Abstract

Improving supplier quality and reducing rework have resulted from a process improvement program at Sierra Semiconductor. Management leadership has been a key in this effort to increase both quality and productivity. Rework had been a problem in the photolithography sector of the company. To combat the problem, managers helped the workers focus on root causes. They trained the staff in tools of quality such as Pareto charts and Ishikawa diagrams. These tools identified potential improvements that were implemented with engineering science. Two years after this initiative, rework has decreased by at least a factor of four. Process improvement also became a theme in Sierra's relationships with suppliers. Purchase orders for equipment now include performance specifications and performance measurement methods. All these process improvements have given workers at Sierra more control over their output.