PP (also written as PK) stands for Process Performance

PPK means Process Performance Index

CP is Process Capability
CPK stands for Process Capability Index

Many data collection software companies including IQS track all of this information when it comes to SPC
readings.
PP shows process performance
It shows how well a system performs when it comes to upper and lower specification limits. However, it
does not focus on the average and instead concentrates on the spread. A PP bigger than 1 shows that the
process variation is smaller than the specification.
PPK uses actual standard deviation to determine process variation
A PPK larger than 1 means that the process can meet the specifications involved. PPK uses calculated
sigma from the original data.
CP is a capability tracking mechanism
It compares the width of a product with variation with the process. This uses estimated standard deviation.
A CP bigger than 1 shows that the process variation is narrower than the specification.
CPK for estimated standard deviation
CPK uses estimated standard deviation to determine how well a system can meet the specification limits. It
also takes the target value into account. A CPK bigger than 1 shows that the process meets the
specification.
There are many formulas involved here that are beyond the time and scope of this blog post, but the above
information gives you the basic gist of what each of these acronyms means.

WHEN TO USE EACH PROCESS

There is a time and a place to use each of these numbers depending on the individual situation. Because
CP and CPK use estimated sigma, and PP and PPK use actual sigma, they have different uses. CP and
CPK can be used to measure a systems potential capabilities, while PP and PPK measure the systems
actual performance.
An easy way to remember this information is to go back to what the acronyms stand for. CP and CPK are
about process capability, while PP and PPK have process performance in their names.