Statistical Quality Control (SQC)

term used to describe the set of statistical tools used by quality

professionals.

Statistical quality control can be divided into three broad categories:

Descriptive Statistics - used to describe quality

characteristics and relationships. Included are statistics such as the mean, standard deviation, the range, and a measure of the distribution of data.
Statistical Process Control (SPC) - involves

inspecting a random sample of the output from a process and deciding whether the process is producing products with characteristics that fall within a predetermined range. SPC answers the question of whether the process is functioning properly or not.

Statistical Quality Control Category (contd)

Acceptance Sampling - process of randomly

inspecting a sample of goods and deciding whether to accept the entire lot based on the results. Acceptance sampling determines whether a batch of goods should be accepted or rejected.

Statistical Process Control Methods

Extends the use of descriptive statistics to monitor the

quality of the product and process. There are common and assignable causes of variation in the production of every product. Using statistical process control we want to determine the amount of variation that is common or normal. Then we monitor the production process to make sure production stays within this normal range. To make sure that the process is in a state of control, and to monitor the production process, control charts are used.

SPC in TQM
SPC
tool for identifying problems and

make improvements contributes to the TQMs goal of continuous improvements

SOURCES OF VARIATION:
Common or Random causes of Variation are

based on random causes that we cannot identify. These types of variation are unavoidable and are due to slight differences in processing.
Assignable causes of Variation variation observed

that involves variations where the causes can be precisely identified and eliminated (i.e. poor quality in raw materials, an employee who needs more training, or a machine in need of repair).

Variability
Random common causes inherent in a process can be eliminated only through improvements in the system Non-Random special causes due to identifiable factors can be modified through operator or management action

Copyright 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Control Chart
one of the most commonly used tool in statistical

process control for monitoring the production process

graph that shows whether a sample of data falls within the

common or normal range of variation.

has upper and lower control limits that separate common

from assignable causes of variation. The common range of variation is defined by the use of control chart limits.

Example of a Quality Control Chart for Cocoa Fizz

Control Charts contain:

Center Line (CL) - is the mean, or average, of the

quality characteristic that is being measured.

Upper Control Limit (UCL) - the maximum

acceptable variation from the mean for a process that is in a state of control.
Lower Control Limit (LCL) - the minimum

acceptable variation from the mean for a process that is in a state of control.

Remember that in Control Charts:

A point that plots within

the control limits indicates the process is in control A point that plots outside the control limits is evidence that the process is out of control There is a close connection between control charts and hypothesis testing

Quality Measures
Attribute a product characteristic that can be evaluated with a discrete response good bad; yes no Variable a product characteristic that is continuous and can be measured weight - length

Types of Control Charts:

Control Chart for Variables - used to monitor

characteristics that can be measured and have a continuum of values, such as height, weight, or volume. Mean (x- Bar) Charts Range (R) Charts characteristics that have discrete values and can be counted. Often they can be evaluated with a simple yes or no decision. Examples include color, taste, or smell. P- Charts C- Charts

Control Chart for Attributes - is used to monitor

P- Chart
used to measure the proportion that is defective in a

sample
The computation of the center line as well as the upper

and lower control limits is similar to the computation for the other kinds of control charts. The center line is computed as the average proportion defective in the population, . This is obtained by taking a number of samples of observations at random and computing the average value of p across all samples.

p-Chart
UCL = p + zp
LCL = p - zp
z = number of standard deviations from process average p = sample proportion defective; an estimate of process average p = standard deviation of sample proportion n = sample size

p =

p(1 - p) n

p-Chart Example
SAMPLE NUMBER OF DEFECTIVES PROPORTION DEFECTIVE

1 2 3 : : 20

6 0 4 : : 18 200

.06 .00 .04 : : .18

20 samples of 100 pairs of jeans

p-Chart Example (cont.)

p=

total defectives = 200 / 20(100) = 0.10 total sample observations p(1 - p) = 0.10 + 3 n 0.10(1 - 0.10) 100

UCL = p + z UCL = 0.190 LCL = p - z LCL = 0.010

p(1 - p) = 0.10 - 3 n

0.10(1 - 0.10) 100

0.20 0.18 0.16 Proportion defective 0.14 0.12 0.10 0.08 0.06 0.04 0.02 2 LCL = 0.010 4 6 8 10 12 14 Sample number 16 18 20 p = 0.10 UCL = 0.190

p-Chart Example (cont.)

EXERCISE:
Solve the given example using PH STAT or any other

Statistical Package.

References:
Journal of Statistical Software
StatitCustomQC Overview http://www.statisticalsolutions.net/spc_basics.php THE BASICS OF STATISTICAL PROCESS CONTROL

& PROCESS BEHAVIOUR CHARTING A Users Guide to SPC by David Howard SPC Count Variable STATISTICAL PROCESS CONTROL Chapter 6