Análise da variabilidade do processo de sinterização em uma indústria de revestimentos cerâmicos e de porcelanato usando a ferramenta CEP

Abstract

In order to fulfill the quality requirements in the ceramic and porcelain tile manufacturing process, the application of statistical process control (CEP) brings numerous benefits to the entire production process, offering methods of evaluation and efficient process monitoring. It was adopted as a methodological procedure the accomplishment of a descriptive research, with case study, as well as documentary research, participant observation, interviews, parametric and descriptive statistics, and qualitative analysis. This work makes an analysis in the process of sintering of porcelain, using the variable "dimension of the piece", using tools and concepts of quality and CEP, especially the control charts. The purpose of this research is to determine and analyze the way the productive system behaves by monitoring the variable "piece dimension", which is one of the factors that imply the defect of variation of tone, in order to support decision making. In order to do so, the flow of the ceramic and porcelain tile manufacturing process was explained, in order to understand its technical characteristics. It was carried out the survey of occurrence of customer complaints and these were associated to the sector responsible for the technical problem, aiming at prioritizing the area of intervention of the research. The results obtained after application of the CEP were analyzed, aiming the construction of a process improvement plan, in order to mitigate the possible causes of variability found. A case study was used as a technical procedure, in which data were collected through the use of records, transcribed in electronic spreadsheets, generating graphical and quantitative information through statistical software. The results indicate that the company needs to prioritize its efforts in technical improvements in furnaces and training for its employees in order to reduce the causes of variability of the process.