Implementation of fuzzy-enabled QFD in aluminium pot manufacturing SMEs for enhancing quality in maintenance engineering

Purpose The main emphasis of the paper is to utilize the fuzzy-enabled quality function deployment model on small and medium enterprises dealing with the production of aluminium pots. The goal is to identify customer requirements and translate them into technical parameters to produce high-quality products. Furthermore, this study suggests recommendations for the industry to improve quality through the implementation of total productive maintenance (TPM) pillars. Design/methodology/approach The study employs the house of quality (HOQ) framework, developed through customer surveys to capture the voice of the customer. Quality factors for aluminium products were identified through comprehensive literature surveys. Subsequently, a questionnaire was developed to ascertain customer requirements based on these identified quality factors. The customer requirements were then ranked using a fuzzy approach, facilitated by an expert survey. The content of questionnaire was rigorously validated, and its reliability was verified using jamovi statistical software. Findings The results obtained from the HOQ facilitate the ranking of technical parameters and subsequent recommendations of an action plan, guided by the principles of TPM pillars. This work frames the HOQ of an aluminium product (Handy) as part of quality planning. Meeting the customer requirements is shown to be essential for achieving the desired product quality. Research limitations/implications The findings are limited to the aluminium products manufacturing sector; therefore, further research is needed to validate this approach in other industries. Originality/value This paper proposes an HOQ analysis specifically for aluminium pot manufacturing. The motivation for this study is to ensure human hygiene and safety, which is closely linked to the quality of aluminium pots and represents an important social concern.