Abstract
Compact notebook PCs are desired nowadays. However, the conventional design of notebook PCs configured with an optical disk drive suffers from structural durability problems that are indicative of potentially high defect rates. Companies have been attempting to reduce the size of assembly parts to pursue compactness, but the elimination of these materials might negatively affect structural stability, which is fundamentally important to all high-technology products. The DMAIC-based Six Sigma methodology applied in this research aims to improve quality performance, and eliminate redesign waste and unnecessary handoffs according to customer requirements. Several optimization techniques, such as factorial experiment, response surface method, and computational intelligence approaches, are also adopted to optimize the significant factors that affect the module design and structural strength index during compression. Implementation results for notebook PC products reveal significant achievements in either quality or cost. The good product yield obtained through the improved quality increased at an average of 15.73%, and resulted in an overall estimated cost saving of US$2.9 million over a period of 12 months.