Case Studies, and Why Are They Important?

Six Sigma case studies examples   show how Six Sigma techniques have been used in businesses to solve issues or enhance operations. For practitioners and companies pondering enforcing Six Sigma concepts, these case studies are an invaluable resource to learn the advantages and efficacy of Six Sigma adoption.

Here are the reasons why six sigma case study is important:

Success Illustration: Case studies demonstrate how Six Sigma projects generate tangible advantages like better productivity, fewer defects, and more customer satisfaction while providing unambiguous evidence of their efficacy.

Learning Opportunities:  They deliver vital insights to use Six Sigma tools and processes realistically and allow others to learn from successful approaches and avoid common errors.

ROI Demonstration:  Case studies provide quantitative data to show the return on investment from Six Sigma projects, which helps justify resources and get support for future initiatives.

Promoting Adoption:  They cultivate a continuous improvement culture and show how Six Sigma concepts can be used in different situations and sectors, which encourages other businesses to embrace the methodology.

Become a Six Sigma Certified Professional and lead process improvement teams to success. Learn how to streamline processes and drive organizational growth in any industry. Join our Lean 6 Sigma training courses and transform your career trajectory with valuable skills and industry recognition.

Six Sigma Case Studies

Let us discuss some real-world case study on six sigma   examples of successful Six Sigma undertakings through case studies:

1. Six Sigma Success: Catalent Pharma Solutions

Do you know how Six Sigma techniques turned things around for Catalent Pharma Solutions?

Six Sigma methodologies, initially presented by Motorola in 1986 and prominently used by General Electric during CEO Jack Welch's leadership, are essential for enhancing customer contentment via defect minimization. Catalent Pharma Solutions, a top pharmaceutical development business, employed Six Sigma to address high mistake rates in its Zydis product line. By applying statistical analysis and automation, training employees to various belt levels, and implementing Six Sigma procedures, Catalent was able to maintain product batches and boost production. This case study illustrates how Six Sigma approaches are beneficial for businesses across all industries as they can improve processes, prevent losses, and aid in cost reduction.

2. TDLR's Record Management: A Six Sigma Success Story

The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) faced escalating costs due to the storage of records, prompting a Six Sigma initiative led by Alaric Robertson. By implementing Six Sigma methodologies, process mapping, and systematic review, TDLR successfully reduced storage costs and streamlined record management processes. With a team effort and strategic changes, TDLR has achieved significant cost savings and improved efficiency. The project also led to the establishment of a robust records management department within TDLR.

3. Six Sigma Environmental Success: Baxter Manufacturing

Baxter Manufacturing utilized Six Sigma principles to enhance its environmental performance and aim for greater efficiency. Through the implementation of Lean manufacturing and accurate data collection, Baxter reduced waste generation while doubling revenue and maintaining waste levels. With a cross-functional team trained in Six Sigma, the company achieved significant water and cost savings without major investments in technology. It led to promotions for team leaders and showcased the effectiveness of Six Sigma in improving environmental sustainability.

4. Aerospace Manufacturer Boosts Efficiency With Six Sigma

Have you heard about how Six Sigma principles transformed an aerospace parts manufacturer? Here is the 6 Sigma case study   for aerospace parts manufacturer

A small aerospace parts manufacturer used Six Sigma to cut machining cycle time, reducing costs. Key engineers obtained Six Sigma certification and led the project, involving management and operators. Using DMAIC, they analyzed data, identified root causes, and implemented lean solutions. The process yielded a 46% reduction in cycle time and an 80% decrease in variation, enhanced productivity and profitability. The case highlights how Six Sigma principles can benefit businesses of all sizes and emphasizes the importance of training for successful implementation.

Enroll in the  Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification online training to advance your career! Gain expertise in process improvement and organizational transformation with expert-led training and real-world case studies. Start now to become a certified professional in quality management.

5. Ford Motors: Driving Success

This is a   case study on Six Sigma  i ncorporated by Ford Motors to streamline processes, improve quality, significantly reduce costs, and reduce environmental impact. Initially met with skepticism, Ford's implementation overcame challenges, achieving remarkable results: $2.19 billion in waste reduction, $1 billion in savings, and a five-point increase in customer satisfaction. Ford's Consumer-driven Six Sigma initiative set a benchmark in the automotive industry and proved the efficacy of data-driven problem-solving. Despite obstacles, Ford's Six Sigma exemplifies transformative success in process improvement and customer satisfaction enhancement.

6. 3M's Pollution Prevention Six Sigma Success

Have you checked out how 3M tackled pollution with Six Sigma? It's pretty remarkable. 3M leveraged Six Sigma to pioneer pollution prevention, saving $1 billion and averting 2.6 million pounds of pollutants over 31 years. With 55,000 employees trained and 45,000 Lean Six Sigma projects completed, they focused on waste reduction and energy efficiency. Results included a 61% decrease in volatile air emissions and a 64% reduction in EPA Toxic Release Inventory. Surpassing goals, they doubled Pollution Prevention Pays projects and showcased Six Sigma's prowess in cost-saving measures.

7. Microsoft Sigma Story Lean Six Sigma

By using Lean Six Sigma case studies, Microsoft increased customer interactions and profitability through waste removal and process optimization. They concentrated on improving the quality of the current process and reducing problems by utilizing the DMAIC technique. Eight areas were the focus of waste elimination: motion, inventory, non-value-added procedures, waiting periods, overproduction, defects, and underutilized staff talent. Microsoft streamlined processes and encouraged innovation, which allowed them to maintain productivity and client satisfaction even as technology changed.

8. Xerox's Lean Six Sigma Success Story Six Sigma

It is another important case study of the Six Sigma project. When Xerox implemented Lean Six Sigma in 2003, the organization underwent a significant transformation. They reduced variance and eliminated waste as they painstakingly optimized internal operations. It improved their operational effectiveness and raised the caliber of their goods and services. Through extensive training programs for staff members, Xerox enabled its employees to spearhead projects aimed at improving different departments and functions. The organization saw significant improvements in customer satisfaction and service performance.

9. A Green Belt Project Six Sigma Case Study

It is one of the best examples of a Six Sigma case study. Anne Cesarone's Green Belt project successfully reduced router configuration time by 16 minutes, a remarkable 55% improvement. Anne maintained router inventory, made improvements to documentation and configuration files, and started router requests sooner by resolving last-minute requests and setup mistakes. The initiative resulted in less router programming time from 29 to 13 minutes, an increase in router order lead time of 11 days, and a 60% drop in incorrect configurations. These raised customer happiness and increased operational effectiveness while proving the benefits of process improvement initiatives.

10. Improving Street Maintenance Payments with Lean Six Sigma

Jessica Shirley-Saenz, a Black Belt at the City of San Antonio, used Lean Six Sigma to address delays in street maintenance payments Lean Six Sigma case study examples. Contractors were experiencing extended payment times, risking project delays and city infrastructure integrity. Root causes included payment rejections and delayed invoicing. By implementing quantity tolerance thresholds, centralizing documentation processes, and updating payment workflows, monthly payment requests increased from 97 to 116. Rejected payments decreased from 17 to 12, reducing the rejection percentage from 58% to 42%, saving $6.6 million.

 Six Sigma's effectiveness spans industries, from healthcare to technology. Case studies demonstrate its ability to optimize processes and improve outcomes. From healthcare facilities streamlining patient care to tech companies enhancing software development, Six Sigma offers adaptable solutions for diverse challenges. These real-world examples illustrate how its methodologies drive efficiency, quality, and customer satisfaction. Professionals can learn valuable lessons from using Six Sigma in healthcare studies, identify strategies to overcome obstacles and facilitate continuous improvement. Organizations can emulate best practices and implement similar initiatives to achieve measurable results by studying successful implementations.

Ready to enhance your skills and advance your career with Six Sigma certification? Join our comprehensive KnowledgeHut's best lean Six Sigma courses to master Six Sigma principles and methodologies. Become a sought-after professional in IT, Manufacturing, Healthcare, Finance, and more industries. Enroll now to accelerate your career growth!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Six Sigma case studies are available in various formats and places, such as books, academic journals, professional publications, and Internet sites. Many companies that have effectively adopted Six Sigma publish their case studies on their websites or at industry exhibitions and conferences.

Six Sigma case studies provide insightful information on how businesses have addressed certain issues, enhanced procedures, and produced noticeable outcomes. Professionals gain knowledge about best practices, prevalent errors to avoid, and creative problem-solving methods in several industries and circumstances.

Professionals can share their Six Sigma case studies through industry forums, professional networking platforms, blogs, and social media. They can submit their case studies to publications or at conferences and workshops to reach a wider audience within the Six Sigma community.

Shivender Sharma

Shivendra Sharma, an accomplished author of the international bestseller 'Being Yogi,' is a multifaceted professional. With an MBA in HR and a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt, he boasts 15 years of experience in business and digital transformation, strategy consulting, and process improvement. As a member of the Technical Committee of the International Association of Six Sigma Certification (IASSC), he has led multi-million dollar savings through organization-wide transformation projects. Shivendra's expertise lies in deploying Lean and Six Sigma tools across global stakeholders in EMEA, North America, and APAC, achieving remarkable business results. 

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Lean Six Sigma Project Examples | 17 Full Case Studies

Ready to begin your first Lean Six Sigma project? Looking for examples for inspiration or reference to get you started? Here are some project storyboards from different industries and from home. Remember, Lean Six Sigma can help you with more than just work!

• Reducing Underwriting Resubmits by Over 20%  

Governments

• A Call to Change: Pioneering Lean Six Sigma at Los Angeles County  
• Can Lean Six Sigma Be Applied in County Government?  
• How the City of San Antonio Increased Payments for Street Maintenance Using Lean Six Sigma  
• Reducing Bid Tab Creation Cycle Time by 22%  
• Reducing Cycle Time for Natural Disaster Response by 50%  

Manufacturing

• Increasing First Run Parts From 60% to 90% With Lean Six Sigma  
• Reducing Bent/Scratched/Damaged (BSD) Scrap for Building Envelopes  
• Reducing Lead Time in Customer Replacement Part Orders by 41%  
• Reducing Learning Curve Ramp for Temp Employees by 2 Weeks  
• Reducing Purchase Order Lead Time by 33% Using Lean Six Sigma  
• Herding Cats Using Lean Six Sigma: How to Plan for and Manage the Chaos of Parallel Processes  
• Lean Six Sigma Increases Daily Meat Production by 25%  
• Lean Six Sigma Helps Feed People In Need 45% Faster  
• Accelerating Lean Productivity With Immersive Collaboration  
• Reducing Incorrect Router Installations by 60% for Call One  
• Reducing Software Bug Fix Lead Time From 25 to 15 Days  

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Category: Case Studies

Case Study: Using Six Sigma in a Non-Six Sigma Culture

Anyone who has worked in manufacturing has probably experienced some level of finger-pointing when shipments fall short of expectations. Though there could be multiple reasons for a missed customer delivery, somehow it is always the other department’s fault. In extreme circumstances, several months of missing targets without effectively defining the root causes and addressing them […]

U.S.A.F. Uses Continuous Process Improvement on the B-2 Bomber: Part 2

In this case study, the 509th Maintenance Group of the U.S. Air Force used an eight-step continuous improvement approach to balance its resources and meet both flying hour program requirements and aircraft availability. Part 1 focused on steps 1 through 4. Part 2 looks at continuing to make improvements with steps 5 through 8. Step […]

U.S.A.F. Uses Continuous Process Improvement on the B-2 Bomber: Part 1

In this case study, the 509th Maintenance Group of the U.S. Air Force used an eight-step continuous process improvement approach to balance its resources and meet both flying hour program requirements and aircraft availability needs. This week looks at steps 1 through 4. Part 2 looks at steps 5 through 8. Introduction The B-2 bomber […]

Project Examples from an LSS Deployment for Cultural Transformation

My company benchmarked against other manufacturing businesses before starting its cultural transformation change. They formed a team and visited companies including Toyota, GM, Milliken, Caterpillar, John Deere, Chrysler, Du Pont and Johnson Controls. After talking to each company about their cultures and continuous improvement processes, my company started to put together a roadmap for transformation. […]

Case Study: Increase Revenue by Decreasing Prices

A division of a diversified organization develops and manufactures samples of new drugs for clinical trials. This work entails different typical manufacturing problems for the following reasons: Quantity requirements can vary from a few grams to several tons from order to order. The effort of research and development (R&D) is central; new processes have to […]

The Cost of Customer Misalignment (& How to Fix It)

This consumer products company has a large portfolio of products. Working with key customers, the company develops and promotes brand marketing programs to help the customer improve their sales which increases the company’s revenue as well. The CEO of the company realized the percentage of successful promotions was less than he expected. At the same […]

Data Transformations Helped One Company Better Analyze Their Process Data

Normality of the data is an underlying assumption for the use of many statistical tools. When normality doesn’t exist, transforming the data may be necessary. Let’s see how one company did that.

How Design of Experiments (DOE) Helped a Pharma Company Extend Product Shelf Life

Through the use of Design of Experiments (DOE), a pharmaceutical company was able to extend the shelf life for one of its life saving liquid oncology medicines. Let’s see how this saved the company money, lowered the price of the drug and helped save lives. 

Chi-Square Analysis Helped This Company Increase Sales by 8.9%

Chi-square analysis is a powerful tool for examining the relationship between variables formatted in a table. One consumer products company used it to look at its consumers in a different way, resulting in a significant increase in sales and profitability of its product portfolio.  Traditionally, an organization’s sales and marketing department makes advertising decisions based […]

Using Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) Reduced Adverse Medical Events at This Hospital

After experiencing multiple adverse medical events, one large hospital system moved from the sole use of a reactive root cause analysis approach to include a proactive Failure Modes and Effects Analysis strategy, which significantly reduced adverse medical events.  As was the strategy at the time, a large tax supported public health system relied on root […]

Conjoint Analysis Helped This Company Develop a Blockbuster New Packaging Design and Sell More Product

Stop guessing what your customers value in your product or service. Use conjoint analysis to determine what features are most important to them and have the data to support your decisions. Conjoint analysis is often described as a design of experiments (DOE) for marketing. It is a structured way to help you identify and evaluate […]

Basic Six Sigma Tools Helped This Company Reduce Waste and Product Rejections

How hard can it be to make orange juice? As one large global company found out, no single Six Sigma tool will solve all the problems in an organization. However, the integration of a number of tools such as correlation, Measurement System Analysis (MSA), control charts, and process capability will help solve many of them.  […]

Using Binary Logistic Regression Helped a Global Financial Company Win More Business 

Let’s look at the financial division of a global conglomerate. One of its businesses was providing loans to corporate clients. Although a dominant player in the market, the company still had to compete with other organizations to provide financing and lending to myriad businesses. By using binary logistic regression to help refine its lending offers, […]

Control Charts and Employee Engagement Helped This Company Save Over $150,000 in One Year 

Providing the proper organizational environment for engaging people in your continuous improvement effort will provide large benefits for your organization. In this study, we look at how the combination of using control charts and providing an environment for people engagement helped one company achieve significant financial benefits. Control charts are a powerful tool for understanding […]

Verifying Their Data With Measurement System Analysis (MSA) Saved This Company $1M

Most businesses today brag about how they make data driven decisions on important company issues. But, what if the data is not accurate or reflective of what is really going on in the company? You might be making the wrong business decisions and inadvertently costing your company lots of money. Let’s see how one company […]

How Root Cause Analysis (and Employee Engagement) Can Save Lives and Prevent Injuries

A company producing commercial ink products noticed that injury rates during one step in their manufacturing process were rising after the introduction of a new product. A Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt (MBB) consultant was hired to help the company try to resolve this serious problem. Was there a simple solution, or would it […]

Using SIPOC-(R) to Assess Team Culture Leads to Meaningful Dialogue About Communication

Culture is the “white whale” of leadership: in Moby Dick, Captain Ahab was obsessed with capturing the white whale, and modern leaders have a similar obsession with developing organizational culture.  Lean Six Sigma organizations task themselves with fostering a culture of continuous improvement (or kaizen) that draws from customer requirements, objective data and metrics, and […]

Case Study: Using RACI and Swimlane in the Pandemic

The problem: Healthcare providers needed to safely care for patients over the course of the pandemic. But how could they keep everyone safe without adequate supply of N95 masks?

Improved Rescue Time from a Bolling Mill Machine

While a Bolling mill machine creates uniform sheets of rubber with ease, it also poses a danger to an operator’s hands. Reducing rescue time and improving safety measures made for a successful Yellow Belt project in one lab.

Quick Wins Can Successfully Launch Operational Excellence in Healthcare

If the Mayo Clinic can do it, so can you! Let this case study at the medical organization’s Phoenix Transplant Center be your guide to operational excellence in healthcare settings.

Case Study: Streamlining a Hiring Process

How do you elevate a recruiting free-for-all into a standardized, efficient and well-respected process that gets new hires in the door faster? Hello, Lean Six Sigma!

Case Study: Edward Jones Adds Robotic Process Automation with Lean Six Sigma

In only three years, Edward Jones has realized more than a million dollars in cost avoidance through the use of bots combined with LSS.

Case Study: DMAIC Project Improves Hospital’s On-time Completion of Administrative Tasks

Healthcare is a heavily regulated industry and requires substantial amounts of paperwork. Paperwork may not be as pressing as patient care, but it must be done in a timely fashion. A Lean Six Sigma project reduced the task delinquency rate in its residency program.

Case Study: Reducing Purchase Order Cycle Time, Part 2

A Green Belt project aimed at reducing the cycle time for purchase orders finds the bottleneck and dramatically improves the process, exceeding the project’s original goals, and even realizes bonus benefits.

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Lean Six Sigma Case Studies

Welcome to the Lean Six Sigma Academy’s Case Studies section! Here, you will find a collection of real-world examples of how companies have successfully implemented the Lean Six Sigma methodology to improve their business operations. Each case study includes an overview of the business challenge that was faced, the approach that was taken, the results that were achieved and feedback from the client on their experience. These case studies showcase the wide range of industries and organizations that have benefited from Lean Six Sigma, and serve as inspiration and guidance for those looking to implement the methodology in their own business. 

OE Partners

Orrcon Steel

The toyota production system.

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Real-Life Examples of Six Sigma Implementation – Six Sigma Examples/ Use Cases

Six Sigma is a creative and flexible  series of methodologies aimed at improving organizational process quality and effectiveness. This blog on Six Sigma examples will explain a few use cases of Six Sigma methodology. Business today requires companies to be operational at maximum efficiency and effectiveness. The competitive markets mean everyone is looking to distinguish themselves and offer better products and services. A sustainable way to introduce better business practices is by changing your approach fundamentally. 

Companies are built to achieve corporate goals. The methods to achieve them are plenty and streamlined by management for incorporation. The concepts of optimization, minimizing waste, and maximizing productivity are strongly incorporated into the foundation of Lean and Six Sigma principles. 

These business models are conceptual and can be adapted to any industry or business environment. All you need is a guided professional and a willingness to convert your better business practices into the best possible. In this article, let us explore some Six Sigma examples and success stories.

What is Six Sigma?

The definition of Six Sigma has been under much debate. It can be broadly classified into four concepts:

A Philosophy  – Six Sigma is a school of thought that views workflows and activities as processes that can be expounded, quantified, analyzed, bettered, and monitored. It states an input is required to produce an output. Therefore, exercising control over the input gives you a firm hand in managing output. It is sometimes expressed in the equation  y=f(x)  where  x  stands for the input and  y  for the output. 

A Set of Tools –  Six Sigma comprises controls such as qualitative techniques and quantitative tools used to improve business capabilities internally. Six Sigma tools include SPC (statistical process control), FMEA (failure mode and effects analysis), and control charts. Professionals who deal with Six Sigma explain that tools are continually evolving and are not set in stone. 

A Methodology –  Six Sigma is considered to be a derivative of the DMAIC approach . DMAIC is a data-centric improvement method that operates cyclically. It revolves around Defining, Measuring, Analyzing, Improving, and Controlling. This principle drives Six Sigma users to begin by understanding the existing problem and implementing long term solutions. 

A Metric –  When assessing Six Sigma as a metric, it is defined as 3.4 defects per million opportunities.

Six Sigma, in its simplest form, reduces the possibility of variation in production. The objective is to have a firm grasp on the production process. Lean Six Sigma is a term often associated with Six Sigma. Lean methods are used to minimize wastage during production; this includes time and resources spent on processes that do not directly contribute to better output from activities. Lean Six Sigma is a philosophy that brings together waste minimization and production optimization. It improves customer satisfaction by removing unnecessary processes and waste, creating better workflows, faster output, and possibly a competitive advantage. To attest to the importance of Six Sigma, in the next section of this article, let us explore some Six Sigma examples.

Implementing Six Sigma 

Six Sigma can be implemented in a number of strategies, however there are two baseline options provided to all organizations looking to make the transition;

Introducing Six Sigma Training

Organizations can introduce a fundamental revamp across the organization through a Six Sigma program. Expose employees to better practices and conditioning by introducing the fundamentals and allowing a professional to understand what Six Sigma is and what it helps with. It is important to note that it is mostly an information transfer that happens during Six Sigma training . It is up to the business to adopt the methods to the organization and its practices. 

Introducing Six Sigma Infrastructure 

Creating a Six Sigma infrastructure can be quickly moved along by introducing certified professionals into your organization. Often called “Black Belts”, they move into your business for a period of four weeks to four months and begin teaching your business how to adapt the strategies to your activities. Creating the infrastructure creates a firm guideline to make changes to operations and corporate culture. 

Now let us look into some interesting Six Sigma examples and success stories.

Six Sigma Examples

There are several organizations across various industries that have adopted Six Sigma practices to great success . High profile clients include;

General Electric

The American multinational was struggling to improve overall product quality and service even with the best professionals onboarded. After running a six sigma method trial, the company was able to introduce better-streamlining measures into product assurance. As a result, revenue increased. 

This Indian based technology behemoth was the industry frontrunner for consumer goods. However, their customer service was less than satisfactory. Enter Six Sigma. Over time the methods were used to neutralize threats and create a better experience for clients. 

We all know and love the technology giant that gave us Windows and Office. A contributing factor to the success behind their service and products is Six Sigma. The industry leader has made it no secret that Six Sigma methods have enabled better back-end processes and, as a result, better user experience. It acts as a case in point for companies looking to transition into Six Sigma practices. 

The telecommunications company was one of the first to implement six sigma methods. As a trial, the company implemented Six Sigma to assess the impact on improving product quality and streamlining the transition between services to revenue. The positive results created better company-wide performance and permanent incorporation. 

Boeing   Airlines

One of the world’s largest aerospace companies was having issues with air fans within the engines. Unable to pinpoint the exact problem, a group of experts were called in to investigate. They deduced the problem stemmed from FOD (foreign object damage). Upon more in-depth inspection using Six Sigma methods , they could trace the problem to a more fundamental manufacturing issue causing electrical issues along with the FOD. 

Practically, the application for six sigma methods can be seen across any organization attempting to create better output. Introducing better control measures for various parts of the production process helps produce desirable results. 

Final Thoughts

The beauty of Six Sigma methods lies in their ability to adapt to different environments. The increased efficiency and effectiveness are tangible in the success stories of industry giants implementing Six Sigma to success. Add to the real-life Six Sigma examples of by introducing skilled professionals or the Six Sigma infrastructure to your organization. 

The enterprises usually divide their workforce depending on the hierarchy to get their employees trained in different  Lean Six Sigma training programs  in Yellow Belt, Green Belt, Black Belt, Master Black Belt, and Six Sigma Champion. To get a better understanding of which Lean Six Sigma course benefits the most for you or the team, check out some of the popular courses below to get a comprehensive understanding of the same: 

Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt Certification Training

Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certification Training

Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Certification Training

Lean Fundamentals Certification Training

Lean IT Certification Training

7QC Tools Certification Training

Value Stream Mapping Certification Training

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Lean Six Sigma PM Briefcase

Lean Six Sigma Case Studies for PMOs, Program Managers, and LSS Practitioners

The studies in this section demonstrate the application of several important Lean Six Sigma principles, techniques, and methods to solve problems in real business situations.

The lean six sigma case studies focus on product engineering , manufacturing operations , and cross-functional programs .

Product Upgrade Pre-launch Out-of-Box Failure (OOBF)

Explore the use of these techniques:     Why 5 Times     Failure Modes, Effects, and Criticality Analysis (FMECA)     Process Flow and Value Stream Mapping

Engineering Case Study

Engineering projects encompass:.

    New product development     On-market product enhancements     Design correction for field experience problems

Production Six Sigma Quality Improvement Project

Explore the use of these techniques:     Problem Definition Statement     Fishbone Root Cause Analysis     Turning Data into Actionable Information     Corrective Action / Preventive Action (CA/PA)     Statistical Process Control (SPC)

Production Operations Case Study

Production operations projects encompass:.

    Expansion, quality improvement, cost reduction     Automating labor-intensive processes     Optimizing internal and outsourced production

Rapid Response Problem-solving on a Customer's Field Return

Explore the use of these techniques:     8D Problem-solving Framework     Fishbone Root Cause Analysis     Implement Corrective Action / Preventive Action (CA/PA)

Cross-Functional Program Case Study

Cross-functional program projects encompass:.

    Product service actions and recalls     Root cause analysis and CA/PA     Market and customer responsiveness     General management problem-solving   

Case Study: Six Sigma for Small Business

Six Sigma has proven to work for huge companies like Motorola and GE, which accumulate a lot of waste and redundancy because of their sheer size. But what about smaller organizations? What about local businesses?

What about your company?

Is Six Sigma worthwhile for smaller institutions who don’t have hundred-man teams, or thousand-step processes?

Well, in October 2017, three people asked that same question. They conducted a study, and they published their findings in the Advances of Mechanic Engineering section of  SAGE Journals .

Two of the authors – Murilo Riyuzo Vendrame Takao and Iris Bento da Silva – work in mechanical engineering at the University of São Paulo, in São Carlos Brazil. The other author, Jason Woldt, teaches management classes at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. They put their heads together to create a comprehensive study on the effects of Six Sigma, as it applied to one specific small-to-medium-sized enterprise…

A plumbing product distribution business.

Spoilers: Six Sigma works.

It has worked for huge businesses like General Electric, and it still works for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) like your neighborhood lemonade stand.

“This article uses a case study highlighting the implementation of Six Sigma methodology in a North American manufacturer of plumbing products (SME). Each step of the process is properly described, and the results are also presented,” the authors said.

“We conclude that it is possible to identify the improvements and benefits achieved by the implementation of the Six Sigma quality program in an SME environment.”

How did they reach this conclusion? What did they find?

The Six Sigma Difference

They discovered that Six Sigma is different from other quality management programs because of the structured application of its tools and procedures (and, specifically, how those tools integrate with the goals of an organization).

These tools are used to facilitate each step of DMAIC – a project development framework, and a tent-pole of Six Sigma. It stands for…

Define: Figure out the scope and importance of your project, identify the needs of your consumers, and then assemble the team responsible for the project’s execution.

Measure: Pinpoint the problem you’re trying to solve, gather all the data you need, determine priority problems, and establish goals.

Analyze: Discover the cause of the priority problems and figure out where the problems start.

Improve: Propose, evaluate, and implement solutions to priority problems.

Control: Maintain the scope of the long-term goal, monitor performance, and take corrective action to keep on track.

Video: What is Six Sigma?

Levels of Six Sigma

DMAIC works across all levels and scopes of Six Sigma projects and practitioners. And for your reference, Six Sigma features a hierarchy of six components:

White and Yellow Belts: those practitioners who are trained in the basic tools of Six Sigma.

Green Belts: those practitioners dedicated to improvements within a project.

Black Belts: those practitioners who lead projects and train staff.

Master Black Belts: those practitioners who connect the general management of Six Sigma projects to the people responsible for the improvement projects.

Champions: members of the executive committee.

Sponsors: those who promote and define the guidelines for Six Sigma implementation.

The Case Study

There are dozens of tools that can be used during DMAIC, and the research dives into their case study to show a few tools in action.

The case study covers a period of about 18 months, following (as previously mentioned) a plumbing product distributor. The company wasn’t being well-received by its customers, and it endeavored to find out why.

Enter the Define phase. One of the tools they used was called voice of the customer (VoC), which defines the needs and requirements of your customer base. It’s a very important tool for a company that’s not getting a lot of positive reviews. For the case study, VoC showed that customers expected prompt delivery, correct product selection, and a knowledgeable distribution team.

So, with their problem discovered, they ventured into the Analyze phase, where they worked to answer one question – why was their delivery so slow, compared to their competitors? They brainstormed causes, and came up with four potential causes: (1) the accuracy of the sales plans, (2) safety stock issues, (3) vendor delivery performance, and (4) falling behind the manufacturing schedule. They conducted regression analysis on all potential causes, to see which one would cause the most trouble. And they found it. After creating a Pareto diagram , they realized that 74% of their sales came from only 21% of their products – and there wasn’t enough safety stock to get those in-demand products to all the customers who wanted them.

That led to the Improve phase, where they aimed to solve the problem. They started by implementing a monthly demand review, to make sure the in-demand products stayed in-demand, and it wasn’t a one-time fluke. The second measure was to actually order and provide the customers with the products they wanted.

The Control phase was simple. They wanted to make sure their solutions worked for as long as possible, so they created plans to monitor sales on their bestselling 21% of products (to make sure they weren’t exceeding or under-supplying demand). And every year, they’d review how well those products sold; if a product started following out of high demand, they could replace it with a product that was coming into high demand.

The Results

After 18 months with the plumbing product distributor, the researchers came to a confident conclusion.

“This case study illustrates that quality management and its tools should be increasingly adopted regardless of whether they are SMEs or large companies. Thus, in order to achieve competitiveness, the Six Sigma methodology should be much more applied in the SMEs, due to the interrelationship with the stakeholders and limited use of consultancies.”

Using Six Sigma principles , the company in the case study increased their annual sales by $248,034. They reduced delivery time by more than four full days.

The Takeaway

This research is another point in favor of process improvement methodologies. It doesn’t matter how big your company is, how many employees you have, or how much revenue you gross every year.

All. Companies. Have. Processes.

Whether you’re distributing plumbing supplies, making billion-dollar acquisitions, or selling lemonade on the street corner, Six Sigma is absolutely worth looking into.

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Johnson & Johnson Six Sigma Process: A Six Sigma Case Study in 2024 [Updated]

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Table of Contents

A Six Sigma case study written based on Johnson & Johnson’s six sigma process.Year after year, Six Sigma continues to be a cornerstone of the business world, opening the doors for rising experts to grasp the precepts that have just driven led so many to prosperity.

Six Sigma is currently an enormous ‘BRAND’ in the world of corporate turn of events. At times, the term “Six Sigma” applied to portray a proportion of a value adopted by a business association. Believe it or not, there is much more to Six Sigma than essentially the formless perception some may have of its standards.

Six Sigma is to methods and instruments for process improvement by decreasing the defects; it means maintenance of the ideal quality in processes and final products. In this article, we will go through the introduction, features, foundation of Six Sigma, programs of six sigma, and a Six Sigma case study applications in Johnson & Johnson.

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SIX SIGMA – More than only a cost reserve fund.

Introduction.

Six Sigma Process refers to a procedure in which the range between the mean of a procedure quality estimation and the closest determination limit is multiple times the standard deviation of the procedure.

The quality administration draws near, including Statistical Quality Control, Zero Defects, and Total Quality Management, have been key highlights for a long time, while Six Sigma is one of the more later quality improvement initiatives to pick up the popularity and acknowledgment.

Six Sigma is a long-term program. It won’t function well without full duty from upper administration.

Johnson Controls started their Six Sigma Process in October 1999. Six Sigma is polish worldwide through the association to improve manufacturing as well as business forms.

Johnson controls grasped six sigma in 2020 as another progression towards satisfying the mission. To surpass the client’s increasing desires. It is now a necessary part of constant quality improvement.

Johnson controls have sent Six Sigma Process World-wide and had prepared more than 2000 individuals in its methods. They have prepare to drive projects that “eliminate defects and mistakes, reduce waste, drive out excess cost, improve work productivity, and shorten work cycles – helping clients to get their products quicker”.

Johnson Controls Six Sigma program has developed to incorporate DFSS (Design for Six Sigma) just as a provider Six Sigma training program – the indications that Six Sigma is part of the DNA of an association.

 Six Sigma puts the clients first and utilizations the realities and information to drive better arrangements. Six Sigma efforts target three primary zones:

• Improving customer loyalty
• Reducing process duration
• Reducing defects Background of Six Sigma

  Foundation of Six Sigma Process

• Since the 1920’s the word “SIGMA” has utilize by mathematicians and architects as an image for a unit of estimation in product quality variety.
•  In the mid-1980’s specialists in Motorola company,USA utilized “SIX SIGMA” a casual name for an inhouse activity for reducing defects in the production procedure because it represented a reasonably high level of value.
• Motorola in the late 1980s stretched out the six sigma techniques to its basic business forms, and fundamentally six sigma turned a formalized in-house marked name for a presentation improvement system, i.e., simply ‘DEFECT REDUCTION.’
•  During 1991 the Motorola company guaranteed its first ‘BLACK BELT’ six sigma specialists, which demonstrates the beginnings of the formalization of the certify preparing of six sigma techniques.

Johnson & Johnson’s Six Sigma case study ,the Process include:

• Classroom Training :  programs by Master Black Belts with the true understanding
• Onsite Training :  customized to meet the particular needs of your organization
• Online Training :  incorporates White, Yellow, Green, and Black Belt training and certification, giving a choice for those who prefer a self-guided program
• Webinar Training :  provides an interactive program by an accomplished Master Black Belt
• Blended Programs :  a hybrid web program and classroom training approach

Six sigma case study discusses Over 70% of continuous improvement venture investment funds picked up by utilizing ventures from different plants.

Johnson Controls Six Sigma case study is a worldwide differentiate innovation and modern leader serving clients in more than 150 nations.

Johnson Controls, Inc. (JCI) makes quality products, administrations, and answers to improve energy and operational efficiencies of structures, lead-destructive vehicle batteries and advanced batteries for hybrid and electric vehicles, and inside the system of vehicles.

Johnson Controls, Inc. (JCI) left on a huge initiative in mid-2000. At first, JCI utilized a Lotus Notes-based task tracking instrument, but in the end, outgrew its restricted capabilities.

JCI begins a thorough inquiry of different venture portfolio management software applications to recognize an instrument that would support a cross-divisional. Six Sigma initiative spreading its automotive, building, and battery divisions worldwide across 300+ plants and territories.

Best Practice Deployment

Utilizing PowerSteering, JCI fabricated two best-practice deployment activities through the Six Sigma Process. The first, called workstream inside, utilizing labels to distinguish best practice classifications inside the different business units.

The workstream groups hold ordinary meetings to deal with the deployment and track the activities using PowerSteering. Both the status and advantages we see all the time. The second, inside known as “push” strategy, is a “mass arrangement” of best practices over the venture through PowerSteering’s work age functionality.

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Best Practice Sharing Process Flow In Six Sigma case study

JCI highly esteems continuously recording accepting practices over its undertaking with PowerSteering. Topic specialists involve a best practice audit board that screens best practice thoughts submitted from anyone over the organization.

The entries must incorporate proven outcome, enablers, implementation guidance, cost/advantage details, and the submitter’s contact data. The source of these thoughts incorporates CI initiatives from different plants or just best practice thoughts developed by different effective groups.

All thoughts are reject or approve. The best practice group evaluates all thoughts and buckets them in specific classes: dismissed, pull, or push. The “pull” thoughts are approve for groups around the world to audit and send by utilizing PowerSteering’s CI web engine (item/process/keyword).

The “push” class speaks the basic few thoughts selected for rollout by JCI’s leadership team.

One example of the utilization of the arrangement is identify with “supportability” best practices. Six prescribe procedures were recognize in specific plants to improve energy proficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

These key accepted procedures were sent utilizing Power Steering to over 250 plant locations around the world.

A corporate “best practice champion” followed and gave an account on the execution of the best procedures through Six Sigma Process which guarantee that all plants finished them and to measure funds and results accomplished.

Best Practice Lessons Learned From Six Sigma case study

With the assistance of PowerSteering’s Six Sigma programming, JCI keeps on depending on its demonstrated best practice workstream approach.

This methodology has been very effective not only because of PowerSteering but also because of the business group ownership. The “push” organization has been powerful as well thanks to high-level executive support and standard status following. PowerSteering is a key way to convey JCI’s accepted procedures.

Organized Innovation—How Johnson & Johnson Makes Six Sigma Process Work for the Organization

Six sigma case study shows a division of Johnson & Johnson, who examines how organized development can give you with the methods to channel your ideation procedure more productively and adequately, consequently leaving your organization with no decision but to innovate. You will find out systematic creative thinking, the organized innovation procedure, and how it can assist your organization to tap into the development based on an illogical strategy of starting with a hypothetical arrangement and working in reverse to discover the issues that that solution solves.

You will also know about the five formats—got from a particular arrangement of innovation designs—that how the organization has used them to think up with a way to innovatively enhance existing products, medical procedures, and organizational plan.

Figure out how Johnson & Johnson is utilizing Six Sigma Process, Lean and different methods to accomplish process excellence in its manufacturing operations.

Johnson & Johnson’s reaction to these difficulties was to build up a corporate “Procedure Excellence” program several years ago. The program was intend to give a systematic technique for estimating, examining, and improving all the organization’s business forms, continuously.

Its objective was to distinguish basic areas where improvement would make breakthrough results in market penetration and organizational speed, and diminish the cost of working together.

The program was designe to permit the organization to make non-stop improvements in cost and defect reductions and profitability and to use improve compliance as an upper hand.

As a developing number of pharmaceutical organizations are realizing, Six Sigma case study shows the use of the toolkits and approaches of the six Sigma Process and Lean can add huge worth.

Each is valuable, even when applied in isolation. However, they become even more powerful when coordinated. So, instead of applying these methods independently, Johnson & Johnson is utilizing dashboard measurements, Six Sigma, Lean, and Design Excellence, to address producing improvement.

Six Sigma delivers the need to diminish variability, Lean attempts to minimize waste and improve the progression of value to the client, while Design Excellence means to apply both these ideas, proactively, to structure and advancement forms.

This article will survey a portion of the key ideas and strategies included, examine how they have been coordinated and applied at J&J’s Pharmaceutical Sourcing Group Americas (PSGA), and some of the outcomes achieved so far.

Making progress with this integrated methodology requires the following:

• A solid clear Case for Action for making the given procedure change, including a business case dependent on information.
• Use of prioritization tools to guarantee a satisfactory choice of projects and extent of work.
• Use of tools to guarantee control and institutionalization of enhancements.
• A jointly created and shared vision aligning executive leadership and partners in manufacturing.

First, let’s review some of the fundamental principles and tools associated with this integrated approach to process excellence.

Lean Manufacturing  means to take out waste and set up a total quality ethic, with quality at the source. It incorporates associations with clients and improving procedure dependability on the manufacturing floor. It intends to streamline, coordinate or automate processes whenever possible, and integrates continuous improvements.

Ancillary related ideas include:

Beat,  the possibility that there is a natural or preferred arrangement of manufacturing activities that will limit changeovers and arrangements.

Poka-yoke ,  principles of error deduction. The objective, for this situation, is to

• Make it increasingly hard to make errors
• Ensure that it is convincible to reverse them
• Make it clear when errors are happening
• Detect deviations from the system or fixed worth (for example, number of parts)

These ideas should be implemented in process configuration, bringing about fewer complex procedures and methods that can tolerate mistakes without resulting in product defects.

Tools utilized include:

Worth Stream Mapping.  This arrangement of activities is basic for any continuous improvement plan. WSM looks at how any specific task is handled now, and how it may be taken care more productively in the future, and gives a structure for implementing enhancements.

The exercise allows teams to distinguish between activities that add value to operations or are necessary to deliver customer requirements and those that don’t add value, which can be eliminated.

It also allows teams to differentiate both of these categories from “sustaining activities,” which aren’t necessary to deliver customer requirements, but may be necessary to sustain the business, or can’t be eliminated due to constraints.

Sustaining activities are typically incorporated into the new process but maybe targeted for gradual elimination during continuous improvement. Several factors, including the time required for each activity, are collected and analyzed in the value stream.

The value stream has been employed for several operations and processes within our facilities. Typically, this involves mapping the whole process, including details of every stage and measurements of the time required to execute.

These exercises have led the teams to eliminate non-value-added activities, streamline others. This has been achieved by implementing optimized procedures for changeovers and investing in new equipment, to further improve efficiency.

Five Ss  – The five Ss represents for: Sort, Set all together, Shine, Schedule, and Score. 5S is a strategy that centers around sorting around the working environment, and the way that materials and hardware are set up in the working environment. It additionally normalizes work systems, reducing waste and opportunities for errors.

Six Sigma  – which most likely needs no definition, measures the level of changeability as the number of deviations per unit number of procedures, activities, or products.

It is an organizational way to deal with performance excellence which points, efficiency, to wipe out the variety by Defining, Measuring, Analyzing, Implementing, and Controlling procedures, abbreviated as DMAIC.

Inside Six Sigma projects, a variety of tools are utilized. These include:

Disappointment Mode and Effects Analysis (DMEA)  – A methodological gathering of exercises that is planned to recognize and access the possible disappointment of a product, piece of equipment, or process, and the effects that failure could have.

FMEA identifies existing and potential failures and their causes and effects, and organizes disappointment modes dependent on a “Risk Priority Number’ (RPN):

RPN = Occurrence x Severity x Detection.

DMEA encourages investigating endeavors, yet makes it simpler to create procedures for corrective activities.

Venture Charters.  To permit groups to execute these procedures excellence tools more successfully, “Venture Charters” are created for each procedure experiencing improvement.

These contracts express the issue, objective, and “business case” for the work, explaining clearly to senior management why working on this problem will have a positive impact on the bottom line.

The Charter also characterizes scope, projection, cost, and advantages. Once work has advanced, achievements are recorded in the Charter too.

Model 1: Improving the Equipment-Operator Interface

At two PSGA producing sites, we broke down procedures to see where seriousness could be improved, by diminishing the loss of deals and business focus resulting from the absence of procedure reliability.

We set up two cross-useful groups, one at each site, comprised of staff from manufacturing, specialized tasks, and quality assurance divisions.

The groups were set up to survey the main root causes of any likely quality issues at the office and recognize changes and arrangements that would be best effective in removing those root causes.

The groups would also develop data to validate the focus of current improvement ventures. Distinguish robust control methodologies to regulate improvements, and recognize new key tasks of a longer span.

Using the DMAIC approach, the group’s first assignment was to create measures dependent on voice of the Customer information, interviews with clients. As well as Critical to Quality measurements and “SIPOC” maps, summarizing up Inputs to the Process and Outputs to the Customer.

The groups at that point developed compliance and cost positioning system that took under consideration. It decreased the extension to one specific focus area for every site.

At that point, the groups investigated need areas to identify issues, separating value-added from non-value included activities. Multivariate investigation and separation and different strategies were use to recognize causes.

Devices included Pareto charts, cause and impact charts, and a solutions-prioritization network.

As a result of the examination, the groups found that, at one of the offices, huge improvements can accomplish by improving the administrator. Gear interface, equipment setup, and support systems, and by decreasing complexity in the work region, and improving administrator aptitude.

Because of the work, estimated quality improved drastically. One of the regions for as much as 75% in a time of 9 months.

Model 2: Improving Process Characterization.

Procedure Excellence approaches were additionally use to improve a solid tablet item. We were the main market supplier for this item, which had been create in the 1960s and there was limit improvement history available.

The targets of the task were to advance In-process testing and its relationship to final discharge testing results. Moreover, we need to diminish any potential variability and improve process capability.

There are various steps involve in the procedure such as Dry mixing, Starch glue manufacturing, Granulation, Drying, Milling, Blending, Compression

Again, we first set definitions using Voice of the Customer and CTQ data, as well as SIPOC maps.

Measurable Analysis and Design of Experiment

Six sigma case study the Standard information from 20 batches was produce for glue arrangement, granulation, and pressure since minimal historical data were accessible.

The group then analyzed the information through procedure examination, multivariate analysis, stratification. Other different methods Hypothesis testing utilizing regression, chi-square, t-Test.

Different strategies were use to check root causes. Structure of Experiments and reaction surface optimization was then use to evaluate connections between factors.

The information gathered during the venture’s estimation stage and analyzed in circumstances. Effect charts and priority frameworks gave variables to the Structure of Experiment studies.

Regression analysis and DOE information examination gave information that permitted the group to think about enhancements. These enhancements were piloted on a small scale, and plans are in progress to implement them on a large scale.

Six sigma case study covers the importance of the Six Sigma process, it helps the administration in different ways. For e.g., it is a total administration duty, theory of excellence, client focus, process improvement. The standard of measurement as opposed to gut feel.

It is making each zone of the organization ready to meet changing needs of the clients, markets, and advancements. With benefits for workers, clients, and investors.

As we as a whole know, Six Sigma has some loopholes also. As it is tedious, requires talented man-power and some critics. Additionally say that there is nothing new in Six Sigma.

But advantages offered by Six Sigma dominate all loopholes and make it a sufficient idea to improve the procedure.

So, after going through the Six Sigma case study of Johnson & Johnson. We can say that Six Sigma is a key to overhaul the business.

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Six Sigma Case Study: Ford Motors

May 19th, 2017

The Ford Motor Company is one of America’s, and the world’s, largest and most successful automakers. Named after its founder Henry Ford, the company is known for its innovative and dynamic approach to manufacturing. Henry Ford pioneered and employed such manufacturing concepts as standardization, assembly lines, which came to be known as Fordism. He also paid his workers a living wage, allowing them to purchase the very products they made. Products like his famous Model T.

Ford was a visionary man. He saw the necessity of breaking down complex tasks into simpler procedures, using specialized tools, and interchangeable parts. While Ford’s assembly line was a revolutionary achievement, his work grew from solidified ideas, with an eye for continuous improvement. Ford looked at established modes and broke them down into their core components, before building them back up again. He strove to take existing processes and always make them more functional, efficient, and effective. There were many advantages to Ford’s ideas. Namely, the significant decrease in costs of production, radically simplifying the labor process and reducing required the workforce.

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But how are Six Sigma and all its related approaches, like Lean and Kaizen , related to Ford? As you may know, Ford is a company known for its high quality. The company has pledged to utilize innovative products and use Total Quality Management to accomplish its goal of Quality Is Job 1 . JD Power and Associates ranked Ford as one of the leading high-quality automakers, but Ford has come a long way in the last few decades. Today we examine just how the Ford Motor Company used Six Sigma to transform its processes and achieve its success.

Why Was Six Sigma Necessary for Ford?

There are four core factors behind Ford’s Six Sigma initiative. These are:

• Cost reduction. Ford’s old production process was surprisingly costly. By introducing Six Sigma, they were no longer using resources that were not necessary.
• Improving quality. Ford has always been known for their quality products, but event heir standards slip from time to time. While, for most companies, a mere 99% quality level is considered acceptable, this lets through a surprising amount of defect. As much as 20,000 instances of defect. Six Sigma espouses that only 99.99966% (and up) is ideal. This percentage limits the number of defects per million to just seven As such, Ford made some great astonishing strides in quality improvement using Six Sigma.  
• Poor customer satisfaction rates. Satisfying customer demand is as critical to success as leveraging it. Many of these issues link to one another, as multiple instances of defect are likely to add up to a defective product. This will inevitably dissatisfy the customer which is why Ford chose to implement Six Sigma, to streamline their processes, and improve production issues. All of which adds up to a more productive company and happier customers.
• Lowering environmental impact by reducing solvent consumption. Six Sigma is an extremely green philosophy, and Ford uses it to make some great changes in their environmental awareness. Ford’s consumption of vital resources proved very costly in the long-term. But by committing to a green work culture with Six Sigma, they reduced costs, increased quality, and improved customer satisfaction.

Ford’s Approach to Six Sigma

The Ford Motor Company began using Six Sigma strategy in the late nineties. Their goal was to become a fully-fledged consumer products company and not just another automobile manufacturer. Additionally, they wished to enhance the quality of their products and to improve their customer satisfaction rates. Their approach towards achieving these goals they referred to as Consumer-driven Six Sigma. Furthermore, Ford was the world’s very first automaker company to implement Six Sigma methodology into their business operations on a large scale.

One of the most pressing problems facing Ford at the time was the 20,000 plus opportunities for defects that came with manufacturing cars. Despite the company’s prior history of quality control and innovation, some defects inevitably slipped through their fingers. Following this revelation, they achieved substantial improvements using Six Sigma. Their aim was to reduce their defect rate to only a single defect per every 14.8 vehicles, and they succeeded. Furthermore, this also satisfied their goal of enhancing customer satisfaction. In Six Sigma, even the smallest change can have a ripple effect, helping to change other processes and move towards continuous improvement.

Obstacles for Ford’s Six Sigma Initiative

Despite its success, there were several obstacles in the way of Ford’s Six Sigma implementation. These are:

• Employee commitment. As is often the case, many employees at Ford, including top-level and senior management, initially viewed Six Sigma with skepticism. This meant a lack of commitment was present from the beginning, proving a major cause of concern for Ford’s Six Sigma implementation. The time constraints, on top of this, made it difficult to put its 350 top leaders through weeks of training.
• Time, Money, Productivity. Furthermore, along with a lack of commitment, key resources like time and money meant employee training was often difficult. The lack of commitment also led to a lack of productivity.
• Data needs. Finally, Ford was new to Six Sigma and poorly equipped to follow through with its Six Sigma initiative. Six Sigma, of course, relies on vast amounts of data to This meant that Ford needed to create and implement new measurement systems to tackle the needs of Six Sigma. Only then was it able to provide any great benefit for the company.

Ford’s Six Sigma Successes

Ford’s use of Six Sigma methodology, while it did provide some road bumps, enabled them to eliminate more than $2.19 billion in waste over the last decade and a half. They solved this problem by applying Lean Six Sigma techniques , such as a data-driven problem-solving process, to devise solutions to waste issues. Moreover, the company’s methodologies for quality improvement and waste elimination saw a staggering impact on the company’s operations. Ford’s Consumer-driven Six Sigma has saved them over a billion dollars worldwide, helping complete almost 10,000 improvement projects since the early 2000s. Regarding customer satisfaction, Ford managed to increase their percentage by five points. We may go as far as to say that Six Sigma saved Ford from its deep-rooted problems. These issues include inadequate productivity, poor use of resources, low customer satisfaction, and environmental unfriendliness.

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Desalination of dredged sediments for beneficial use: a case of study for raising agricultural peatlands

• Sednet 2023
• Open access
• Published: 16 September 2024

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You have full access to this open access article

• Maria Barciela-Rial   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-6487-5194 1 &
• Wouter van der Star 2  

Sediments from marine areas contain salt, limiting beneficial use possibilities. This study investigates the impact of rinsing with fresh water on ion concentration and organic matter (OM) content in marine sediments, and how salinity hinders water release under induction.

In a lab simulation, marine sediment was mixed with fresh water (1:6 volume ratio) for 5 min at 285 rpm using a HOBART planet N-50 Mixer. An adapted Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) procedure determined the OM content and the temperature at which all water was released.

Mixing sediment with fresh water reduced ion concentrations. Monovalent ions like sodium and chloride were released immediately, while higher valence ions like sulfate and phosphate were released gradually. Rinsing with fresh water also reduced OM content. A second mix with the salty supernatant water did not further reduce salinity or OM.

Determining OM content in salty sediments requires continuous mass loss monitoring to identify the temperature at which all water is removed. For agricultural reuse, maintaining nutrient levels and OM while reducing salt content to prevent groundwater salinization is crucial. Supernatant water should be removed promptly after rinsing to halt nutrient removal. The results of this study contribute to beneficial reuse of dredged sediment.

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Remobilization of trace metals during laboratory resuspension of contaminated sediments from a dam reservoir, environmental evaluation of dredged sediment submitted to a solidification stabilization process using hydraulic binders, explore related subjects.

• Environmental Chemistry

Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.

1 Introduction

Large amounts of sand are used in infrastructure projects and industry. Sandy sediments are therefore becoming scarce (Vörösmarty et al. 2003 ) while billions of cubic meters of fine cohesive sediments are dredged worldwide every year to maintain navigation channels and treated as waste. Consequently, more and more of these dredged fines will have to be used in infrastructure development (e.g. Ockenden et al. 2014 ; Sittoni et al. 2019 ; Barciela-Rial et al. 2020 , 2023 ; Barciela-Rial and McLeod 2023 ). However, the use of dredged sediments is more complex because they consist of a heterogeneous mixture of water, fines, sand, organic matter (OM), and gas, among other components. Sediments from marine areas also contain salt, which influences their physical and (bio)chemical behavior.

Promoting a circular economy to achieve sustainability goals is a global trend among policymakers. The Netherlands has committed to being completely “circular” by 2050 (e.g., Rijksoverheid 2020 ). At the same time, approximately 2000 km of Dutch dikes must be reinforced before 2050 to comply with new safety standards. This implies the need to develop re-use scenarios and sustainable sediment sources for infrastructure projects and industry (Besseling et al. 2021 ; Haarman 2020 ).

The ecological quality of the Eems-Dollard estuary (Netherlands/Germany) has been declining due to high turbidity caused by resuspended sediment (Brinkman et al.  2014 ). To improve its ecology and comply with the demand for local sustainable raw materials, the Eems-Dollard 2050 program includes testing beneficial use of dredged sediments from the estuary. The dredged sediments are being used in pilots, such as the Clay Ripening Pilot and the Raising of Agricultural Land Pilot (POL). The Clay Ripening Pilot was built in 2018 ( Sittoni et al. 2019 ) to investigate various ways to convert dredged sediments into ripened clay soil that can be used as an erosion-resistant surface layer in embankments. Here, the relatively large amount of organic matter and salt turned out to be a limiting factor that hinders compliance with existing dike reinforcement material standards. The POL project started in 2021 to gain knowledge and experience in reusing dredged sediments to raise agricultural land in the Groningen peat area (Netherlands), following earlier Dutch experiments to “Lift up Lowlands” ( Figueiredo Oliveira 2017 ) . POL uses fine sediment from Eemshaven to raise agricultural (peat)land, reducing the CO 2 emissions from organic matter (OM) oxidation and improving agricultural productivity and water management. Due to its high salinity, this sediment is not directly suitable for agricultural purposes and is first rinsed with fresh surface water. The pilot aims to better understand what happens to the chemical composition of the sediment as result of this rinsing process. The behavior of dredged sediment varies largely as a function of the composition of its solid fraction (e.g., Wagner 2013 ; Barciela-Rial et al. 2020 , 2022 ). Furthermore, given the cohesive properties of fine dredged sediment, salts have a flocculant effect on cohesive sediment (e.g., Partheniades 1962 ; Al Ani et al.  1991 ). The decision about whether and how to desalinate the dredged sediment is therefore not straightforward and depends on its intended use.

Rinsing with fresh water could potentially also influence the OM content. The traditional method for measuring total OM content is the Loss on Ignition (LOI) method (e.g. EN 2012 ). While this method is cost-effective and straightforward, it is also time-consuming, destructive, and only provides information for specific, pre-set temperatures. Additionally, it requires relatively large sample sizes. An alternative method is Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), which can determine the organic and carbonate content in sediment samples. This method offers accurate and precise data in a more time-efficient manner, measuring mass loss continuously over time with the increase in temperature. In a study conducted by Bensharada et al. ( 2022 ), these two thermal analysis techniques were compared to assess their agreement and repeatability. They found that TGA has the advantage of monitoring mass loss throughout the analytical process, allowing for the distinction between free and bound moisture losses. Furthermore, TGA is less time-consuming, involves automated sample handling (thus minimizing operator error), and can yield reliable data from smaller sample masses (typically 30–50 mg), which are significantly smaller than those required for LOI (typically 3–5 g). Based on their precision and repeatability analyses, Bensharada et al. ( 2022 ) concluded that TGA can be used as a reliable alternative to LOI for measuring organic matter and carbonate content in sediments, offering several advantages over the traditional LOI method.

STOWA ( 1997 ) suggested that salinity might hinder the water release under a loss of ignition test, leading to an underestimation of the water content and overestimation of OM. For this reason, and because of the findings of Bensharada et al. ( 2022 ), the present paper presents a new, adapted TGA procedure to determine the OM content. The present work investigated desalinating dredged sediment by mixing it with fresh water with the intention of reusing it to raise agricultural land. Laboratory tests were carried out on the salty sediment to determine the effect that rinsing with fresh water has on salt and nutrient concentrations and OM content. The results contribute to beneficial reuse of dredged sediment.

2.1 Sediment collection and characterization

The sediment used in this study was dredged mechanically with a Van der Veen grab at the coordinates 53.444946, 6.826490 in the Eems Haven, The Netherlands (see Fig.  1 ) in May 2021 and is free from pollution.

Sampling location. Sources: Esri Nederland; Beeldmateriaal.nl; Kadaster; Garmin 2023

The particle size was determined with a Malvern Mastersizer 2000 (e.g., Mietta et al. 2009 ; Callesen et al. 2018 ), which can detect particle sizes ranging from 10 nm to 10 mm. The OM content of the dredged sediment was determined by loss on ignition (EN 2012 ) and TGA. The TGA analysis was performed with a LECO TGA701 apparatus. By default, it quantifies mass losses at 105 °C, 450 °C, 550 °C, 800 °C, and 1000 °C. This is achieved by weighing until three consecutive measurements yield the same mass with an accuracy of 0.1%. Prior to the analyses, the samples should be dried, and a quantity of 3 g is required. The standard procedure of the TGA provides a continuous graph of mass loss versus temperature. It also provides a value for OM, which is the weight lost between 105 °C and 550 °C. The TGA procedure continues up to 1000 °C.

Since the presence of salt can hinder the release of water at temperatures above 105 °C (STOWA 1997 ), the temperature at which all the water was released was determined by observing the change in slope on the mass loss-temperature graph and identifying the inflection point (Fig.  2 ). The temperature at the inflection point also represents the starting point for measuring OM content. The % OM is calculated as the mass loss between the inflection point and 1000 °C.

Example of mass loss with temperature increase with a TGA test for one sample (sample 1d-1). The inflection point represents the point at which all the water has been removed, this happens at a temperature T infl and at a mass (%) M infl . From that temperature on, the mass loss corresponds with OM.

2.2 Rinsing with fresh water

The process of rinsing with fresh water was mimicked in the laboratory: marine-dredged sediment was mixed with fresh water at a 1:6 (volume) ratio with a HOBART planet N-50 Mixer. The mixing time was 5 min at a constant rate of 285 rpm/minute. This rate was selected after checking that it was high enough to allow uniform mixing and prevent settling in the mixing jar while avoiding disrupting the flocs. The resulting mixture was poured into 18 glass columns where it was allowed to settle and consolidate. The settlement of the sediment–water interface was monitored. After 7 days and 14 days, the sediment–water mixture in the column was mixed again, without adding new fresh water. Each time, the HOBART planet N-50 Mixer was used for 5 min at a constant mixing rate of 285 rpm/minute.

2.3 Sampling and analysis

After rinsing with fresh water, the resulting mixture was poured into 18 glass columns, where it was allowed to settle and consolidate (see Supplementary Materials for details). The settlement of the sediment–water interface was monitored. To check the effect of a second mixing cycle with the same water, in nine of the 18 column replicates the consolidating sediment was remixed again with the supernatant (now also salty water) at t = 7 days.

Supernatant and pore water samples were taken from three replicates at each of the following times: t = 1 day, t = 3 days, t = 7 days. All the samples were filtrated (filter pore size 0.45 µm) at the sampling moment to stop the contact with sediment particles at this moment. To check the effect of a second mixing cycle, the consolidating sediment was remixed again at t = 7 days for nine of the eighteen column replicates. The mixing was done with the supernatant water of the column (i.e., not with new fresh water) and with the same mixing procedure. For these columns, samples were also taken from three replicates at t = 8 days, t = 10 days, and t = 14 days. At all sampling times, the total mass of the column and the mass of the different fractions (mass of supernatant and mass sediment bed) was measured, as well as the electric conductivity of the supernatant water. For all samples, ion concentrations were determined using ion chromatography (Dionex). The ions measured were fluoride, acetate, chloride, nitrite, bromide, nitrate, sulfate, oxalate, phosphate, citrate, lithium, sodium, ammonium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium. The most relevant results are presented in the results section and the rest in supplementary materials. Apart from the average ion concentration over the whole supernatant water column, for some replicates the ion concentrations were also measured at different heights on the water column (upper 1/3 supernatant, intermediate 1/3 supernatant, and lower 1/3 supernatant) separately to study whether stratification occurred. Because stratification of ion concentrations did not occur, these results are presented directly in the supplementary materials, and this paper focuses instead on the average ion concentrations over the whole column. Additionally, the OM content from sediment samples after mixing was also determined by TGA and corrected by the new adapted procedure that this paper suggests for salty sediment.

3.1 Sediment characterization

3.1.1 particle size distribution.

Figure  3 shows the particle size distribution of the dredged sediment. The sediment is 5.1% clay (< 2 µm), 70.1% silt (2 – 63 µm), and 29.9% sand (> 63 µm). The material has a D50 of 13 µm.

Mean particle size distribution as determined with the Malvern particle size for seven iterations of measuring the same sample. The (measurement) standard deviation is very small (between 0 and with a maximum of 0.17, and for clarity is not displayed in this figure)

3.1.2 Organic matter content

The sudden slope change observed on the graphs showing the mass loss with temperature increase during TGA (see Fig.  2 ) clearly indicates that a different process is taking over and a correction is needed. The OM before rinsing with fresh water was determined through TGA and applying the presented correction and amounted to 5.38% (Table  1 ). After rinsing the dredged sediment with fresh water with a volume ratio of 1:6 (sediment to water), the total amount of OM decreased from 5.38% to 2.52% (corrected value). After a second rinsing cycle with the supernatant water, no (significant) further decrease in OM content was observed (2.49%, corrected value). Table 1 shows that the standard TGA procedure, without correction, provides unrealistic values.

The correction steps and corrected TGA values are showed in Table  2 .

3.2 Ion chromatography

The results show that mixing with fresh water reduces the concentrations of ions, with the reduction of bi- and trivalent ions (Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ , SO 4 2⁻ , PO₄ 3⁻ ) lower than that of monovalent ions (Na + , K + , Cl − ). Monovalent ions such as sodium and chloride are released immediately when mixing, with the concentration remaining stable during the rest of the experiment. However, ions with higher valence, such as sulfate, are released progressively over a longer time period (Figs.  4 , 5 and 6 ).

Evolution of the concentration of ions in the supernatant and pore water for valence 1 ions. Left panel: chloride (Cl - ). The rinsing fresh water had a chloride concentration of 16.9 mg l −1 and the original dredged sediment one of 13,394 mg l −1 , Right panel: sodium (Na  + ). The rinsing fresh water had a sodium concentration of 18.6 mg l −1 and the original dredged sediment one of 7572.1 mg l −1 . The horizontal line marks the moment of remixing.

Evolution of the concentration of ions in the supernatant and pore water. Left panel: calcium (Ca 2+ ). The rinsing fresh water had a calcium concentration of 19.7 mg l −1 and the original dredged sediment one of 258 mg l −1 . Right panel: magnesium (Mg 2+ ). The rinsing fresh water had a magnesium concentration of 1.1. mg l −1 and the original dredged sediment one of 919 mg l. −1

Evolution of the concentration of ions in the supernatant and pore water. Left panel: sulfate (SO 4 2- ). The rinsing fresh water had a sulfate concentration of 14.1 mg l −1 and the original dredged sediment one of 729 mg l −1 . Right panel: phosphate (PO₄ 3⁻ ). The rinsing fresh water had a phosphate concentration of 0 mg l −1 and the original dredged sediment one of n.a. mg l −1

4 Discussion

4.1 effect of salt on cohesive sediment.

Salts have a flocculant effect on cohesive sediment (e.g., Partheniades 1962 ; Al Ani et al. 1991 ). Salinity promotes floc development by modifying the electrochemical properties of the sediment surface. For instance, Guo et al. (2021) found the median floc size in salt water to be approximately 1.4 times larger than that in freshwater. This increase of floc size was already observed by other authors (e.g., Mietta et al. 2009 ; Manning et al.  2011 ). Changes in floc size induced by salt translate, over time, after ripening, to changes in soil structure. Furthermore, salinity is a limiting factor for the growth of most vegetation species. The first step in beneficial reuse of marine-dredged sediment is to decide whether the final use of the material requires a reduction in salt content.

4.2 Effect of rinsing on nutrient content

The results show that longer contact with the supernatant water leads to a further release of nutrients (e.g. Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ , SO 4 2⁻ , PO₄ 3⁻ ). This implies that for agricultural applications, supernatant water should be removed as soon as possible after rinsing. However, further research about the optimal soil parameters for agriculture and the optimal number of freshwater mixing cycles is needed. Rinsing with fresh water also reduced the amount of OM. It is important to maintain suitable nutrient levels and OM, but also to reduce salt to avoid groundwater salinization and allow for more crop types. Further reduction of salinity might require additional mixing cycles with fresh water (and the consequent further reduction of nutrients and OM).

4.3 The challenge of desalinating dredged sediment

Choosing the most suitable desalination method is not straightforward and depends on the intended use of the sediment. The flocculating effect of salt, heterogeneous composition of dredged sediment, and the lessons learned from the desalination experiments described in this paper are all factors to consider. This research found that for agricultural use, a best practice would be to rinse dredged sediment with fresh water and immediately remove the supernatant water to reduce the release of nutrients.

Given the large amounts of fresh water needed to rinse dredged sediment, potential reuse scenarios that do not require desalination should always be considered. If desalination is necessary, a sustainable water management strategy should be deployed. The results of the present study suggest that reusing the same (salty) water does not lead to a further reduction in soil salinity. This would imply the need to use new fresh water for each desalination cycle or to treat the supernatant water after each cycle to reduce the salinity. In this sense, estuaries potentially provide an opportune location for a sediment desalination plant because they provide a source (fresh river water for rinsing) and sink (the sea can receive salty water) for the water resources. An example of such a desalination and ripening plant is the so-called sediment transit site in La Hisse in the Rance River estuary (Hubert 2023 ).

The local reuse of marine sediment, in combination with sustainable water use, represents a sustainable solution, as it decreases transport costs and could reduce oxidation of peatland, as it would be the case of the area of the current study, where the Pilot Raising Agricultural Land takes place.

4.4 Determination of organic matter for marine sediments

Mixing marine sediments with fresh water also reduced the amount of OM. Quantifying OM in salty sediments is not straightforward because salt hinders water release, which means that temperatures higher than 105 °C are needed to remove water completely. This implies that LOI is not accurate enough for the case of marine sediments above a certain salinity threshold, as it underestimates the water content. Continuous mass loss monitoring with TGA and the application of a correction is necessary in this case.

In this research, the correction applied to the TGA analysis was based on the infliction point of the graph presenting mass loss over time. The inflection point was chosen as the point at which water removal is complete, as the sudden slope change clearly indicates that a different process is taking over. However, that does not mean that water removal has stopped completely, nor that all mass removed before the inflection point can be attributed to water removal. In future studies this should be evaluated more thoroughly by, for example, using Thermogravimetric Analysis/Mass Spectrometry (TGA-MS) or a similar method that analyses the gas type.

4.5 Dredging season and dredging method

It is important to consider the dredging season, as this can affect the OM content, applicable environmental regulations, and soil ripening conditions.

The amount of OM present in the dredged sediment depends mainly on the season in which dredging occurs. OM content is higher in the spring/summer than in the winter/autumn (e.g., Hudson et al.  2007 ). With higher temperatures in the spring/summer, organic material breaks down into OM more quickly, and there is more plant and animal activity that produces organic material. These seasonal effects are more relevant when dredging sediment at the surface of the estuary/riverbed. The deeper you dredge, the smaller the seasonal variability in OM, because deeper sediment is confined and less affected by e.g. seasonal variations in temperature.

In protected areas, like the Eems-Dollard estuary, careful consideration must be given to, for example, the breeding season, which is usually in spring/summer (depending on the species).

The season is not only important for dredging, but also for the subsequent ripening process that starts after deposition of the sediment at the desired location. Placing sediment at the beginning of a warm period (season) accelerates the initial ripening process relative to placing it during a cold period.

Also important to consider is the dredging method, which influences the salinity of the dredged mixture. Hydraulic dredging takes in more salty water than mechanical dredging. It is therefore recommended to use mechanical methods when a lower salt content is desired.

5 Conclusion

The results from the experiments showed that:

Rinsing with fresh water immediately reduced the salt and OM content.

The removal of salt (ions with valence 1) occurred immediately, however the removal of other nutrient ions with larger valence was a slower process that continued over time.

If the intended use of the sediment (e.g., agriculture) necessitates retaining nutrient ions with larger valence, contact time with water should be reduced (i.e., by removing the supernatant water as soon as possible).

A second mixing cycle, with the same (salty) supernatant water, did not decrease the salt or OM content further.

The results also showed that determining OM content in highly saline sediments requires a more elaborate analysis, including the continuous monitoring of mass loss in order to identify the inflection point temperature at which all the water has been removed, which can occur at a temperature above 105 °C.

For agricultural reuse, it is crucial to maintain appropriate nutrient levels and OM content in dredged sediment, while also reducing salt to prevent groundwater salinization and make it suitable for a wider variety of crops. The findings from this research can provide a rough estimate of the effects of rinsing with freshwater on other anions/cations, even if only a reduction in conductivity is measured. Best practices for desalination for agricultural use would involve rinsing with fresh water and promptly removing the supernatant water to minimize nutrient loss.

Data availability

The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors, without undue reservation.

Al Ani S, Dyer KR, Huntley DA (1991) Measurement of the influence of salinity on floc density and strength. Geo Marine Lett 11:154–158

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Acknowledgements

The activities of this publication were funded by the Regieorgaan SIA, project numbers KIEM.K20.01.004 and RAAK.PUB09.018. The authors would like to thank Maarten Podt and Jorin Slagmeulen for their assistance during the experiments and Elena Vandebroek for thoroughly proofreading this paper.

Nationaal Regieorgaan Praktijkgericht Onderzoek SIA, KIEM.K20.01.004 and RAAK.PUB09.018

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Barciela-Rial, M., van der Star, W. Desalination of dredged sediments for beneficial use: a case of study for raising agricultural peatlands. J Soils Sediments (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-024-03875-x

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