Projects
Lean Six Sigma Process Improvement Project & Certification
Problem:
While working at Bose, I had the opportunity to participate in their bi-annual co-op workshop for Yellow Belt Certification. I was encouraged to identify a process that impacted my daily work where I saw room for improvement.
I made frequent use of the in-house silicone room for iterations of different ear tip and attachment methods for the earbuds I designed. After spending time in the silicone room at the suggestion of my project mentor, I realized that reducing lead time was the lab’s main priority at the expense of wasted silicone. This was a waste of company resources and funds and also unsustainable.
Action:
I was taught about the ordering system, mold design, and injection techniques by the mold designer and lab technician to better understand the benefits and drawbacks of their system. Employing the Lean Enterprise PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, Act) cycle, value-stream mapping, and other Lean principles, I came up with a plan and executables for revising this process.
I began by repeating the process myself to collect data on the average amount of silicone needed in each step. There is some inherent waste due to the mixing process and geometry of injection molding materials, but this was calculated and reflected in the data. I also measured the delta between the average masses the lab technician used and what was actually needed, with an extra 20% accounting for silicone that remains in the fill and vent holes. Using the collected data, I coded a simple website calculator that took the user-inputted part volume and number of parts in the order request to calculate the total mass of silicone needed for that project.
Result:
The designer and lab technician continue to use this tool. This reduced the waste in the silicone room by 35%, cutting costs for the prototyping group and larger organization at Bose. After presenting and having my work reviewed, I was granted my Lean Enterprise Yellow Belt Certification.
Test Fixture Design
Problem:
The Concept Prototyping group I was a part of at Bose was occasionally asked to create test fixtures since we could design faster and cheaper in-house.
The A30 Aviation Headset, which was released in March 2023, had certain testing requirements that the past A20 test fixture could not keep up with. The prior version had been able to run reliability testing on only one or two boom mics at a time. The team wanted a machine with higher testing capabilities that they could adapt for new products, if needed.
Action:
I helped design a new testing apparatus that could handle up to eight boom mics at a time. Each mic snapped onto a printed plastic component that utilized the same attachment method as the headset and rested between two aluminum rods when rotating. These rods interfaced with an aluminum mount that was press-fit onto the stepper motor gear box shaft and were supported at the opposite end of the fixture with pillow block bearings. The gear box was added after preliminary testing indicated that the fixture would run more smoothly, and no steps would be missed if some torque on the motor was relieved.
The aluminum mount, while rotating, hit a limit switch positioned at the desired angle that signaled to the stepper motor to change direction until it hit the opposite switch. The switches were attached to a printed component that could be replaced easily if the angle requirement changed. To reduce latency and stepper command issues, I utilized interrupts in my Arduino code. I also added an LCD screen that would print the number of desired cycles and cycles remaining. This way, the machine could run overnight, and cycle completion could be verified in the morning, or the machine could be reset, and the remaining cycles completed in the case of system failure.
Result:
I was able to help increase the testing capabilities by 700%. The adaptability of this fixture also added value to the project since the test angle, number of cycles, and mic connection mechanism could be altered for reliability testing on future products without constraining their design.
Bose A30 Aviation Headset via bose.com
Note: Due to the confidentiality of the work I did at Bose, I am unable to discuss many projects in detail. I have provided what context I can without breaking non-disclosure agreements.