What is Robust Quality Engineering(RQE)?
Overview:
Robust Quality Engineering is a field of study proposed by Dr. Genichi Taguchi. Dr. Taguchi and his colleagues applied experimental design techniques in factories to address various problems, significantly improving the quality of Japanese industrial products.
From the 1970s onward, he continued to apply his innovative theories to a wide range of issues. This approach systematizes the traditional trial-and-error process of research and development, enhancing the efficiency of design and development activities.
Introduced to USA and Europe in 1980, this methodology is also known as the Taguchi Method. In simple terms, it is a philosophy and methodology aimed at creating products and services that are "robust against variation and consistently of good quality."
To achieve this, it focuses on developing robust designs that are less susceptible to influences from noise factors—such as operating conditions (e.g., temperature, humidity, usage) and degradation and aging—which designers cannot control. The goal is to create designs that function reliably under a wide range of noise conditions, whether at extreme temperatures, high humidity, or after prolonged use, all while keeping costs low. This engineering approach emphasizes designing products to be inherently less prone to failure from the outset, rather than adopting a "fix it when it breaks" mentality. It provides a scientific method for developing designs that resist variation and is applicable not only in manufacturing but also in software and service industries.
Dr. Genichi Taguchi - From Design of Experiments to Robust Quality Engineering
In 1980, at AT&T Bell Labs, Dr. Taguchi said:
・“Whack-a-mole after whack-a-mole after whack-a-mole will not lead to essential solutions.”
・“If you don't design it right at the design stage, you'll never get out of trouble.”
Bell Labs' microprocessor production - which more than halved the variability in the photolithography process of drilling 230,000 2 μm-diameter holes in a 1.5-cm square - resulted in improving the manufacturing yield from 33% to 87%.
The results were published in the Bell System Technical Journal in May 1983, and caused a great sensation, and subsequently contributed greatly to major American industries, including Ford Motor Company. Dr. Don Clausing of Xerox Corporation named it the “Taguchi Method”.
In his later years, Dr. Taguchi stated, "The work I have done can be summarized in two key points."
1. Simplifying the use of orthogonal arrays.
2. Incorporating data acquisition and analysis methods from the experimental design to minimize variation and achieve a robust design at a low cost. Refer to the current focus on "Robust Quality Engineering."