Integrating Customer Requirements through Quality Function Deployment in Product Design: A Case Study in Glove Manufacturing

Abstract

Glove manufacturing industry plays a major role of the exports industry in Sri Lanka. To survive and succeed in the competitive glove manufacturing environment, it is important to introduce new products that fulfill the customer requirements. When fulfilling the customer requirements, quality of the products plays a huge role. This study focuses on integrating Quality Function Deployment in new product designs of glove manufacturing. The purpose of this study is to identify the customer requirements and transform them into new product designs through engineering or design teams. Primary data have been collected directly by measuring the glove dimensional parameters and through interviews and brainstorming sessions. Secondary data has been collected from surveys, feedbacks, monthly reports, and reprots generated by software used in the company. Then Quality Function Deployment for three styles of a single product series is prepared and the results are evaluated using statistical tests. Based on th analysis, it has been revealed that the glove dimensions are within control limits after implementing quality function deployment. Study concludes that by transforming customer ideas into new product designs, the quality of the products can be increased. Quality Function Deployment is a better solution for transforming customer ideas into new product designs.