Suzhen ZHU，Qianqian LIU，Chao LIN，LeiWANG，Yun MA

Shandong Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau，Qingdao 266001，China

1 Introduction

The food safety monitoring laboratory Amainly undertakes issue of inspection report and supply of objective，fair，legal，and valid results or data，to show whether certain product or several items conform to existing standards or requirements agreed by trading parties.Although the laboratory adopts ISO／IEC17025：2005General Requirements for Competence of Testing and Calibration Laboratories and it is a laboratory approved by China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment，there are also many complaints about laboratory services，leading to reduction of its competitive power.In increasingly intense market competition，managers of most inspection laboratories start to focus on how to select advanced quality management methods to increase operating efficiency，save cost，increase customer satisfaction，and increase core competitiveness.Six sigma（6σ）is a set of techniques and tools for process improvement.It is a new effective management tool for eliminating errors，simplifying process，and meeting requirements of customers to themaximal extent［1］.It seeks to improve the quality of process outputs by identifying and removing the causes of defects（errors）and minimizing variability in manufacturing and business processes.Generally speaking，6σrequires completion of tasks in one time in the fastest，simplest and most scientific way.Core concepts of6σmanagement include＂customer-oriented，data driven，continuous improvement，and pursuit of brilliance＂［2］.6σof fers methods and statistical tools，such as brainstorming method，creative thinking method，optimal practice method，and flow chart method，to determine solutions and establish methods for ensuring continuation of process improvement schemes.

Based on the survey of customer satisfaction，we found existing problems in inspection process of the food safety monitoring laboratory A（including the whole process from receiving samples to issue of inspection report），and determined solutions using flow chart supplied by 6σtheory.

2 Survey on customer satisfaction

We collected 200 inspection reports of2008-2010，and surveyed customer satisfaction from service condition（mainly including consultation service satisfaction and customer reception），accuracy rate of inspection reports（including accuracy of inspection results and conformity of inspection methods），inspection period（waiting period），charging reasonableness，and report quality.Table1 is a summary of survey on customer satisfaction through interview，telephone or email in 2008-2010.

Table1 Summaryofsurveyoncustomersatisfaction（2008-2010）

From Table 1，we can find that dissatisfaction of customers is concentrated on two problems.One is accuracy of inspection results（average rate of satisfaction is 91.5%），and the other is long waiting time for inspection queuing and obtaining inspection reports，namely long inspection period（average rate of satisfaction is88.5%）.Therefore，we took accuracy of inspection reports and inspection period as major objects of our study.

3 Analysis on causes for dissatisfaction

From existing problems，through furthering careful survey，we found that causes of customers for dissatisfaction with accuracy rate of inspection results and inspection period lie in the inspection process.With the aid of flow chart cause analysis method，we made effort to explore the very crux of inspection quality problem，find out all causes，and carried out cause determination through field verification and survey and analysis.

3.1 Flow chartThe flow chart of food safety monitoring laboratory A is illustrated as follows（Fig.1）

Fig.1 Inspectionprocessofthefoodsafety monitoringlaboratoryA

3.2 Cause analysis

3.2.1 Sample receiving.This step includes receiving customers，finding out items to be inspected，filling in entrusting form，calculating inspection charges， collecting inspection charges， and counting sample quantity.

3.2.2 Sample registration.We set up sample coding rules，to register and manage unique identification of samples.At present，although it has established sample registration and coding system，there are still problems of inconsistency between sample codes with physical goods，and samples failure to be delivered to inspection laboratory in time.

3.2.3 Inspecting asper standard.From inspection to issue of inspection report，it takes a long time.Therefore，it is necessary to make further overall arrangement，properly allocate inspection personnel，and setup highly efficient inspection process as per standard required by the inspection.

3.2.4 Recording inspection data.Original data must be practical and realistic，not changed randomly，and should be kept in a proper manner.

3.3 Confirmation of essential factorsThrough cause analysis of the flow chart，we found all essential factors，mainly including（i）wrong inspection method，（ii）repetitive step or long waiting time in specific inspection，（iii）inspection process lacking quality control，（iv）no effective communication between inspection personnel.

4 The 6σoptimization of laboratory process

Inspection process is the combination of a series of logical activities and can be optimized through simplifying and compressing.Major feasible measures include：（i）eliminating intersection of waiting time，（ii）implementing concurrent works，（iii）properly rearranging processes.The process optimization involves technology optimization，quality optimization and period optimization.The optimized flow chart is illustrated in Fig.2.

Fig.2 OptimizedinspectionprocessofthefoodsafetymonitoringlaboratoryA

Combing sample receiving and registration together effectively shortens the waiting time for handing over.Registration of samples after sending to inspection laboratory not only can confirm samples received and make inspection personnel of different jobs obtain information of inspection items，butalso can effectively avoid inconsistency between sample code and physical item，and the problem of coded samples failing to send to inspection laboratory.Although it increased some time，itplaysa significant role in shortening the entire inspection time and ensuring inspection quality.The change from original inspection as per standard to inspection as per request of entrusting party effectively increases accuracy of inspection results and satisfaction of customers.

5 Evaluation of optimization effect of inspection process

In January to June of2011，we carried out satisfaction survey and collected 150 copies of questionnaire through interview，telephone，and email.Summarizing these questionnaires，we obtained results of customer satisfaction results after optimization of inspection process.In 2008-2009，customer satisfaction with services was 99.3%，satisfaction with accuracy of inspection report was 98.7%，satisfaction with inspection period was 97.3%，satisfaction with charging reasonableness was 98.0%，and satisfaction with report quality was100%.Comparing with the satisfaction before optimization，the satisfaction of all items were signified increased，indicating that6σthe ory is effective in evaluating inspection process of the food safety monitoring laboratory A.

6 Conclusions

The 6σtheory，as a management concept for improving process and product quality，originally introduced and developed by Bill Smith in the 1980s.It aims at pursuing zero of defect production，preventing product liability risk，reducing costs，increasing productivity and market share，and improving customer satisfaction，so as to realize strategic objectives［3］.Within 5 years，Motorola improved its product quality for10 times with the aid of6σmanagement concept，and won the well-known Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award from the National Institute of Standards and Technology（NIST）in 1989.In the early 1990s，several American companies tried to practice the6σmanagement concept.Huge changes of GE Company attracted attention of Wall Street，promoting the 6σmanagement theory rapidly spreading all over theworld［4］.Since 1995，Healthcare Division of GECompany launched 372 six sigma projects in relevant departments in the United States，tried to collect customer data by 6σmethod，helped customers to use GE equipment，such as shortening scanning time，improving picture quality，reducing waiting time，and reducing customer complaints［5］.In this study，we analyzed inspection process of the food safety monitoring laboratory A step by step by 6σmethod，found major problems in the inspection process，and came up with appropriate scheme for optimizing inspection process of the food safety monitoring laboratory A.Study results show that after optimization by 6σmanagem ent method，the customer satisfaction of the food safety monitoring laboratory A was significantly improved，and accordingly it raised service capacity and competitive power of this inspection laboratory.

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