WHITEPAPER

Cp, Cpk, Pp, and Ppk – a guide

to process capability and
capability indices
Cp, Cpk, Pp, and Ppk – your way to
consistent quality
Cp, Cpk, Pp and Ppk are parameters
(indices) that act as indicators for
process performance and
capability. The single number in
Cpk or Ppk tell you all about how
capable your process is in actually
delivering a quality product.
This article is a guide to process
capability and capability indices.
We’ll clarify the indices, their use
and interpretation, and highlight
how smart QMS software makes
your process more reliable.
Key takeaways
Cp, Cpk, Pp and Ppk are
parameters (indices) that can
measure process variation and
can help manufacturers to
determine process performance
and capability. Cp and Cpk are
used with stable, mature
processes that are under
statistical control. In contrast, Pp
and Ppk are useful when
analyzing performance in a pre-
production run or a new
process that is not yet under
statistical control.
AlisQI can help you to easily
determine process performance
and capability. The smart,
intuitive system calculates the
indices, creates visual
snapshots, helping you establish
process stability and to make
informed decisions.
Index How to calculate Cp, Cpk, Pp,
and, Ppk……………………………10
Introduction……………………...4

Conclusion……………………….12
What do the indices tell you
about your process…………..5

The part where abbreviations

are made clear…………………6

Your quick interpretation

guide…………………………….7

Capability indices and the AlisQI

platform……………………….9
01

Introduction
The holy grail for any manufacturing manager is a fully capable
process. Meaning that your factory does what it should do: produce
products your customer wants to pay for. How to find out that you
are capable and that the products fit your customers’ requirements?
You can simply check every product after production, and hope for
the best. But that doesn't really sound like 2021. Luckily, we can stand
on the shoulders of giants.

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What do the indices tell you about your
process?

Cp, Cpk, Pp and Ppk are parameters (indices) that act as indicators for
process performance and capability. The single number in Cpk or Ppk
tell you all about how capable your process is in actually delivering a
quality product.

Lean Six Sigma methodologies teach us that reducing variation in

your processes will make the outcome of those processes (i.e. quality)
more predictable. A process is considered stable if it maintains its
average and standard deviation over time. Short-term stability is a
good predictor for long-term behavior. Once you’ve ensured stability,
you can use capability indices to deepen your understanding, identify
if the process starts to drift, and take more informed decisions
regarding potential adjustments.

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The part where abbreviations are made
clear

Cp and Cpk measure process capability. Cp assesses the process

potential and whether the process spread is within the pre-defined
specification limits. On the other hand, Cpk measures the actual
capability of the process. The k represents the centralizing factor.
Let’s illustrate the difference with a very simple example.

Imagine trying to fit a cake inside a box. The box represents the specs
and our customers' demands, while the cake is the process and its
natural variation. If the cake is wider than the box, it won’t fit. If the
cake is narrower than the box but not centered – it will likely hit the
sides of the box. Hitting the sides of the box is equivalent to
producing a defective part.

As you probably already guessed, this simple analogy is not meant to

fuel your cravings. Instead, it tells us that we want manufacturing
processes to be well-centered and within the specification limits.

Cp and Cpk are used with processes that are under statistical control.
They are indicators of mature, stable processes.

In contrast, Pp and Ppk measure process performance. Pp monitors

the spread of the process relative to its specification limits, while Ppk
measures the process centering. So, what is the difference between
Cp, Cpk and Pp, Ppk? Pp and Ppk are used with new processes, that
are not yet under statistical control. Here, you can think of a pre-
production run with an initial setup. To analyze performance in a pre-
production run, there is also a difference in how data is being
collected (whole population versus the sample deviation or deviation
mean with Cp and Cpk).

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02

Your quick
interpretation guide
When interpreting your capability indices, you might also be inspired
by these standard classifications.

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To go back to our previous example, we only have a satisfied
customer if the cake fits in the box. Then we are capable of delivering
a quality product. But how capable are we?

If the cake only just fits the box, we can deliver to the customer.
However, we cannot afford any more variation, because then the
cake would no longer fit the box. If we have plenty of margin in the
box, we can of course deliver, and we will know that we also have
margin for error. So, we can sleep tight.

This degree of margin is called process capability and is measured by

means of capability indices. That is where the cp(k)/pp(k) family joins
the table.

If the box is too small, capability indices are <1

If the cake exactly fits the box, capability = 1.

And if there is margin, it is >1.

The more margin to your box the better, as more margin allows for
process variation without risking products we cannot sell.

When interpreting your capability indices, you might also be inspired

by these standard classifications:

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03

Capability indices
and the AlisQI
platform
In this next section we’ll elaborate on how you can
calculate Cp, Cpk, Pp, and Ppk within AlisQI and
highlight how smart QMS software makes your
process more reliable.

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How to calculate Cp, Cpk, Pp, and Ppk

Still waiting for the part with math equations? Sure, we could list
them. Some of you may (happily) start calculating. Doing the math
one time is easy and won’t cost much time. However, the story
changes completely when you need to do the math for 10
parameters within 200 products. Automation saves you this effort!
Filling your specifications in AlisQI, you’ll cut back on time and
eliminate the risk of taking the wrong decision.

The data is analyzed in a matter of milliseconds and summarized into

clear histograms, control charts and other useful SPC tools that help
with your decision-making.

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Is your process centered? Has it shifted? Is it too wide? No matter the
case, everything will become crystal clear. Regardless of the amount
of data in your analysis set, the calculation of Cp, Cpk, Pp and Ppk is
available with the push of a button. And, if you’re still worried about
mixing the four abbreviations or interpreting them, the smart system
can help with suggestions.

All insights and overviews can be stored for quick reuse in

dashboards or exported as pdfs. AlisQI enables you to easily and
accurately monitor process behavior and make adjustments to keep
things consistent. Using smart automation, Cp, Cpk, Pp and Ppk will
no longer be confusing, calculating and interpreting the indices will
become business-as-usual - or better said a piece of cake.

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Conclusion

Cp, Cpk, Pp and Ppk are parameters (indices) that can measure process
variation and can help manufacturers to determine process
performance and capability. Cp and Cpk are used with stable, mature
processes that are under statistical control. In contrast, Pp and Ppk are
useful when analyzing performance in a pre-production run or a new
process that is not yet under statistical control.

AlisQI can help you to easily determine process performance and

capability. The smart, intuitive system calculates the indices, creates
visual snapshots, helping you establish process stability and to make
informed decisions.

Should there still be any unanswered questions, do not hesitate

to contact us. We’d love to show you how your factory can benefit
from using our software and the multiple ways in which you can enjoy
our SPC toolkit.

Need more resources to help your team achieve Quality Intelligence?

Visit the AlisQI website for whitepapers, case studies, videos, free
courses, and blogs on industry-related topics.

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Discuss
your case?
Do you want to discuss your
case with one of our experts?
Please contact us and we will
schedule a call to discuss KPIs
for your business

Call +31 (0)85-7600975 or

sales@alisqi.com

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