Characterization of the Instrument Panel Manufacturing Process

Continuous improvement in product and process capability is universally accepted as necessary for survival as an American Instrument Panel manufacturer. If the desired quality, productivity, and cost levels necessary for viability are to be achieved, variability reduction in the manufacturing process must be pursued. Thorough process understanding is the essential first step in the pursuit of variability reduction. This study demonstrates one attempt at taking the first step on the road to continuous improvement. Variability levels and relationships are quantified in this study through the use of correlational inference to provide a baseline of process understanding and capability description.

This paper is organized such that similar approaches from a conceptual standpoint can be evaluated for the reader's application. Having initiated the quantification or characterization of the instrument panel manufacturing process, this correlational study provides the necessary screening function to facilitate further improvements in variability reduction.