Circuit Troubleshooting Based on Applying Lean Six Sigma Techniques: American Society for Engineering Education

Abstract

This paper presents Lean Six Sigma techniques and methods that Electrical Engineering Technology (EET) students have found useful in their in-class circuit troubleshooting activities.When students are first learning circuit analysis and fabrication, they often lack the skills totroubleshoot failed circuits based on a specification. In addition to presenting the tools used in the instruction of the test student group this paper also describes how the Lean Six Sigma method were used to arrive at the optimal course content. For this paper, two student groups, in an EET laboratory experience, are compared based on the primary metric number of failed attempts to meet circuit board test specifications. The student test body was divided into two groups. A control course section group, where no troubleshooting instruction was given and designated the “As Is” state. The second section group, “Improved State” was given an extensive troubleshooting methodology as part of their initial training. The primary metric, number of failed attempts to meet specification, was chosen as it is easy to measure by student Teaching Assistants (TA) and was also used to assess the Sigma process capability for each group. The Sigma capability of each group provided a further measure of the overall success of the intervention. The authors quickly realized that students in the control group were making two classic types of errors. Many students were making a rule or knowledge-based error, where students were not following the instructions for the specific circuit fabrication and test. This type of error was addressed by improving instructional material and adding root-cause analysis checklists to the course content. The second type of observed error, where a student is incorrectly applying a base skill to the construction protocol, is classified as event-based and is more difficult to resolve. Theoretically, there can be many possible solutions to an event based error. Perhaps there may even be no optimal solution to the error, or “right answer,” just a work around that students must find. To address this type of error students were instructed how to apply Lean Six Sigma tools such as root-cause analysis and Failure Modes and Effects (FMEA) matrices in their problem-solving sessions. Also, Sneak Analysis was included to address typical design flaws.