Case Studies of Continuous Improvement Projects in the Metals Industry

Abstract

The continuous improvement methodology of six sigma and lean include methods such as 6s team projects, kaizen events, recommissioning projects, and Gemba walks. These are useful in all industries but are critical in the materials industry. This paper gives case studies from several projects emphasizing energy savings and melt loss from the secondary aluminum and casting industries. Some projects worked well while others fell short due to specific issues. The example projects and their issues will be discussed. Measurement problems will be reviewed. Some data analysis can be different with energy data in the metals industry. These analysis concerns will be discussed.