Dodge Ram
Cummins Six Sigma Project Results in a
Smoother Ride for Dodge Ram Pickup
At a Glance . . .
• During an executive test drive just months before product launch, Daimler Chrysler officials declared a no-launch decision because of excessive vehicle vibration for the company's newly designed Dodge Ram Mega Cab 4x4 pickup. • Cummins Inc., manufacturer of the truck's diesel engine, immediately chartered a Six Sigma team and employed the DMAIC problem-solving process to diagnose and correct the factors leading to the high vibration levels. • Through extensive testing, the Six Sigma team determined that by increasing the crankshaft counterweight radius, vibrations were significantly reduced. • The Cummins' team completed the DMAIC project in an extraordinary time frame — just over four months — resulting in a 16% reduction in vibration levels and a 100% increase in sales of the truck in the first year compared to sales projections.
It was less than nine months before Daimler Chrysler launched its new 2006 Dodge Ram Mega Cab 4x4 pickup when top company executives tested vehicle prototypes during a semi-annual executive ride-and-drive session. During the test drives, the automaker's executives determined that excessive engine vibrations felt in the cab created a no-launch situation. The company then turned to Cummins Inc., supplier of the vehicle's 5.9-liter turbo-diesel engine, looking to dramatically reduce the vibration levels—and quickly! Cummins, which already had a successful companywide Six Sigma program in place, immediately launched a Six Sigma project to tackle the vibration problem.
Cummins Inc. deployed a Six Sigma team to reduce engine vibration just six months prior to the September 2005 launch of the new Dodge Ram Mega Cab 4x4 pickup.
Recognizing consumer demand for better fuel economy and reduced emissions, both
Toyota and Honda have introduced hybrid vehicles to the American market. Toyota introduced the Prius to the U.S. in 2000. Honda began
Smoother Ride for Dodge Ram Pickup
At a Glance . . .
• During an executive test drive just months before product launch, Daimler Chrysler officials declared a no-launch decision because of excessive vehicle vibration for the company's newly designed Dodge Ram Mega Cab 4x4 pickup. • Cummins Inc., manufacturer of the truck's diesel engine, immediately chartered a Six Sigma team and employed the DMAIC problem-solving process to diagnose and correct the factors leading to the high vibration levels. • Through extensive testing, the Six Sigma team determined that by increasing the crankshaft counterweight radius, vibrations were significantly reduced. • The Cummins' team completed the DMAIC project in an extraordinary time frame — just over four months — resulting in a 16% reduction in vibration levels and a 100% increase in sales of the truck in the first year compared to sales projections.
It was less than nine months before Daimler Chrysler launched its new 2006 Dodge Ram Mega Cab 4x4 pickup when top company executives tested vehicle prototypes during a semi-annual executive ride-and-drive session. During the test drives, the automaker's executives determined that excessive engine vibrations felt in the cab created a no-launch situation. The company then turned to Cummins Inc., supplier of the vehicle's 5.9-liter turbo-diesel engine, looking to dramatically reduce the vibration levels—and quickly! Cummins, which already had a successful companywide Six Sigma program in place, immediately launched a Six Sigma project to tackle the vibration problem.
Cummins Inc. deployed a Six Sigma team to reduce engine vibration just six months prior to the September 2005 launch of the new Dodge Ram Mega Cab 4x4 pickup.
Recognizing consumer demand for better fuel economy and reduced emissions, both
Toyota and Honda have introduced hybrid vehicles to the American market. Toyota introduced the Prius to the U.S. in 2000. Honda began