Introduction to Statistical Process

Control
Engineering Experimental Design
Valerie L. Young
 Outline
• Description of and justification for
Statistical Process Control
• Fundamental definitions and principles
– Variability, specifications, capability
– Process characterization
– Why focus on variability first?
• Constructing control charts
• Calculating process capability ratios
 What is Statistical Process Control?
• Strategy for process improvement that uses
statistics-based techniques to evaluate the process
and identify opportunities for improvement
• Strategy that focuses on quantifying, classifying,
and reducing variability in the process
• Based on the philosophy that making the right
product in the first place is better than trying to
rework the wrong product
 Quality Control vs. Process Control
• Traditional quality control focuses on the
product
– Monitor product quality
– Rework or scrap off-spec product
• Statistical process control focuses on the
process
– Monitor process behavior (including product
quality)
– Adjust the process to eliminate off-spec production
 Quality Control vs. Process Control
• Traditional quality control focuses on the
values
– A value outside specifications is a signal that the
product must be reworked or scrapped
• Statistical process control focuses on the
variability
– Variation outside usual limits in ANY process
variable is a signal that the process should be
adjusted to prevent production of unacceptable
product
 Why Not Just Inspect & Reject?
• Reality of escaping defects
– Even the most careful inspection misses
sometimes
– Bad product means unhappy customers
• Inspection costs money
• Rejection wastes resources
• Reworking/scrapping wastes time, money,
and resources
 Why Use Statistics?

• Intuition and gut feelings

– Simple problems
– Inexpensive solutions
– Low risk in case of failure
• Statistical evaluation
– Complex problems
– Expensive solutions
– High risk in case of failure
 Is this theory, or is this relevant?
• Major corporations all over the world have
adopted a Statistical Process Control strategy
called “Six Sigma”, and are applying it to ALL
operations, including production, marketing, and
customer service.
• Many of the tools of Statistical Process Control
(control charts, capability indices) can be used
without any theoretical understanding of statistics.
 Two Types of Variability

• Common cause (Random)

– Always present, even when process operation is
consistent
– Can be quantified with summary statistics that
are consistent over time
– CANNOT be reduced by adjusting the existing
process, only by changing it
• Special cause (Assignable)
 Two Types of Variability
• Common cause (Random)
• Special cause (Assignable)
– Response to some inconsistency in process
operation (purposefully adjusting that factor
would give a predictable response)
– Results in summary statistics that are not
consistent over time
– CAN be reduced by adjusting the existing
process
 Two Types of Variability
How could you
• Common cause (Random) reduce the
variability from
– Precision limits of instrumentation each of these
– Changes in ambient conditions sources?

• Special cause (Assignable)

– Each operator has his own “style”
– Raw materials purchased from different
suppliers
– Equipment wear
 Two Types of Variability
(This may hurt your brain at first)

• Common cause (Random)

– Random, so its effect on the product is predictable. If
only common cause variability is present, then product
quality will only vary within a specified range. (99+ %
of product will be within 3 standard deviations of the
mean value.)
• Special cause (Assignable)
– Non-random, so its effect on the product is
UNpredictable until you identify the special cause.
When special cause variability is present, but the cause
has not been identified, product quality can change in
any direction at any time.
 Specifications

• The range of acceptable values

– May be given as Value ± Tolerance
– May be given as USL (upper specification
limit) and LSL (lower specification limit)
• Determined by the user, not by the process
– Not calculated from process data
• Product that does not meet specifications is
termed “off-spec”
 Process Capability Ratios
(Desired Performance) / (Actual Performance)
Process performance is not
necessarily centered between
the spec limits The shaded areas
This curve is the represent the
distribution of data percentage of off-spec
from the process production

Voice of Customer

Voice of Process
 Process Characterization

• Ideal State
– Process in control (all special causes of variability are
eliminated, and only random variability remains)
– 100 % acceptable product (mean value ± variability of
product is inside the specification limits)
• Threshold State
• Brink of Chaos
• State of Chaos
 Process Characterization

• Ideal State
• Threshold State
– Process in control
• all special cause variability eliminated
• only random variability remains
– Some off-spec product
• Mean value not centered between specification limits and/or
• Random process variability exceeds specification limits
• Brink of Chaos
• State of Chaos
 Process Characterization

• Ideal State
• Threshold State
• Brink of Chaos
– Process out of control; product quality wanders
due to
• Uncontrolled special causes AND
• Inherent random variability
– 100 % acceptable product
• State of Chaos
 Process Characterization

Which problem should you

• Ideal State address first: an off-center
• Threshold State mean, or special cause
• Brink of Chaos variability?

• State of Chaos
– Process out of control; product quality wanders due to
• Uncontrolled special causes AND
• Inherent random variability
– Some off-spec product
• Mean value not centered between specification limits and/or
• Process variability exceeds specification limits