If you work as a quality engineer, you will inevitably encounter problems that need to be solved. One of the tools used for this purpose is the 8D Report methodology, which is employed across many industries.
The U.S. Department of Defense created the document under discussion in 1974. The automotive industry quickly recognized its potential, with Ford being the first manufacturer to implement and popularize it.
Introduction to the 8D Report Methodology
The 8D Report is a tool used for reporting and documenting actions for identified non-conformities and issues. This involves both internal and external reports, but it is most commonly required for customer complaints concerning quality or logistical problems.
Steps in the 8D Report Methodology
In theory, the 8D report includes eight steps of analysis. However, you may also encounter step D0, which involves implementing actions related to identified risks – Emergency Response Actions (ERA). If such a scenario arises, they are treated as part of the containment action strategy from step D3.
What does the standard sequence of steps look like?
1D – Team Definition
The first step, 1D, involves forming a team to solve the problem. This team should include a designated leader, often the quality engineer responsible for handling the complaint. It’s crucial for team members to come from various departments. In this step, the report should list the contact details of the team members.
2D – Problem Description
To solve a problem, we must first understand it. That is the goal of this step. The better we describe the problem, the easier it will be to understand and resolve it. Specialists responsible for filing complaints are the entry point to the complaint process.
Based on the report, which should include the production label (from our supplier) and a photo with the production date of the part, the supplier should determine:
- The production date of the part, allowing for the identification of the operator who produced the defective part and the specific workstation/line affected.
- The delivery date and quantity of pieces from the infected delivery to our plant. It’s also useful to define dates of suspect deliveries, though sorting the entire inventory may often be necessary.
3D – Containment Action
This step involves corrective actions to ensure that our plant has quality-compliant parts. The 8D report should include information about sorting.
Typically, an external company provides these services, though they can also be performed with internal resources. We should consider various options for securing compliant parts in the warehouse. Necessary information includes:
- The company providing sorting services.
- Instructions for how the external company’s employees should perform the checks.
- Methods for identifying checked parts, often marked with a green label or directly on the parts if possible.
Additional points to consider:
- Sorting at the supplier’s location and in external warehouses. The company must also sort any shipment in transit.
- Daily updates on sorting results both at our plant and the supplier’s.
- Dates of the first guaranteed delivery. The supplier should ideally provide delivery note numbers for identification.
- The supplier should establish a firewall and ensure 100% inspection for the reported defect until they complete step D6.
4D – Root Cause
As quality engineers, we should not hesitate to ask, audit, and query suppliers. It’s crucial for suppliers to conduct the analysis according to requirements, increasing the chances of preventing future occurrences.
If any stages of the analysis, such as determining the root cause or corrective actions, are unclear, we have every right to ask questions. We also need to understand the problem and the actions aimed at eliminating it.
The purpose of this part of the report is to determine the root cause of the issue. The team should conduct the analysis in two directions:
- Detection
- Occurrence
A classic approach is the Ishikawa diagram (4M+E, 5M – different variations exist). It helps verify whether the potential root cause is marked on the diagram, possibly highlighted in a different color in the report.
The next step is conducting a 5 Whys analysis, helping identify the root cause, which serves as a starting point for defining corrective actions.
5D – Corrective Action
At this stage, the focus is on defining corrective actions for the root causes identified in step 4D.
The supplier should:
- Define corrective actions for both occurrence and detection.
- Assign responsible individuals for implementing the actions.
- Set planned implementation dates.
6D – Verification of Corrective Actions
The supplier should verify their corrective actions using measurable methods. Data should demonstrate that the corrective actions were effective. Measurable methods can include:
- Process capability indices (cp, cpk)
- Reduced RPM, PPM
- Laboratory test results
- Results from 100% product inspections
After verifying and confirming the effectiveness of the corrective actions, the supplier can conclude the inspection of the product for the reported defect, depending on the nature of the problem.
7D – Preventive Actions
The supplier should define preventive actions to ensure the problem does not recur. The company should systematically document these actions, which may include:
- PFMEA
- Control Plans
- Maintenance department review plans
- Work instructions
If the company has similar production processes, we should also implement the actions defined in the 8D report there.
8D – Report Evaluation
In this step, the team evaluates the entire 8D report and decides to either accept it or request improvements from the supplier. For multiple open complaints from a single supplier (or communication issues), additional series of meetings may be scheduled.
Currently, setting up teleconferences (e.g., weekly) to review actions and the status of 8D reports is a highly effective solution. These meetings allow us to address all concerns and define additional actions.
Summary of the 8D Report Methodology
The clear structure and division of responsibilities make this document widely used across various industries, not just the automotive sector.
Every quality engineer should familiarize themselves with it because doing so significantly enhances our competitiveness and competencies in the job market.
And if you want to gain competence in effective problem-solving management, we invite you to participate in the training 8D Problem Solving.
