9.

Methods for Calculating Capability Indices

In this chapter, all values are called C p or C pk to make things easier.
In concrete applications, it is the statistical distribution (process model) which determines
whether the capability indices C p or C pk , or the process performance indices P p or P pk are
specified. The calculation method has no effect on this.

9.1 Method M1
This method can only be used for normal distribution.

USL LSL USL ˆ ˆ LSL

Cp C pk = minimum value of ;
6 ˆ 3 ˆ 3 ˆ

Estimating the process average:

m
1
ˆ x xj Total mean (mean of the sample means)
m j 1
n
1
xj xi Mean of a sample with size n (e.g. n = 5)
n i 1

Estimating the standard deviation of the process

m
1
ˆ s2 where s2 s 2j
m j 1 1 n
2
where sj xij xj
s 1 m n 1 i 1
ˆ where s sj
an m j 1

m
R 1
ˆ where R Rj
dn m j 1

m n
1
ˆ s total where s total ( x ij x)2
m n 1 j 1 i 1

n 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
an 0.798 0.886 0.921 0.940 0.952 0.959 0.965 0.969 0.973
dn 1.128 1.693 2.059 2.326 2.534 2.704 2.847 2.970 3.078
PA 99 %

Advantages:
C pk can also be calculated manually.

Disadvantages
The value of the calculated index varies slightly with the formula used to estimate the
standard deviation.

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