Industrial Problem Solving Simplified: An 8-Step Program

Industrial Problem Solving Simplified provides a roadmap for solving manufacturing problems. Containing numerous examples of actual problems and their solutions in various industrial environments, it is for novice as well as experienced manufacturing owners, managers, quality representatives, consultants, trainers, and procurement professionals.

Author Ralph Pawlak’s roadmap is a proven system that has been used to eliminate major manufacturing problems in electronics, casting, blow molding, and assembly operations. What’s more, it has been used effectively in the manufacture of toys, juvenile products, chemicals, automotive engines, and innumerable components of many manufacturing facilities—and in the U.S., Canada, China, and Europe. The book’s insights into problem causes and the methods to solve them once and for all are applicable to most problems in most industries.

Pawlak, with decades of experience as manager of manufacturing, quality, and plant engineering for General Motors, Fisher Price, Vibratech, and others, offers tools to solve problems and shows how to use them. You’ll learn how to use tools like quality check sheets, flow diagrams, concept sheets, duo diagrams, variation plots, sketches, sum-of-extremes tests, good versus bad comparisons, fractionals with interactions, and many-level checks. What’s more, these are tools anyone can put to good use today. No special knowledge of statistics, or advanced math or engineering, is required. If you can add, subtract, multiply, and divide—and use your eyes and ears—you can learn to solve industrial problems like a pro.

This book will help you:

1. Clarify the conditions that cause problems

2. Define the cause of problems

3. Generate clues as to the causes of problems and their solutions

4. Collect accurate and relevant data

5. Use specific tools to solve problems effectively

6. Establish consistent work processes to ensure problems do not return

Industrial Problem Solving Simplified will empower you and your people not just to solve manufacturing problems but optimize processes, improve productivity, and save money. With the plans, examples, and worksheets in this book, you will become a proficient problem solver.

Ralph R. Pawlak attended Erie Community College after being honorably discharged from the USMC. Upon graduating with a degree in Industrial Technology, he attended the General Motors Institute in Flint, Michigan, where he earned a degree in Industrial Engineering. Although he has a Master of Education degree from the University of Buffalo, his heart lies in his engineering background. During a 25-year career with General Motors, he served as trouble shooter, engineer, supervisor, quality manager, and superintendent of plant engineering at facilities in Buffalo, New York; Tonawanda, New York; Danville, Illinois; and Romulus, Michigan. He has also held positions in quality assurance at Fisher-Price, Vibratech Inc., and Continental Automotive.