A quality improvement system for the kitchen cabinet industry
Abstract
A primary objective was to develop a product engineering methodology which will enable kitchen cabinet manufacturers to design and manufacture high quality cabinets in keeping with consumer expectations. A procedure was developed for detecting customer requirements and translating these requirements into technical specifications. A product engineering methodology was also determined for designing a kitchen cabinet including structural design of cabinets. Technical recommendations for quality improvement were also provided in order to be applied in the stages of product design and manufacturing. A secondary objective was to develop guidelines for a quality improvement system for the kitchen cabinet industry which will provide a methodology for detecting and reducing quality related problems in (a) supply of raw materials, hardware, and parts, (b) cabinet design, (c) manufacturing, (d) handling and installation, and (e) customer service. A set of quality improvement guidelines was developed for the Costa Rican kitchen cabinet industry. A procedure was also developed for documenting and designing a quality system and quality manual. Finally, robust design construction methods of kitchen cabinets and a design example were provided based on the characteristics of raw materials found in Costa Rica coupled with recommendations for quality improvement for the Costa Rican kitchen cabinet industry.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Eckelman, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Industrial engineering|Wood|Technology
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