What is Six Sigma and Lean Manufacturing?
Six Sigma and Lean Manufacturing or Lean Enterprise (also known as Lean) principles are a powerful, fundamental and strategic cornerstone methodology designed to improve business efficiency. Applying Six Sigma can constitute a total management philosophy, or bring a process improvement effort into play to increase productivity and reduce costs. In essence, Six Sigma is the disciplined application of statistical problem-solving tools that identify wasteful costs and the precise steps for improvement on a per-project basis. The epitome of quality management, Six Sigma strives for the virtual elimination of defects from every product or process in an organization.

How Pharmatech Applies Six Sigma to Life Sciences
The life science industry possesses particular attributes, which must be considered when deploying any type of improvement system. Pharmatech has folded the benefits of Six Sigma and Lean into a program designed to meet the specific needs of the life sciences industry.

Pharmatech Associates uses this refined methodology, based on measurement and discovery, to clearly define performance and other key variables that impact the quality of products and services and move the organization toward a data-driven decision making process.

Why Implement Six Sigma?

Executing Six Sigma brings:

• Increased earnings and profitability
• Improved customer satisfaction
• A better-educated, productive workforce
• Improved employee problem solving skills
• Reduced capital spending
• Increased capacity

Pharmatech's Six Sigma Training Program
Pharmatech provides both Six Sigma and Lean Manufacturing training specifically adapted to the regulated life sciences industry. Pharmatech is the only full service consultancy in which all employees are trained to a minimum of the Green Belt level. Further, Pharmatech retains both Master Black Belt and Black Belts, who advise clients on the navigation and resolution of project-specific issues.

Six Sigma Green Belt Training
Green Belts are a vital component to any successful Six Sigma program. Champions and Black Belts understand the need to involve a larger critical mass of people to achieve breakthrough level results from their Six Sigma initiative.

Green Belt training is an essential first step in developing the fundamental understanding of how to apply the tools and methods used in the Six Sigma methodology. This course is comprised of a 9-day training session spread over a two-week period.

The Green Belt program teaches the fundamentals of applying the Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control (DMAIC) roadmap in a problem-solving environment. To graduate, each student presents a project to the class that demonstrates a clear understanding of the principles of the DMAIC road map and Six Sigma methodology. Throughout the class, students have full access to Pharmatech's Black Belts and Master Black Belts.

Black Belt Training
Black Belts represent the key to the success of the Six Sigma program because they possess detailed knowledge of the DMAIC problem solving methodology and the statistical principles, which support it. Dedicated to solving key problems facing an organization, these experts also take on the role of coaching Green Belts and management to guarantee momentum and focus for the Six Sigma initiative.

Employees trained as Black Belts typically are full-time employees dedicated to delivering cost savings to the company. The course builds upon the expertise and experience derived as a Green Belt. The program is an intensive eight-day session spread over two weeks. Black Belts are expected to have an identified project with an expected cost savings of $100K or more for the organization. The application of the DMAIC roadmap is reviewed at the completion of the project. Throughout the class, students have full access to Pharmatech's Black Belts and Master Black Belts.

Pharmatech Associates offers both the Green Belt and Black Belt classes publicly, which are open to individuals from all industries and are held in centrally located venue. We also offer private classes that can be tailored to our clients operations and are held on the client site.

Lean Manufacturing (Lean Enterprise)
Lean Manufacturing or Lean is a continuous improvement strategy used by organizations to achieve world-class performance to:

1. Create an empowered workforce
2. Foster a continuous improvement culture
3. Reduce delays, lead times, inventories and costs
4. Eliminate waste and focus on value-added activities
5. Capitalize on effective teamwork
6. Improve quality, safety and productivity

Lean Manufacturing is an overall methodology that seeks to minimize the resources required for production by eliminating the sources of waste (defined as non-value added activities) that inflate costs, decreases lead times and inventory requirements while emphasizing the use of preventive maintenance, quality improvement programs, and pull systems for flexible workforces and production facilities.

Pharmatech's Lean Methodology
Our Lean methodology focuses on identifying, defining and optimizing projects, which have the greatest positive impact on the business unit.

Each project is organized according to the following steps:

1. Identify the burning platforms: Determine which lean initiative will create the maximum value at the corporate and business unit level

2. Identify value streams within the business units that have the greatest potential for increasing value

3. Identify and prioritize projects within each value stream that will maximize value. These programs are often synchronized with Six Sigma projects.

Pharmatech utilizes its intimate understanding of the life science industry operations to apply the tools available in its Lean Tool kit, including:

Hidden Wastes Over Production Defects & Rework Motion Wastes Transportation Inventory Over Processing Waiting Time Lean Assessments Workplace Organization/5S Total Production Maintenance (TPM) Rapid Improvement Process Visual Controls Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) Just-In-TimeKanbanError Proofing Cellular Layouts Value Stream Mapping Sequencing Single Piece Flow Mistake Proofing Quick Change-Overs (SMED) Line Balancing