This article is an extract from Smart Manufacturing, the Lean Six Sigma Way, Wiley, available May 2022

The U.S. and EU economies are facing a major labor shortage in manufacturing. A pre-Covid survey projected the need for more than four million new manufacturing jobs by 2030, but with a shortfall of more than two million. Given the growing labor shortage caused by Covid-19, the problem can be expected to worsen.² The shortage in quality assurance will be even more critical as these positions require dedication and advanced skills beyond what many factory workers have. Even with the most dedicated and skilled inspectors, unacceptable error rates are common occurrences as people get distracted and fatigued.

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