Discuss how SPC, through the use of control charts,

control variation and prevent the generation of defects.

Control charts

The application of control charts in SPC are constructed from historical data,
the purpose of control chart is SPC is to help determining what is the
variation in the process, whether from natural causes of assignable causes.

Steps in creating control charts for SPC purpose :

1) take sample from the population and calculate the appropriate sample
statistic.

2) use sample statistic to calculate control limits and draw the control charts

3) plot sample result on the control charts and determine the variation of the
process (in or out of control)

4) investigate possible assignable cause and take action

5) continue sampling from the process

Two types for control charts

Control chart for variable

Control chart for variation are used in monitoring the data that has
continuous variables (e.g: weight, length, strength or speed).

the main charts in control chart for variables is

Ẋ charts- to control and concern about the central tendency of the process
(the middle line of the process – mean)
R charts – to control and concern about the dispersion/fluctuation of the
variation of the process

In SPC, these two charts are combined and used together to display the
range for variation and control in the process over time. And the main
purpose in control chart of variable in SPC is to be used as a tool in solving
the assignable cause of variation.

Control charts for attributes

Control charts for attributes commonly used to counting the defection or

error in the process and identify the problem in operation, it uses for variable
that in category of good/bad, yes/no, acceptable/unacceptable. And the main
purpose of this control charts for attributes is as a identifying problem tools
that inform management about the process performance.

This chart measure the percentage of defect/error ( p-chart) and number of

defects (c-chart)

The p-Chart monitors the percent of samples having the error

The c-Chart monitors the number of times an error occurs

Pattern in Control Chart

Pattern 1
The process shows that there is a progressive change on the process either
climbing up or climbing down that might cause by:

a) there is a new trend effecting the process – for instance employee

productivity increased since their salary increased or productivity decreased

over time cause by new competitor.

b) Machinery or plant – new equipment tend to bring increase in process so

do the employee productivity. And on the other hand old equipment
sometimes cause delay in operation.

c) Low morality – high morality

d) Effectiveness of new strategy/ system

Pattern 2 & 3

The pattern of chart 2 and 3 show that the stays in lower or upper control
limit only, the tendency of this process can be caused by:
At lower control limit

a) There is no implementation of new plant, product, or system in the

process. Hence the process decreased over time

b) Equipment or system implemented in the process depreciated

c) competition

d) Lack of labor expertise to operates the system or equipment – not fully

operates at maximum capacity

At upper control limit

a) New equipment and system put the process ahead – improved process

b) Less competition/competitor

c) New system introduced – more efficient

d) Labor expertise – fully operates at maximum capacity

Pattern 4

Significant fluctuation, the process shows that performance is greatly

fluctuate and change in the short period of time.

Can be caused by :

a) Rapid trend change – e.g: product of output of process is easily changed

over the demand and supply

b) The process greatly depends on agricultural or its resources and supplier

c) Systematic procedures or rules not highly implemented in the process

d) Process still involve manual labor or system

e) There is no close or direct observation through the performance in the
process