home :: services :: about :: contact

In today’s competitive business effective problem solving from a cost and time impact is required. It is important to find root causes to technical issues. Having a structured approach using experimental design to identifying a root cause is critical.

Despite the best intentions of business quality defects, non-conformances and product failure do arise. Their nature can be assigned as a special cause such as confined to a particular batch, or a common cause due to the inherent process variation.

Though experience is helpful it can lead to a superficial solution of a problem. One that doesn’t entirely fix the problem. A process of scientific deduction can provide a deeper and holistic understanding of the situation.

A conventional approach with industrial problem solving is to examine the response of changing one variable at a time. This means that all other influences must be held constant, something that is extremely difficult in reality. Thus results can be clouded by uncontrollable external influences.

Design of Experiments is a multi-variable approach in which these uncontrollable external influences can be nullified. More information through less experimentation can be obtained. Most importantly interactions between two or more factors can be identified. With complex problems this factor interaction is a likely contributor.

Many businesses lack the time and suitable skills to resolve their technical issues. They are also reluctant to seek outside help even though this can provide a good return on investment.

CETEC offers scientific solutions to technical problems. The benefits include:

• Independence - In a dispute involving a supplier and customer, a third party can be considered neutral. This gives the outcome extra credibility in being accepted by all parties. Also the external group can bring new thoughts and clearer comprehension to the issue.
• New and unique skills - Some problems can be beyond the technical capabilities of a business. New knowledge or access to specialised investigative tools can be the extra leverage needed to resolve an issue. CETEC has access to a vast range of techniques, tools and tests to help you.
• Effective experimentation - In particular the application of statistical Design of Experiments.
• Breadth of experience - CETEC deals with a wide range of clients and problems.

To give us feedback on this article or to ask how CETEC can help you with solving your problem then contact us here.