Successfully Regained Lost Market through Application of FMEA Tool to Revamp Design of Single Phase Induction Motor

Abstract

Kirloskar Electric Co was a leading supplier of Electrical Products in India around 1960s. It had about 28% to 30% Domestic Market share and had earned No. 1 position in the country. However, one of its products Single Phase Induction Motor got skidded in Domestic Market and had not earned a good name in the Export Market either. While the exact reasons for not being accepted in the Market were not known, the feeble voiced one single complaint did not lead to any particular clue. Hence, the Management assigned me the responsibility of identifying the problem and then evolving appropriate solutions to overcome the issues involved. So, I went to Market in different cities in the country to identify the real issues and through use of FMEA tool (not a well known quality tool in 1960s in India) evolved both short term and long term solutions to counter the problems faced.

With this, the new design evolved for the product became the base solution to the problems that the customer had faced in both National and International Markets. The new design concepts used became the base for revamping the entire Series of Single Phase Induction Motor. New product was welcomed by both National and International Markets and there by original Market share was regained.