Robust Engineering / Taguchi Method
Robust Engineering using Taguchi Methods
Robust Engineering allows for the Voice of the Customer to be translated into engineering requirements that optimize the functionality of the product or process and make it robust to common failure events/modes.
Traditional engineering focuses on solving problems, failure analysis, and use of a repetitive process of design-build-test, testing one factor at a time, firefighting, and studying in detail the problems associated with interactions of the factors involved. This approach costs more, takes more time, and isn’t always successful.
ASI’s approach to Robust Engineering exclusively uses the Taguchi approach: The Taguchi Methods were developed by Genichi Taguchi, a pioneer of the quality movement. This allows experiments to be performed and prototypes to be tested on multiple factors at once so that the product/process becomes insensitive to use-conditions and other uncontrollable factors. This is called Robust Design, and it provides a more efficient, cost-effective way to improve products and processes.
This revolutionary approach to engineering and design represents one of the most significant breakthroughs in product and process design since the Quality Revolution began. It provides a method for designing products and processes that are minimally impacted by external forces, such as environment, client use, or manufacturing conditions.
This is accomplished using Energy Transformation principles for improving the desired output targeted toward perfect performance, rather than attempting to suppress symptoms.
It enables engineers to:
Develop products and processes which perform consistently as intended under a wide range of user’s conditions throughout their life cycle
Maximize robustness-improving the intended function of the product by developing and increasing insensitivity to noise factors which tend to degrade performance
Develop or change product formulas and process settings to achieve desired performance at the lowest cost and in the shortest time
Simplify designs and processes to reduce cost
Simultaneously, using the Robust Engineering process yields:
Significantly improved quality, reliability, and durability
Reduced manufacturing costs
Reduced design cycle times
New proprietary knowledge
