The purpose of this report was to discuss how six sigma methodology was used to determine the best way to decrease the percent of the quality defect “skip” on Reserve grade boards at Interfor’s Gilchrist mill from 6.7% to 3.5%. The mill’s current quality defect rate was determined by analyzing a year’s worth of skip data. The root causes of skip were identified, and specific ones were chosen to be improved upon. Through data gathering and research, it was determined that the most important and largest factor causing skip was the sawing deviation in the sawmill. The sawing deviation, with a multitude of causes, was producing lower quality boards because the boards were often being cut too thick or thin. This was causing the mill to lose money in the cost of overrun by being required to increase their target sizes for the different dimensions to mitigate the effect of the sawing deviation, which allowed them to cut less boards out of a log. The mill was also losing money because every board that was too thin caused the planer knives to not make contract on the face or sides, resulting in skip. One of the major deliverables of this project was a cost benefit analysis that analyzed the cost of reducing the sawing deviation at different parts of the mill as well as the benefits from increased board value and decreased board volume. This analysis showed that if the sawing deviation could be brought under control, skip would be reduced to 3.5%, savings would be $697,078 per year, and the costs of the repairs in the sawmill would be paid off in nine months.
