PROCESS CAPABILITY

K.MASAN
Sr. Manager QA Moldtek Plastics Limited
PROCESS CAPABILITY
Statistical methods are very useful to the
quantification of the variation in a process
to its subsequent reduction and / or
elimination.

It is important to note what process is

capable of rendering relative to what the
customer demands.
What is specifications?
Specifications are limits imposed by
customer.

It is possible that a customer will require

that is supplier provide him with Plastic
PAILS that meet certain TOP OD of 285
+/- 1 mm.
Otherwise, the pails may give difficult in
lid closing process on their line.
Types of SPECIFICATIONS
To consistently meet customer
specifications is associated to good
quality.
In considering customer specifications,
three scenarios.
1. TWO SPECIFICAITONS: Some time
customer provides a range, composed of
a lower specification and an upper
specification, which represents the
variation that the customer is willing to
tolerate, EX: 850+/- 10 grams
2. ONE Specification: Ex Top Load: Lower
specification customer will applied no an
upper one. In this situation, the higher the
top load, the better, so no upper limit is
observed.

3. No specifications: No specs observation

by customer Since it is not so critical
process or product.
Control limits Vs Specification limits
1. Control Limits: SPECIFICATION LIMTS:
Calculated based on Imposed by the customer.
PROCESS Results

2. Control Limits: They SPECIFICATION LIMTS:

can be recalculated, as is The supplier cannot
the case when it is change or manipulate
possible to reduce the specifications without
process variations. customer approval. Only
customer can change
them.
Process Capability: CP
CP: Process Capability of a process
relationship between tolerances of the
specifications and the process dispersion
6s without regard to its location relative
to the Mean.

The potential capability index should be

calculated once it is verified that the
process is stable, under statistical Control.
 Process Capability
Cp = (USL LSL) / 6sc.c

CPk: The CPk index or Real ability of a

process, considers the location or proximity of
the process, relative to the specification limits
and it is calculated after verifying that the
process is stable, under statistical control.
Cpk = (USL X) / 3sc.c. or
Cpk = (X LSL) / 3sc.c.
In this example note that as long as the
specifications and the dispersion of
the distribution dont change, the Cp
does not change. By contrast, Cpk
does change depending on the
position of the distribution relative to
the specifications.
 UCL

USL LCL

LSL
Case : 1
Case 1: Cpk is a negative value
Incapable Process
This means that the mean of the process
is outside the specification limits, whether
it is by the lower specification limit or the
upper control limit. The process is
therefore not able to consistently meet
the customer requirements, because a lot
of defects are generated.
 Upper Control
Lower Control Limit
Limit

DEFECTS
DEFECTS
 Case 2: Cpk is less than 1.0. Incapable
Process
The process is not capable of consistently
meeting the customer requirements. In
this example, defects are being generated,
where they are falling out of either the
lower spec limit or the upper
specification limit.
PROCESS CAPABILITY INDEX
Potential Capability:
Cp = USL - LSL
6 sigmacc

Real Capability: Process Capability Index

Cpk (u) = USL - X

3 sigmacc
or

Cpk (l) = X - LSL

3 sigmacc
Process Capability Index
Minimum Value of CPk (u) and CPK (l)
will be CPk Index.
Min of Cpk (u) = USL X and
3 sigma cc

Cpk (l) = X - LSL

3 sigmacc