Total Quality Management

 Customer Oriented Requirements Analysis & Quality 

Functional Deployment

This article has been completed by Abhishek Patil with the use of resources from 3D e-book: chapter 

6, 7, 8 and the process CORA template created by Paul G. Ranky.

CONTENTS

1.     Introduction & Objectives of Project

2.     Description of Methodology Applied 

3.     Main Body of Project

3.1 CORA

3.2 Critical Requirements

3.3 Main TQM Process

3.4 Analysis Of CORA Results

3.5 EM Decisions

3.6 Collaboration

3.7 Panorama Navigation Map

4.    Summary

5.     References

1. Introduction & Objectives Of Project:

     A&P Eco – MHE concentrates on developing the product at the first rather than considering 

rework. Quality assurance and constant improvements in terms of functional requirements and 

customer satisfaction is the main concern of A&P Eco-MHE. With a TQM business approach 

A&P understands the need of component oriented requirement (CORA) and quality functional 

deployment to achieve the goals. The company produces sustainable and green product which 

does not use non renewable sources of energy and designed to customer requirements. A&P 

concentrates more on reducing the gap between producing a sustainable product and a specific 

sustainable product that the customer demands. A&P Eco-MHE will be using CORA in order to 

document feedback from the customers and improve on the dissatisfaction of customers in 

order to maintain continuous improvement and increase sales which turn increases the income. 

The main aim of the designing and prototyping team is to design products with constant checks 

on customer requirements and customer defined quality. In order to help design such a product 

A&P strives hard to analyze the needs of specific customer as well as market in order to 

deliver product with quality and sustainability. CORA is used in order to find out the critical 

TQM requirements and engineering solutions to accomplish the needs of these requirements.

2. Description Of Methodology Adapted:

The methodologies used in the project are based on Customer Oriented Requirements Analysis 

(CORA) to produce customer defined quality products. This method is systematic, customizable and 

Quality Function deployment based which is developed by Dr Paul Ranky to analyze product/process, 

TQM/total quality control requirements as well as product, process, IT and other needs.

CORA is team oriented problem solving to minimize dissatisfaction and financial loss due to 

inadequate requirement specifications and poor communication between company and customers. The 

CORA is applied during the electronic support system planning stages of a product or process 

development life cycle, as well as later for TQM/TQC purposes are updated on a regular basis to 

document changes in requirements and best practice engineering and management solutions.

CORA includes four major steps with an integrated approach:

·      Define Scope, function and purpose: It is always necessary to understand the market 

       requirements. The team should define the product, process and design to be analyzed. 

·      Identify user requirements: The team is responsible for collecting all efficient and accurate         

       data needed for the product, process and design being analyzed using the CORA spreadsheet. 

       The requirements can be entered in left hand side of the CORA spreadsheet which later on can 

        be given rankings of importance later. But the first step is always to identify user requirements.

·      Prioritize potential requirements: The requirements listed in the step above can now be ranked 

       depending on their importance, by the cross functional team as early as possible. 

·      Engineering solutions – List the solution and the correlation values linking the requirements and 

       the engineering solutions in the matrix.

The Absolute Importance Rating (AIR) values are prioritized on the requirement level and  

correlation values. CORA is a matrix based method in which we can find the user requirements and 

their priority rating (left hand side of matrix) and then the correlation values (1 or 3 or 9) linking 

the requirements and engineering solutions in the actual matrix. The CORA methodology is a 

linguistic system that promotes systematic engineering team thinking.

3. Main Body of the Project:

3.1 Critical Requirements: 

1.     Manufacturing lead time

2.     Minimize waste by implementing green processes

3.     Customer service

4.     High quality that meets current market demand standards

5.     Latest and innovative technology

6.     Customization   

7.     Structural reliability

8.     Product safety

9.     Low cost of maintenance

10. Use of green energy sources

11. Raw material availability

12. Product performance and operation

13. Reduce carbon print and dependency on natural oils

14. Product should create a self awareness of sustainability  

15. Spare parts must be affordable and easily acquirable

16. Low cost of manufacturing

17. Ergonomics 

3.2 CORA:

1.      Define scope function and purpose

The team should define the system and sub-system of the product, process and 

service system which needs to be designed and analyzed. Likewise it is very 

important to realize the scope and functions of the CORA change as it develops and 

is applied. We will use this as we instigate our requirements of eco friendly 

products into the CORA, to see what people would like to see, what the scope of 

our projects are and how far will our products go when we analyze the different stages, processes of the products we design.

2.      Identify User Requirements

The team collects all realistic and accurate user requirements and enters them in the left hand side of our CORA spreadsheet. Need for various changes in products are considered and thus product having customer defined quality and functional properties is re designed . So we will identify the needs of our companies. The CORA chart shows some of the sustainability and green principles Eco friendly principles A&P eco-MHE is planning to implement first.

3.      Prioritize potential requirements

We rank the priorities of each of the functional activities with Absolute 

Importance Rating (AIR) to give priority according to user requirements. 

Correlation values of 1 (Low), 3 (Medium) and 9 (High) are used by the team to 

prioritize the requirements. This function should be done in a team to allow better 

understanding and correct level of customer satisfaction required.

The Absolute Importance Rating (AIR) values are considered on the foundation of the necessary priority level, and the correlation values, therefore the team must measure the level of value, in regards to how an engineering solution will respond to each specified customer / user need.

If the AIR value is very high, the CORA team should go back to the matrix to trace back to the column of the matrix and take the following steps.

1.  For every high correlation value (9) check the customer requirement and make sure that it is satisfied.

2.  Repeat the same at every correlation value of 3 (meaning, ‘medium’ level importance).

Calculating AIR Values

Considering each row, in which there is a requirement, and for each column where there is a correlation value of 1 (low), or 3 (medium), or 9 (high), the importance rating value is multiplied by the correlation value, then the result is added to the sum of the next row, until there are no more rows left. 

Attachment: CORA Spread Sheet

3.3 Main TQM Requirement:

The main TQM process targets customer defined quality and functional requirements. 

Integrated TQM process controls the service and manufacturing process in order to achieve 

the targeted deliverable. The TQM process utilizes several resources under an optimized 

system in order to produce several deliverables such as documentation, operational excellence, 

reliability, high quality, sustainability and customer satisfaction.    

3.4 Analysis of CORA Results:

Customer critical requirements and assigned priority level

1.     High quality that meets current market demand standards: 5

2.     Product performance and operation: 5

3    Use of green energy resources 

4.     Product safety: 5

5.     Reduce carbon print and dependency on natural oils: 5

6.     Delivery Of Products : 5

7.     Product creates self awareness of sustainability: 5

8.    Customer service: 5

9.    Minimize waste by implementing green processes: 4

10.    Latest and innovative technology: 4

11.    Structural reliability:  4

12.    Low cost of manufacturing: 4

13.    Low cost of maintenance: 4

14.    Raw material availability: 4

15.    Customization of product: 3

16.    Affordable spare parts and easily acquirable: 3

17.    Ergonomics: 3 

                  After analysis of CORA excel sheet the CORA team will focus on higher Absolute        

      Importance  Rating (AIR) value. These values will help company to improve continuously by 

      satisfying customer requirements with the highest AIR value and ultimately lowest through 

      engineering solutions.  

 

The Highest AIR Values Observed:

1.      Quality and Safety Standards 300

2.      Optimum Utilization 321

3.      Effective Design 291

These three solutions are the most the most important solutions to meet the customer 

requirements. Attaining the company of goal of attaining customer defined quality and 

functional requirements will be possible only through focusing on the above three solutions.

Optimum Utilization: (AIR Value 321)

This engineering solution has the maximum absolute importance rating. Appropriate 

process planning and use of high precision machines will help optimum utilization of 

material. The company focuses on operational accuracy and minimizes the waste.

Quality and Safety Standards: (AIR 300)

Quality check at every stage during the manufacturing will be the concentration. 

Inspection for quality and safety will be integrated within the system in order to 

make changes at right time in order to maintain high quality and safety. The main 

aim of company being satisfying customer defined quality and functional 

requirements, quality and safety checks are integrated within the process in order 

to have a good feedback system.

Effective Design: (AIR 291)

                 The design engineers focus on the functional requirements and user 

recommendations.The parts used in the products are designed for interchangeability.

                 The Absolute Importance Rating is a comparative tool that reveals the rating 

of not only an engineering solution in terms of its correlation with the customer 

requirements but also in terms of the other engineering solutions adopted by the 

organization. A low AIR does not mean that it is not highly correlated with a customer 

requirement but it is certainly less related to the overall requirements than a solution with 

a high AIR.

                 The engineering solution with correlation “9” indicates that it is the most 

important and essential solution for the corresponding customer requirement. Engineering 

solutions which have a high correlation to the customer requirements are essential for the 

company in order to satisfy the customers and gain their goodwill. So it is very important 

to focus on such engineering solutions with high AIR value.

3.5  EM Decisions:

            The CORA results show that the top three AIR values are: 321, 300, 291 for 

optimum Utilization, Quality and Safety Standards and Effective Design respectively. 

The other important engineering solution with the fourth highest AIR Sustainable green 

focus is also an important in correlation to customer requirements. The forklifts do not 

run on non renewable resources of energy. Sustainability is maintained in the product 

with green focus. Constant improvements are made in the design in order to incorporate 

green materials in the product. Almost all the materials used for manufacturing are 

recyclable. As an EM these values will be commuted to the team members and the 

importance of these engineering solutions towards customer satisfaction. It would be a 

vital role of an EM to implant awareness among the team members that attaining team 

attention towards these engineering solutions. Continuous improvement plans will be 

applied in order to improve the quality and sustainability of the product. Investment 

plans for research and developments in the field of optimization for usage of material, 

man power and machines will be strongly emphasized in order to obtain low direct costs. 

            The collaborating companies will provide highly precise tooling for 

manufacturing. The products forklifts manufactured will be tested for safety and 

quality for every stage of manufacturing and assembly.

            In order to obtain the customer defined quality, process improvement and 

product design will be given emphasis through simulation tool FLEXSIM and design tools 

such as CAD/CAM/CIM. In order to obtain effective design analysis, tools such as 

PRO/E and Ansys will be used by the design department in order to obtain design 

quality and effectiveness. The design will undergo changes in order to keep up with the 

customer satisfaction. A strong feedback loop will help understand the customer 

suggestions for improvements in the design of the forklifts. 

            The two main engineering solutions effective design and quality & safety 

standards are actually interdependent. A good design would automatically help attain 

better quality. 

3.6  Collaboration:

            A.   Quality Carbide Tools:

     QCT designs and manufactures carbide tools. The products include wide 

range carbide drills, reamers, countersinks, end mills, carbide de-burring 

tools and all the standard tools. QCT is committed to customer satisfaction 

and has a quality policy of continual quality improvement. QCT is ISO 

9001:2008 certified company. QCT will be the key supplier of high speed 

cutting tools. QCT along with sunnen: above and beyond honing would provide 

efficient solutions in cutting process and related automation. QCT and 

sunnen would work in an integrated environment where in sunnen would 

provide solutions to machinery and QCT will provide appropriate tools.

     Manufacturing quality will be maintained through use of high quality 

carbide tools produced by QCT. Thus QCT will contribute to meet the 

quality standards. Cutting tools used highly define the cutting process and 

thus the close tolerances obtained will be of immense contribution to obtain 

the functional requirements.

B.    Sunnen: Above and beyond Honing:

     Sunnen is a global leader in manufacturing and distribution of bore sizing 

and finishing equipment, tooling and abrasives. They manufacture machinery 

as well as the honing tools which are solutions to almost all sizes of bore. 

The brushless AC motors used in the forklifts along with the drive system 

require close tolerances and thus high level of finishing is mandatory. Sunnen 

provides high end customized finishing systems. QCT manufactures carbid 

tools as per the tool requirements of sunnen machinery.

    Finishing operations are important in mating parts of the motors. Ensuring 

use of proper high speed tools sunnen will contribute to optimum use of 

materials as machining will be done with the use of high precision honing 

machines which will help reduce scrap. The manufacturing process 

influenced by cutting tools help suggestions to the design team in order to 

make manufacturing easy.

C. Rexroth Bosch Group:

Bosch Rexroth is one of the world’s leading specialists in field of drive 

and control technologies. They develop, produce and sell components and 

systems in the technology fields of electric drives and controls, 

industrial hydraulics, mobile hydraulics, assembly technologies and 

pneumatic. The company provides technical and design support for 

     hydraulics and electric drives and controls required in the forklifts. 

     Rexroth provides the specifications for each related components and QCT 

     along with sunnen support manufacturing mechanical components for the 

     hydraulic systems and electric drives & controls.

           Hydraulic systems used in the forklifts have to maintain accuracy in 

     order to provide accuracy in lifts. Most of the forklifts will require 

     customization in the lift requirement defined by the customers. Thus Bosch 

     Rexroth will help in customization requirement of customers. This company 

     will also provide electric drives and control. Use of motors and electric 

     drives adds green focus in the product. Thus engineering solutions for 

     sustainable green focus will be provided by Bosch Rexroth Group.

D. The Numina Group

The Numina group provides smarter and faster automation to material

handling.  Their products include: Conveyor Systems, Pick Zone Carton and

Tote Routing, Pick or Put to Light-Voice Pick, storage automation. The Pick 

or Put to Light-Voice Pick technology of Numina group is used in A&P for 

the purpose of inventory transportation. Thus Numina group plays a key 

role in inventory control by reducing to transportation time on the shop 

floor. Numina group provides conveyors systems required on the shop 

floor of A&P, along with maintenance and servicing. PLC control systems

installed in the forklifts is another input for A&P from the Numina group. 

Conveyor systems utilized in the manufacturing plant help least 

material handling. Thus support the engineering solutions for optimimum

utilization. 

3.7 Panorama Navigation Map:

This tool can be effectively used in order to obtain a overview of the 

whole system and describe each process in detail in a manufacturing plant. 

Taking 360 degree videos of the A&P Eco – Material handling equipments 

would help in train sessions of the employees and help them deliver with a 

mark of quality. It can prove a vital way of training people to work in 

hazardous environments. It can also be implemented in order to give 

customers an overview of the organization system through well explanatory

images and videos. This technology can also prove effective in order to 

implement improvements and the related analysis. As it gives visual 

contents it produces a creative path for the engineers to work on 

improvement techniques. This technology on implementation can help 

observe the material flow and will surely help in the discrete event and 

continuous flow simulation. A&P aims to utilize this technology in order to 

achieve its goal of least material handling and increase the productivity in 

order to full fill the customer defined quality and functional requirements. 

This technology can be used to capture videos and images which can help get 

suggestions from customers regarding their expectations and requirements

in the product process. This can influence the design team in order to 

design according to the customer requirements. This technology can be used 

in order to maintain visual quality checks during the process.

          

         4. Summary:

            

      By CORA analysis we A&P Eco-MHE can understand the process in details and how 

engineering functions can be applied in order to satisfy the customer requirements with the help 

of engineering  solutions. This will help improve quality of the products to satisfy important 

customer requirements with engineering solutions optimum utilization, quality & safety standards, 

effective design and sustainable green focus. This analysis also compares the customer 

requirements with other competitors which help identify the weakness and strengths of the 

company. The weaknesses can be improved with the help of applying appropriate engineering 

solutions. The CORA analysis will also help implement and trigger changes in order to obtain 

continuous improvements in order to meet the company goals to attain customer defined quality 

and functional requirements with an emphasis on sustainable green focus.

        5. References:

1.    Paul G. Ranky, IE673 Total Quality Management eLearning Pack ID: IE673-Spring 2012-95-66

2.    http://www.cimwareukandusa.com/All-Green/Ranky-GreenEngineering.html

3.    http://www.cimwareukandusa.com/CIMpgr1.html. 

4.    http://www.qctc.com/

5.    http://www.boschrexroth.com

6.    http://www.numinagroup.com/

7.    http://www.sunnen.com/