Mfg Math & Statistics Activity
What? Use M&M’s or similar candies to learn about Six Sigma and manufacturing statistics? Yup. Perfect for CIM class and POE. Tastiest activity they will do all year.
Step 1: How are M&M’s Made?
Watch this video and answer the questions below.
Copy and paste the questions below into a google doc, an LMS, or a Word doc, and hand them in to your teacher.
a. What country did Mars get the idea for the M&Ms from?
b. Explain why the M&M was so popular at the time in this country.
c. What does M&M stand for?
d. What manufacturing process is used to make the chocolate part?
e. What do they call the shape of the M&M, and why did they choose this shape?
f. What manufacturing process is used to add the color?
g. What are the percentages of colors in each bag when packaged?
Step 2: What is Six Sigma?
Watch this short video about Six Sigma, then answer the questions below.
Copy and paste the questions below into a google doc, an LMS, or a Word doc, and hand them in to your teacher. If you are in Mr. Hurd’s or Mr. Phan’s class, just take the quiz on Schoology!
| 1. What do you think is the most important part of the problem to solve for the car company? In other words, which part of this problem do you think should be tackled first? Fix the wiper problem Increase production Stop the stall in production Explain why in a few sentences: ____________________________________________________________________________ |
| 2.Six Sigma can be used to solve many manufacturing problems. Which one of the choices below is NOT solvable using six sigma?Eliminate manufacturing delays Improve the manufacturing process Fix other manufacturing issues along the way Determine how many employees to hire |
| 3. The concept of Six Sigma was first introduced in 1980 by who? Bill Smith Mr. Toyoda Henry Ford Samuel Colt |
| 4. What company did the “founder” of six sigma work for? Toyota Ford Motorola Remington Arms |
| 5. Six Sigma reduces manufacturing errors by what percent? (Do the math…) 0.004 0.4 9.96 99.96 |
| 6. Using six sigma, what is the maximum number of manufacturing errors you can you have per million products? 0.004 0.4 3.4 3400 |
| 7. In the DMAIC method of six sigma, in the improve phase three of the four steps are: ____________________________________________________________________________ |
| 8. What methodology is used by companies when they want to release a new product created from scratch? DMADV or DMAIC? Explain why you think this to be true. __________________________________________________________________________ |
| 9. According to six sigma, and the manufacturing wheel, when launching a new product, who’s input is most important? Why? __________________________________________________________________________ |
| 10. List three of the industries that have found success using six sigma. _____________________________________________________________________ |
Step 3: Count your M&M’s
Watch the video below: CnJ Manufacturing Math and Statistics Part1: Counting, and take note of how many M&M’s you estimate to be in a small bag, and a large bag.
CnJ Mfg Stats Student TemplateCopy and paste the questions below into a google doc, an LMS, or a Word doc, and hand them in to your teacher.
Conclusion: Counting
- How close were your estimates to reality?
- Compare the # of each color in the small bag with the big bag. Describe your comparison. What do you see in the above data?
- Compare the amount of colors in your small bag to what the video says they should be. was your data the same as in the video? Compare and explain your results.
- Put your data from the small bag above into the sheet labelled Colors in the column labelled YOUR DATA.
Step 4: Color Analysis
Watch the video below: CnJ Manufacturing Math and Statistics Part 2: Color Statistics, and open your excel spreadsheet from Step 3 and follow along. Be sure to save your work when done.
Step 4 Conclusion: Copy and paste the questions below into a google doc, an LMS, or a Word doc, and hand them in to your teacher.
Conclusion: Color
- Will the data for the color be the same from year to year? Why or why not?
- What do you think could’ve happened to make Jonny’s data incorrect?
- Define the following terms:
Mean
Median
Mode
Standard Deviation - Draw the histograms in your notebook if you cannot get Google sheets to make them correctly.
Step 5 Measurement Analysis
Watch the video below: CnJ Manufacturing Math and Statistics Part 3: Measurement Statistics, and open your excel spreadsheet from Step 3 and follow along. Be sure to save your work when done.
Step 5 Conclusion: Copy and paste the questions below into a google doc, an LMS, or a Word doc, and hand them in to your teacher.
Conclusion: Size
- Will the data for the size be the same from year to year? Why or why not?
- What do you think the shape of the histogram should be in an ideal situation? Describe it in words.
- How do your histograms compare to the ideal situation? Describe why you think this is true.
- Draw the histograms in your notebook if you cannot get Google sheets to make them correctly.
- How does what you have learned in this activity deal with the concept of Six Sigma in Manufacturing? Explain fully.
This activity is suitable for use by students via distance learning as well.
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