Question $1[365$ Points$]$: As a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, please read the case study below and answer the following questions $($feel free to state any assumptions that might be necessary for you to address the questions$)$:

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Florida Manufacturing Company $($FLM Company$),$ it is a small$-$to$-$medium$-$sized enterprise in the US$$s cutlery sector, struggled with inefficiencies: high levels of work$-$in$-$process $($WIP$),$ long production times, excessive finished goods inventory, and inadequate planning and poor stock management. This led to poor flow and significant waste, affecting the company$$s productivity and competitiveness. As demand slowed during the COVID$-19$ pandemic, the company decided to address these issues, FLM Company initiated a project using Lean principles and digital transformation tools to improve operational performance and aiming to improve productivity and sustainability. The manufacturing process of cutlery typically involves several key steps, which can vary depending on the specific type of cutlery being produced $($e$.$g$.,$ knives, forks, spoons$).$ Based on the information from the case study, here are the general steps involved in the manufacturing of cutlery:

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$$ Material Selection: Choose appropriate materials, often stainless steel or other alloys, that provide durability and resistance to corrosion.

$$ Blanking: Cut the raw material into flat pieces or "blanks" that will form the basis of the cutlery items. This is usually done using stamping or laser cutting techniques.

$$ Shaping: The blanks are then shaped into the desired form. This may involve processes such as forging $($for knives$)$ or bending $($for forks and spoons$).$

$$ Heat Treatment: Apply heat treatment processes to enhance the hardness and durability of the cutlery. This may include processes like annealing or quenching.

$$ Grinding and Polishing: The cutlery pieces are ground to achieve the desired sharpness $($for knives$)$ and polished to create a smooth, shiny surface. This step is crucial for both aesthetic appeal and functionality.

$$ Finishing: Additional finishing processes may be applied, such as coating $($for aesthetic purposes or to enhance corrosion resistance$)$ and further polishing.

$$ Assembly: If the cutlery design includes multiple components $($e$.$g$.,$ handles for knives$),$ these parts are assembled during this stage.

$$ Quality Control: Conduct inspections and tests to ensure that the cutlery meets quality standards in terms of durability, sharpness, and finish.

$$ Packaging: Once the cutlery passes quality control, it is packaged for distribution. This may involve placing the items in boxes or sets for retail sale.

$$ Distribution: The finished cutlery is then distributed to retailers or directly to consumers.

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The Company started on a quality improvement initiative using Six Sigma and DMAIC as follows:

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Define: Improve production performance by reducing WIP, inventory levels, and throughput time, while increasing productivity and achieving a more sustainable operation.

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Measure: Gathering information.

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Analyze: Root Cause Analysis:

$$ High WIP: Caused by inefficient production flow, excessive local optimizations, and poor sequencing.

$$ Long Setup Times: Lack of standard setup routines and unprepared tools.

$$ Excessive Inventory: Poor stock management and lack of real$-$time visibility.

$$ Production Planning Inefficiencies: Miscommunication and absence of a digital system led to delays and errors.

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Improve: Implementing solutions to address identified issues such as adding stock management system.

Control: Establishing control measures to sustain improvements and monitoring.

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Through the systematic application of Lean principles and the DMAIC approach, the FLM Company achieved substantial improvements in production efficiency, reducing WIP, inventory levels, and throughput time while increasing productivity. This case study illustrates the effectiveness of data$-$driven and continuous improvement methodologies in addressing operational challenges and enhancing sustainability in small manufacturing enterprises