Sigma

'Six Sigma' is a quality concept initially used by Motorola and then developed beyond manufacturing by GE Capital. It has underpinned that organisation's phenomenal success. In essence it is a way of scientifically measuring your current success (or failure) rate in relation to customer expectations (regardless of industry sector) and then ensuring that improvements are made. Six Sigma is the application of a new model of working, statistical measurement and process control to TQM. The 'normal' position of businesses today is three sigma (or a defect rate of about 5-10%); six sigma - a defect rate of less than four in every million - is the ultimate goal. This book explains the concept of Six Sigma and its statistical basis; explains the benefits which can be achieved by using it in any company and then outlines how to implement such a programme.

The aim of this book is to expand and improve upon the existing knowledge on discrete-time 1-bit look-ahead sigma-delta modulation in general, and to come to a solution for the above mentioned specific issues arising from 1-bit sigma-delta modulation for SA-CD. In order to achieve this objective an analysis is made of the possibilities for improving the performance of digital noise-shaping look-ahead solutions. On the basis of the insights obtained from the analysis, several novel generic 1-bit look-ahead solutions that improve upon the state-of-the-art will be derived and their performance will be evaluated and compared. Finally, all the insights are combined with the knowledge of the SA-CD lossless data compression algorithm to come to a specifically for SA-CD optimized look-ahead design.

Achieve unparalleled customer satisfaction and greater profitability with this essential handbook! Six Sigma is a proven and highly effective business initiative for improving customer satisfaction and increasing the efficiency of processes. Rath & Strong's Six Sigma Leadership Handbook highlights the critical factors that make or break implementation, offers key best practices for getting it right the first time, and offers real-life examples and case studies that light the path to success. With Rath & Strong, you'll get an overview of the tools, methods, approaches, benefits, and risks that are associated with each element of the methodology.

This is the first book to completely cover the whole body of knowledge of Six Sigma and Design for Six Sigma with Simulation Methods as outlined by the American Society for Quality. Both simulation and contemporary Six Sigma methods are explained in detail with practical examples that help understanding of the key features of the design methods. The systems approach to designing products and services as well as problem solving is integrated into the methods discussed.

Sigma delta modulation has become a very useful and widely applied technique for high performance Analog-to-Digital (A/D) conversion of narrow band signals. Through the use of oversampling and negative feedback, the quantization errors of a coarse quantizer are suppressed in a narrow signal band in the output of the modulator. Bandpass sigma delta modulation is well suited for A/D conversion of narrow band signals modulated on a carrier, as occurs in communication systems such as AM/FM receivers and mobile phones. Due to the nonlinearity of the quantizer in the feedback loop, a sigma delta modulator may exhibit input signal dependent stability properties. The same combination of the nonlinearity and the feedback loop complicates the stability analysis. In Bandpass Sigma Delta Modulators, the describing function method is used to analyze the stability of the sigma delta modulator. The linear gain model commonly used for the quantizer fails to predict small signal stability properties and idle patterns accurately. In Bandpass Sigma Delta Modulators an improved model for the quantizer is introduced, extending the linear gain model with a phase shift. Analysis shows that the phase shift of a sampled quantizer is in fact a phase uncertainty. Stability analysis of sigma delta modulators using the extended model allows accurate prediction of idle patterns and calculation of small-signal stability boundaries for loop filter parameters. A simplified rule of thumb is derived and applied to bandpass sigma delta modulators. The stability properties have a considerable impact on the design of single-loop, one-bit, high-order continuous-time bandpass sigma delta modulators. The continuous-time bandpass loop filter structure should have sufficient degrees of freedom to implement the desired (small-signal stable) sigma delta modulator behavior. Bandpass Sigma Delta Modulators will be of interest to practicing engineers and researchers in the areas of mixed-signal and analog integrated circuit design.

This important book deals with the modeling and design of higher-order single-stage delta-sigma modulators. It provides an overview of the architectures, the quantizer models, the design techniques and the implementation issues encountered in the study of the delta-sigma modulators. A number of applications are discussed, with emphasis on use in the design of analog-to-digital converters and in frequency synthesis. The book is education- rather than research-oriented, containing numerical examples and unsolved problems. It is aimed at introducing the final-year undergraduate, the graduate student or the electronic engineer to this field. Contents: Analog to Digital Conversion; ou Modulators OCo Architectures; Single-Bit Single-Stage ou Modulators, Modeling and Design; Implementation of ou Modulators; Practical Limitations of ou Modulators; Stabilization and Suppression of Tones for the Higher-Order Single-Stage ou Modulators; Decimation, Interpolation and Converters; Applications. Readership: Final-year undergraduates; graduate students; electrical, electronic and systems engineers."

The world’s largest and most profitable companies – including the likes of GE, Bank of America, Honeywell, DuPont, Samsung, Starwood Hotels, Bechtel, and Motorola – have used Six Sigma to achieve breathtaking improvements in business performance, in everything from products to processes to complex systems and even in work environments. Over the past decade, over $100 billion in bottom-line performance has been achieved through corporate Six Sigma programs. Yet, despite its astounding effectiveness, few outside of the community of Six Sigma practitioners know what Six Sigma is all about. With this book, Six Sigma is revealed to everyone. You might be in a company that’s already implemented Six Sigma, or your organization may be considering it. You may be a student who wants to learn how it works, or you might be a seasoned business professional who needs to get up to speed. In any case, Six Sigma For Dummies is the most straightforward, non-intimidating guide on the market. This simple, friendly book makes Six Sigma make sense. With a compelling foreword by Dr. Stephen R. Covey, the internationally recognized leadership authority and bestselling author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People and The 8th Habit, and an afterword by Roxanne O’Brasky, President of the International Society of Six Sigma, Six Sigma For Dummies is the most complete and objective book in the market today. Unlike most other works that are either graduate-level statistics treatises or thinly-veiled autobiographical success stories, Six Sigma For Dummies teaches the reader all the foundation principles, methods, and tools of this magnificent problem-solving system. Intended to help readers understand Six Sigma and how they can use it to improve their performance, this no-nonsense guide explains: What Six Sigma is all about and how it works The benefits of Six Sigma in organizations and businesses The powerful “DMAIC” problem-solving roadmap Yellow, Green and Black -- how the Six Sigma "belt" system works How to select and utilize the right tools and technologies Speaking the language of Six Sigma Knowing the roles and responsibilities Mastering the statistics skills and analytical methods Six Sigma For Dummies will become everyone’s No. 1 resource for discovering and mastering the world’s most famous and powerful improvement tool. Stephen Covey is spot-on when he says, “Six Sigma For Dummies is a book to be read by everyone”.