Manufacturing processes that achieved Six Sigma—a reference to a statistical model, based on standard deviations on a normal curve—had 3.4 defects per one million manufacturing steps. Said another way, at a Six Sigma level of manufacturing prowess, 99.99966 percent of a company’s products or services were made or provided without flaws. Most industrial companies are satisfied with around 97 percent success. Very few companies even attempted a Six Sigma level of performance.
