Statistical

Quality
Control &
its
Applications
What is Statistical Quality Control(SQC) ?

Statistical Quality Control, the use of statistical

methods in the monitoring and maintaining of
the quality of products and services. One method,
referred to as acceptance sampling, can be used
when a decision must be made to accept or reject a
group of parts or items based on the quality found
in a sample.
History
 The first time SQC was discovered by Walter A. Shewhart of the Bell
Telephone Laboratories. He issued a memorandum on May 16, 1924 that
featured a sketch of a modern control chart. 

 The earlier applications were made in astronomy and physics and in the
biological and social sciences. It was not until the 1920s that statistical theory
began to be applied effectively to quality control as a result of the
development of sampling theory.

 Two other Bell Labs statisticians, H.F. Dodge and H.G. Romig spearheaded
efforts in applying statistical theory to sampling inspection. The work of
these three pioneers constitutes much of what nowadays comprises the theory
of statistical quality and control.
 Shewhart with colonel Lesile E. Simon in the application of
control charts to weapon manufacture at the Army’s Picatinney
Arsenal in 1934.

 In 1931 he published a book on statistical quality

control, "Economic Control of Quality of Manufactured Product",
published by Van Nostrand in New York.

WALTER A. SHEWHART
o The principle of S.Q.C. covers almost all aspects of production , viz.,
quality of raw material , manpowers, machines and management.

o The fundamental objectives of S.Q.C. is to find out :

i. The extent to which the product fulfil the specifications.

ii. The limit of variations.

iii. The causes of variations.

o On the basis of the information on the above 3 points , corrective

measures are taken to maintain the quality of the products manufacture.
 Causes Of Variations
• Chance Variation/Random Variation
• Assignable Variation.

1. Chance Variation OR Random Variation : These are some small

variations which are natural and inherent in the manufacturing process and
cannot be removed or prevented in any way.

2. Assignable Variations : These are non-random causes that can be

identified and addressed. This may occur due to machine fault broken or
worn tools or defective raw materials .
Advantages Of S.Q.C.
 Helpful in controlling quality of a product .

 Eliminates assignable causes of variation.

 Better quality at lower inspection cost.

 Useful to both consumers and producers.

 Helps in earn goodwill.

Disadvantages of S.Q.C.
 It cannot be used to all production process.

 It involves problems in the process of analysis and interpret variations

in quality.
Techniques Of Quality Control

The quality of the product manufactured in a factory may be controlled

by two ways :
i. Process Control
ii. Product Control

PROCESS CONTROL : It is concerned with controlling the quality of

the product during the production process . It ensures that a product of
only requisite standard is produce and make use of the “control charts”.

PRODUCT CONTROL : In this process quality of the product is

controlled by critical examination at strategic points .IT makes use of
sampling inspection plans to achieve the objective.
ACCEPTENCE SAMPLING

Another major area of S.Q.C. is “Acceptance Sampling”

also called (product control).It is concerned with the
inspection of manufactured products. The items are
inspected to know whether to accept lot of items to
confirming to standards of quality or reject a lot as non-
confirming .
Control Charts
A control chart is a kind of graphical chart used for presenting a sequence of
suitable sample characteristics . It is used for the study and control
of repetitive process.

Control chart serves 3 purposes :

1. To define the goal or standard for the process that the management might
strive to attain.

2. It may be used as an instrument to attain that goal

3. It may serve as a mean of judging whether the goal is being achieved by finding
out if the process is in control so it is used in specification and inspection
Control chart consist of 3 horizontal lines as:-

1. CENTRAL LINES (CL) : that indicates the desired control level of

the process .

2. UPPER CONTROL LIMIT (U.C.L.) : that Indicates the upper

tolerance limit.

3. LOWER CONTROL LIMIT (L.C.L.) : that indicates the lower

tolerance limit.