YKK INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED

In the manufacturing process at YKK India, there existed complex causal relationships related to quality, further complicated by various parameters influencing these relationships. Additionally, the complexity of these parameters and the insufficient accumulation of manufacturing data for quality made it difficult to pinpoint causes. Consequently, there were issues with product yield and improvement in quality management did not progress.
Furthermore, given the large number of daily production items and the variable quantities required for made-to-order production, manufacturing conditions changed each time, making it challenging to control quality merely based on operator's experience.

Project team addressed these two challenges as target to tackle, outlined the path to these goals, and started the project based on this shared understanding.

For the improvement of yield, the organization and collection of data for analysis were essential. Initially, after hearing from YKK India about their past experiences, know-how, and hypotheses, we reorganized the challenges related to quality. Then, we conducted a narrowing down process to identify data that could potentially affect the yield.

Previously, the accumulation of data for identifying causes was insufficient. Therefore, we categorized the data into the following categories, and define and establish collection methods for each type of data, thoroughly implemented data collection system for the analysis process:

1. Data from production equipment
   
2. Data from new installed sensors
3. Production result data

In implementing each task, by forming project team with YKK India's national staff who are well-experienced with its production process, we enabled the collection of more detailed data and built a system capable of data-driven analysis.

Although many meetings and factory tours were conducted remotely, achieving expected results based on initial hypotheses was challenging due to the limitation of remote information gathering.

 However, by visiting on-site in India to understand deeper into specific issues and problems, and communicating directly face-to-face with national staff and local vendors, data accuracy was improved and problems were resolved one by one.

By continuing such practical activities, specific measures to improve production conditions for certain products were discovered, advancing a step toward quality improvement throughout YKK India’s factories.

YKK India, its outsourcing vendors, and ABeam Consulting, all worked as true partners toward a common goal, making progress in the project and advancing a step toward digital transformation (DX).

Furthermore, the proactive participation of Japanese expat team and national staff team in YKK India influenced other teams than PoC project members, encouraging other production team taking an active role in improving other manufacturing processes as the next step, clearly demonstrating an organizational culture shift.