ACCEPTANCE SAMPLING

INTRODUCTION

Quality control is an activity in which measures

are taken to control quality of future output.
Sampling refers to observation of a population or
lot for the purpose of obtaining some information
about it.
Acceptance sampling is a quality control
technique.

WHAT IS SAMPLING?
Sampling is the act, process,
or technique of selecting a
suitable sample, or a
representative part of a
population for the purpose of
determining parameters or
characteristics of the whole
population.

Company receives shipment from

vendor

Sample taken from lot,

Quality characteristic inspected

Lot Sentencing:
Accept lot?

NO

YES

Use lot in
production

Return lot
to vendor

DEFINITION

Acceptance sampling is defined as sampling

inspection in which decisions are made to accept
or reject products or services.
It is a decision making tool by which a conclusion
is reached regarding the acceptability of lot.

ADVANTAGES

eliminates poor lots & improve overall

quality of product.
reduces inspection costs & risk.
results may be more accurate.
A rejected lot is frequently a signal to the
manufacturer that the process should be
improved.

DESIGNING THE PLAN

Acceptable Quality Level (AQL) = Max. acceptable
percentage of defectives defined by producer.
(Producers risk) = The probability of rejecting a good
lot.
Limiting Quality Level (LQL) = Lot Tolerance Percent
Defective (LTPD) = Percentage of defectives that defines
consumers rejection point.
(Consumers risk) =The probability of accepting a bad
lot.

TYPICAL APPLICATION OF
ACCEPTANCE SAMPLING

The decision to accept or reject the shipment is

based on the following set standards:
Lot

size = N
Sample size = n
Acceptance number = c
Defective items = d
If d <= c, accept lot
If d > c, reject lot

OC CURVE CALCULATION
Two

Ways of Calculating OC Curves

Binomial

Distribution
Poisson formula

Binomial
Cannot

Distribution

use because:

Binomials are based on constant probabilities.

N is not infinite
p (fraction defect) changes

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OC CURVE CALCULATION

A Poisson formula can be used

Poisson is a limit
Limitations

of using Poisson

n<= 1/10 total batch N

Little faith in probability calculation when n is quite small
and p quite large.

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PROPERTIES OF OC CURVES
Ideal

curve would be
perfectly
perpendicular from 0
to 100% for a given
fraction defective.

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PROPERTIES OF OC CURVES
The acceptance number and sample size are most
important factors.
Decreasing the acceptance number is preferred over
increasing sample size.
The larger the sample size the steeper the curve.

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PROPERTIES OF OC CURVES

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OPERATING CHARACTERISTICS (OC)

CURVES

OC curves are graphs which

show the probability of
accepting a lot given various
proportions of defects in the lot
X-axis shows % of items that are
defective in a lot- lot quality
Y-axis shows the probability or
chance of accepting a lot
As proportion of defects
increases, the chance of
accepting lot decreases
Example: 90% chance of
accepting a lot with 5%
defectives; 10% chance of
accepting a lot with 24%
defectives

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AQL, LTPD, CONSUMERS RISK

() & PRODUCERS RISK ()

AQL is the small % of defects that

consumers are willing to accept;
order of 1-2%
LTPD is the upper limit of the
percentage of defective items
consumers are willing to tolerate
Consumers Risk () is the chance
of accepting a lot that contains a
greater number of defects than the
LTPD limit; Type II error
Producers risk () is the chance
a lot containing an acceptable
quality level will be rejected; Type I
error

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IMPLICATIONS FOR MANAGERS

How much and how often to inspect?
Consider product cost and product volume
Consider process stability
Consider lot size
Where to inspect?
Inbound materials
Finished products
Prior to costly processing
Which tools to use?
Control charts are best used for in-process
production
Acceptance sampling is best used for
inbound/outbound

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THE OPERATINGCHARACTERISTIC (OC) CURVE

The ideal sampling plan discriminates perfectly

between good and bad shipments
Both and are zero in this example!
This requires a sample size equal to the population -not feasible

1.0

Pa
0.0

GOOD

BAD
p

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TYPES OF ACCEPTANCE SAMPLING PLANS

Single-sampling plan
Double-sampling plan
Multiple-sampling plan
Sequential-sampling plan

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DEFINITION OF A SINGLESAMPLING PLAN

A single sampling plan is

defined by sample size, n, and
the acceptance number c. Say
there are N total items in a
lot. Choose n of the items at
random. If at least c of the
items are unacceptable,
reject the lot.
N = lot size
n = sample size
c = acceptance number
d = observed number of
defectives

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SINGLE-SAMPLING PLAN

Sn <C

(N,
p)

Acc the lot

(n,c)
Sn>C

Reject the lot

Where Sn is the number of the actual defects in the sample.

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 The

acceptance or rejection of the

lot is based on the results from a
single sample - thus a singlesampling plan.

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CONDITIONS OF SINGLE-SAMPLING
PLAN: Acceptance

or rejection
decision is made after
drawing only one sample from
the lot.
If the number of defectives, d,
does not exceed the
acceptance criteria, c, the lot
is accepted.
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SINGLE-SAMPLING PLAN
Lot of N Items

N - n Items

Random
Sample of
n Items

d Defectives
Inspect n Items
Found in Sample
d>c

d< c

Replace
Defectives

n Nondefectives
Reject Lot

Accept Lot
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DOUBLE SAMPLING PLANS

Define:

n1 -- sample size on first sample

c1 -- acceptance number for first sample
d1 -- defectives in first sample
n2 -- sample size on second sample
c2 -- acceptance number for both samples
d2 -- defectives in second sample

Take sample of size n1

Accept if d1 c1; reject if d1 c2;

Take second sample of size n2 if c1 < d1 c2
Accept if d1+d2 c2; reject if d1+d2 c2

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CONDITIONS OF DOUBLESAMPLING PLAN:-

One small sample is drawn

initially.
If the number of defectives is
less than or equal to some
lower limit, the lot is accepted.
If the number of defectives is
greater than some upper limit,
the lot is rejected.
If the number of defectives is
neither, a second larger sample
is drawn.
Lot is either accepted or
rejected on the basis of the
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information from both of the

DOUBLE-SAMPLING PLAN
Lot of N Items
Random
Sample of
n1 Items

N n1 Items
d1 Defectives
Found in Sample
d1 > c2
Reject Lot

d1 < c1

Replace
Defectives

Inspect n1 Items
n1 Nondefectives

Accept Lot

c1 < d1 < c2
Continue

(to next slide)

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DOUBLE-SAMPLING PLAN
Continue

(from previous slide)

N n1 Items
N (n1 + n2)
Items
Reject Lot
(d1+ d2) > c2

d2 Defectives
Found in Sample

Random
Sample of
n2 Items

Replace
Defectives

Inspect n2 Items
n2 Nondefectives

(d1+ d2) < c2

Accept Lot
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DOUBLE SAMPLING PLANS

Advantages

Can

reduce the total amount of

inspection
Allows the vendor a second
chance
Disadvantages
Can lose the economical
advantage
More record keeping is needed
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MULTIPLE-SAMPLING PLAN

Acc the lotS

Sn1<c1

(n,p)

<r2

Acc the lot

(n1+n2)

c1<Sn1<r1

(n1+n2)

c2<S(n1+n2)<r2

(n1+n2+n3)

..

S(n1+n2)>r2

Sn1>c1
Reject the lot

Reject the lot

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