<![CDATA[General Background Quality control serves as a crucial element in chemical manufacturing to minimize operational losses and maintain standard output specifications. Specific Background PT. XYZ, an industrial coating chemical manufacturer, experiences substantial defect occurrences in water-based paint production across January to June, reaching 675 kg out of 77,750 kg total production. Knowledge Gap Empirical evaluations integrating the Six Sigma framework specifically within mid-scale water-based paint formulation processes remain limited in regional industrial manufacturing settings. Aims This study identifies primary defect categories, evaluates defect-per-million-opportunities rates, and isolates root causes within water-based paint production. Results Statistical process evaluation using DMAIC reveals four defect types—settling, bad odor, weather damage, and adhesion failure—with settling dominating 56% of total defects, yielding an average Defect per Million Opportunities of 52,656.14 and a Sigma level of 2.5. Novelty The research establishes structured operational benchmarks combining fishbone analysis with quantitative DMAIC evaluation specific to water-based paint manufacturing workflows. Implications Standardizing operational procedures, upgrading cleaning maintenance, and optimizing raw material selection directly reduce manufacturing defects and elevate process efficiency. Key Findings Highlights Settling constitutes the primary defect type in water-based paint production, accounting for 56% of total defective output. Process evaluation establishes a Defect per Million Opportunities level of 52,656.14, corresponding to a 2.5 Sigma rating. Root cause breakdown attributes defects to operator oversights, procedure non-compliance, equipment residue, and raw material variations. Keywords Quality Control, Water Based, Six Sigma, Defect Analysis, Industrial Coating]]>
