Development of Continuous Quality Improvement Model for Small to Medium Scale Automotive Industries in Gujarat Using Automotive Core Tools

Abstract

Background: The manufacturing industry, especially automobile sector, around the world is getting affected by growing globalization and emerging technologies. The small-to-medium size enterprises supply their most of the products to the original equipment manufacturers. The small-to-medium size enterprises remain in high-risk position because of competitive market pressure and original equipment manufacturers high expectations. Hence small-to-medium size enterprises need to function in a responsive manner to customer demands and expectations of right quality. Original equipment manufacturers are making compulsions to their suppliers to continuously improve quality and to implement auto core tools. newline newlineObjective: The aim of this research is the development of continuous quality improvement model and framework for small-medium scale automotive industries using automotive core tools, such as Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP), Failure Modes and Effect Analysis (FMEA), Statistical Process Control (SPC), Measurement System Analysis (MSA), and Production Part Approval Process (PPAP). newline newlineMethodology: A qualitative research, multiple case studies based methodology, has been engaged in this research. The methodology consists of literature review, training, implementation (multiple case studies), observation and analysis, model and framework development, validation through real time scenarios at case companies. Hence, the development of model and framework process passed through several stages. Firstly, the automotive core tools have been implemented (more than 20 months) at four SMEs to observe the quality improvements. Then improvement data and results analysed for suitability. The model and framework have been developed based on findings of the initial case studies. After that, the developed model and framework have been validated by the real-life case studies implementation, for almost 2 years (22 months), at five automotive SMEs. newline