Chapter 14

Statistical
Process
Control

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Statistical Process Control
(SPC)
A methodology for monitoring a process
to identify special causes of variation
and signal the need to take corrective
action when appropriate
 SPC relies on control charts

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Histograms vs. Control Charts
 Histograms do not take into account
changes over time.
 Control charts can tell us when a process
changes

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Control Chart Applications

 Establish state of statistical control

 Monitor a process and signal when it
goes out of control
 Determine process capability

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Key Idea

Process capability calculations make little

sense if the process is not in statistical
control because the data are confounded
by special causes that do not represent
the inherent capability of the process.

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Capability Versus Control

Control
Capability In Control Out of Control

Capable IDEAL

Not Capable

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Commonly Used Control
Charts
 Variables data
 x-bar and R-charts
 x-bar and s-charts

 Charts for individuals (x-charts)

 Attribute data
 For “defectives” (p-chart, np-chart)
 For “defects” (c-chart, u-chart)

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Developing Control Charts
1. Prepare
 Choose measurement
 Determine how to collect data, sample size,
and frequency of sampling
 Set up an initial control chart

2. Collect Data
 Record data
 Calculate appropriate statistics
 Plot statistics on chart

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Next Steps
3. Determine trial control limits
 Center line (process average)
 Compute UCL, LCL

4. Analyze and interpret results

 Determine if in control
 Eliminate out-of-control points
 Recompute control limits as necessary

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Key Idea

When a process is in statistical control,

the points on a control chart fluctuate
randomly between the control limits with
no recognizable pattern.

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Typical Out-of-Control Patterns

 Point outside control limits

 Sudden shift in process average
 Cycles
 Trends
 Hugging the center line
 Hugging the control limits
 Instability

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Shift in Process Average

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Identifying Potential Shifts

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Cycles

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Trend

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Final Steps
5. Use as a problem-solving tool
 Continue to collect and plot data

 Take corrective action when necessary

6. Compute process capability

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Key Idea

Control charts indicate when to take

action, and more importantly, when to
leave a process alone.

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Process Capability
Calculations

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Spreadsheet Template

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Special Variables Control
Charts

 x-barand s charts
 x-chart for individuals

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Key Idea

Control charts for individuals offer the

advantage of being able to draw
specifications on the chart for direct
comparison with the control limits.

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Charts for Attributes
 Fraction nonconforming (p-chart)
 Fixed sample size
 Variable sample size

 np-chart for number nonconforming

 Charts for defects

 c-chart
 u-chart

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Key Idea

Confusion often exists over which chart

is appropriate for a specific application,
because the c- and u-charts apply to
situations in which the quality
characteristics inspected do not
necessarily come from discrete units.

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Control Chart Formulas

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Control Chart Selection
Quality Characteristic
variable attribute
defective defect
no
n>1? x and MR
yes constant
yes constant
p or sampling
sample
np unit?
n>=10 or no size?
x and R
computer? yes no
no
yes
p-chart with c u
x and s variable sample
size
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Control Chart Design Issues
 Basis for sampling
 Sample size
 Frequency of sampling
 Location of control limits

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Key Idea

In determining the method of sampling,

samples should be chosen to be as
homogeneous as possible so that each
sample reflects the system of common
causes or assignable causes that may be
present at that point in time.

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Key Idea

In practice, samples of about five have

been found to work well in detecting
process shifts of two standard deviations
or larger. To detect smaller shifts in the
process mean, larger sample sizes of 15
to 25 must be used.

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Economic Tradeoffs

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Pre-Control

LTL UTL

Red Red
Zone Green Zone Zone

nominal
value

Yellow Zones
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Key Idea

Pre-control is not an adequate substitute

for control charts and should only be
used when process capability is no
greater than 88 percent of the tolerance,
or equivalently, when Cp is at least 1.14.
If the process mean tends to drift, then
Cp should be higher.

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