Exploring Design for Six Sigma from the viewpoint of Robust Design Methodology

Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) has arisen as an initiative that takes Six Sigma activities to the design area. DFSS is explored in this paper from the viewpoint of Robust Design Methodology by means of a literature study and an empirical study. The empirical study reveals that the industrial perception of DFSS is diversified and that DFSS does not yet constitute a well-defined framework. Despite its name, it is shown that DFSS activities often target effects of variation that can be handled in production rather than those that must be handled at the design stages. One reason might be that most DFSS programmes start by realising limitations of Six Sigma activities in production. In other words, reasons for implementing DFSS are, in most companies, found in production.