Script:

Slide 2:Content of ppt

1. Introduction:Definition and importance of spc

2. Statistical control charts concepts and general aspects
3. Advantages of spc
4. Process Capability
5. Measuring process control and quality improvement
6. References

Slide 3:Introduction

 Part of SQC- use of control charts to monitor the output of manufacturing processes,
identify unnatural variations in the measurements, and specify their assignable causes.
 Statistical process control (SPC)- use of statistical techniques to control a process
or production method. SPC tools and procedures can help you monitor process
behavior, discover issues in internal systems, and find solutions for production
issues.
 Process: transformation of a set of inputs, which can include materials, actions,
methods and operations, into desired outputs, in the form of products,
information, services or – generally – results.
 Image- Supplier(input)—Customer(output)
 Feedback,material,equipment,services,methods

Slide 4: Objectives of SPC

 Monitor the performance of a process over time in order to verify that the process
is remaining in a "state of statistical control"[2].

Objectives of spc: The overall objective of SPC is to continuously improve processes by

reducing variation. Meeting the overall objective makes it possible to meet other related
objectives, like:
 increase customer satisfaction and fewer customer complaints;
 reduce or eliminate the need for inspection in the supply chain;
 establish a predictable and consistent level of quality;
 decrease scrap, rework and inspection cost;
 increase the motivation of operators;
 more efficient data entry, analysis and reporting
 better communication between all levels in the organization
 increase productivity;
 lower investment because of process improvements[4]

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 Slide 5: Advantages of SPC

 Reduced scrap, rework, and warranty claims

 Maximized productivity
 Improved resource utilization
 Increased operational efficiency
 Decreased manual inspections
 Improved client satisfaction
 Reduced Costs
 Extensive Analytics and Reporting

Slide 6: Statistical Control Charts

Also called: Shewhart chart, statistical process control chart

The control chart is a graph used to study how a process changes over time. Data are plotted
in time order. A control chart always has a central line for the average, an upper line for the
upper control limit, and a lower line for the lower control limit. These lines are determined
from historical data. By comparing current data to these lines, you can draw conclusions
about whether the process variation is consistent (in control) or is unpredictable (out of
control, affected by special causes of variation). This versatile data collection and analysis
tool can be used by a variety of industries and is considered one of the seven basic quality
tools.

Control charts for variable data are used in pairs. The top chart monitors the average, or the
centering of the distribution of data from the process. The bottom chart monitors the range, or
the width of the distribution. If your data were shots in target practice, the average is where
the shots are clustering, and the range is how tightly they are clustered. Control charts for
attribute data are used singly.

WHEN TO USE A CONTROL CHART

 When controlling ongoing processes by finding and correcting problems as they occur
 When predicting the expected range of outcomes from a process
 When determining whether a process is stable (in statistical control)
 When analyzing patterns of process variation from special causes (non-routine events) or
common causes (built into the process)

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  When determining whether your quality improvement project should aim to prevent
specific problems or to make fundamental changes to the process

Slide 7: What are the 3 elements of a control chart?

Control charts have three essential elements:

1. A centerline that represents the mean or average value of the process output

2. Upper Control Limit and lower control limits (UCL and LCL) that show the acceptable range
of variation for the process

3. Data points that represent the actual output of the process over time

Breakdown of key features:

Centerline: Represents the mean or average value of the process output.

Upper Control Limit (UCL): The upper boundary of acceptable variation in the process.

Lower Control Limit (LCL): The lower boundary of acceptable variation in the process.

Data points: Individual measurements taken from the process at different time intervals,
plotted on the chart.

Visual representation: Allows for easy identification of trends, patterns, and outliers in the
process.

Statistical basis: Control limits are calculated using statistical methods like standard deviation
to provide a reliable indication of process stability.

[Reference: https://leanscape.io/6-sigma-control-
charts/#:~:text=Control%20charts%20have%20three%20essential%20elements:%20*,actual%20outp
ut%20of%20the%20process%20over%20time. ]

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Slide 8: Variations in SPC

What is a Statistical Control Chart?

A statistical control chart compares process performance data to computed ―statistical control
limits,‖ drawn as limit lines on the chart. The process performance data usually consist of
groups of measurements (rational subgroups) from the regular sequence of production while
preserving the order of the data.

A prime objective of a control chart is detecting special (or assignable) causes of variation in
a process—by analyzing data from both the past and the future. Knowing the meaning of
―special causes‖ is essential to understanding the control chart concept.

Process variations have two kinds of causes: (1) common (or random or chance), which are
inherent in the process, and (2) special (or assignable), which cause excessive variation.
Ideally, only common causes should be present in a process because they represent a stable
and predictable process that leads to minimum variation. A process that is operating without
special causes of variation is said to be ―in a state of statistical control.‖ The control chart for
such a process has all of the data points within the statistical control limits. The object of a
control chart is not to achieve a state of statistical control as an end in itself but to reduce
variation.

The control chart distinguishes between common and special causes of variation through the
choice of control limits

These are calculated by using the laws of probability so that highly improbable causes of
variation are presumed to be due to special causes not to random causes. When the variation
exceeds the statistical control limits, it is a signal that special causes have entered the process
and the process should be investigated to identify these causes of excessive variation.

Random variation within the control limits means that only common (random) causes
are present; the amount of variation has stabilized, and minor process adjustments should be
avoided. Note that a control chart detects the presence of a special cause but does not find the
cause—that task must be handled by a subsequent investigation of the process.

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Reference:https://www.juran.com/blog/guide-to-statistical-control-
charts/#:~:text=The%20control%20chart%20distinguishes%20between,subsequent%20invest
igation%20of%20the%20process.

Slide 9:Types of Control Charts (SPC)

There are various types of control charts which are broadly similar and have been developed
to suit particular characteristics of the quality attribute being analyzed. Two broad categories
of chart exist, which are based on if the data being monitored is ―variable‖ or ―attribute‖ in
nature.Variable control charts track measurable data, while attribute control charts track
count data.

Slide 10:

1. Variable Control Charts:

 X bar control chart: the means (or averages) of a set of samples, plotted in order to monitor
the mean of a variable, for example the length of steel rods, the weight of bags of compound,
the intensity of laser beams, etc.. In constructing this chart, samples of process outputs are
taken at regular intervals, the means of each set of samples are calculated and graphed onto
the X bar control chart. This chart can then be utilized to determine the actual process mean,
versus a nominal process mean and will demonstrate if the mean output of the process is
changing over time.
 Range “R” control chart: This type of chart demonstrates the variability within a process. It
is suited to processes where the sample sizes are relatively small, for example <10. Sets of
sample data are recorded from a process for the particular quality characteristic being
monitored. For each set of date the difference between the smallest and largest readings are
recorded. This is the range ―R‖ of the set of data. The ranges are now recorded onto a control
chart. The center line is the averages of all the ranges.
 Standard Deviation “S” control chart:The ―S‖ chart can be applied when monitoring
variable data. It is suited to situations where there are large numbers of samples being
recorded. The ―S‖ relates to the standard deviation within the sample sets and is a better
indication of variation within a large set versus the range calculation. An advantage of using
the standard deviation is that all data within a set are utilized to determine the variation, rather
than just the minimum and maximum values.

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Slide 11:

2. Attribute Control Charts: Attribute control charts are utilized when monitoring count
data. There are two categories of count data, namely data which arises from ―pass/fail‖ type
measurements, and data which arises where a count in the form of 1,2,3,4,…. arises.
Depending on which form of data is being recorded, differing forms of control charts should
be applied.

 “u” and “c” control charts: The ―u‖ and ―c‖ control charts are applied when monitoring
and controlling count data in the form of 1,2,3, …. i.e. specific numbers. An example of such
data is the number of defects in a batch of raw material, or the number of defects identified
within a finished product. The c chart is used where there can be a number of defects per
sample unit and the number of samples per sampling period remains constant. In the u chart,
again similar to the c chart, the number of defects per sample unit can be recorded, however,
with the u chart, the number of samples per sampling period may vary.

 “p” and “np” control charts:P charts are utilized where there is a pass / fail
determination on a unit inspected. The p chart will show if the proportion defective within a
process changes over the sampling period (the p indicates the portion of successes). In the p
chart the sample size can vary over time. A similar chart to the p chart is the np chart.
However, with the np chart the sample size needs to stay constant over the sampling period.
An advantage of the np chart is that the number non-conforming is recorded onto the control
rather than the fraction non conforming. Some process operators are more comfortable
plotting the number rather than the fraction of non-conformances.

Pre-control Charts: Where a process is confirmed as being within statistical control, a pre-control
chart can be utilized to check individual measurements against allowable specifications. Pre-control
charts are simpler to use than standard control charts, are more visual and provide immediate ―call to
actions‖ for process operators. If however a process is not statistically ―capable‖ i.e. having a Cpk of
at least 1, pre-control can result in excessive process stoppages.

Reference: https://www.presentationeze.com/presentations/statistical-process-control/statistical-process-control-
full-details/control-chart/types-control-charts/

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 Slide 12:

Process capability is defined as a statistical measure of the inherent process variability of a given characteristic.
You can use a process-capability study to assess the ability of a process to meet specifications.

During a quality improvement initiative, such as Six Sigma, a capability estimate is typically obtained at the
start and end of the study to reflect the level of improvement that occurred.

Several capability estimates are in widespread use, including:

 Potential capability (Cp) and actual capability during production (C pk) are process capability estimates.
Cp and Cpk show how capable a process is of meeting its specification limits, used with continuous data. They
are valuable tools for evaluating initial and ongoing capability of parts and processes.
 "Sigma" is a capability estimate typically used with attribute data (i.e., with defect rates).

Capability estimates like these essentially reflect the nonconformance rate of a process by expressing this
performance in the form of a single number. Typically this involves calculating some ratio of the specification
limits to process spread.

Reference:https://asq.org/quality-resources/process-
capability#:~:text=Process%20capability%20is%20defined%20as,a%20process%20to%20meet%20specificatio
ns.

[3]

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Cp index
In order to manufacture within a specification, the difference between the USL and the LSL must be less than
the total process variation. So acomparison of 6_ with (USL–LSL) or 2T gives an obvious process capability
index, known as the Cp of the process:
Cp =USL – LSL/6ϭ
Or 2T/6ϭ
Clearly, any value of Cp below 1 means that the process variation is greater than the specified tolerance band so
the process is incapable. For increasing values of Cp the process becomes increasingly capable. The Cp index,
like the RPI, makes no comment about the centringof the process, it is a simple comparison of total variation
with tolerances.

Cpk index
It is possible to envisage(imagine) a relatively wide tolerance band with a relatively small process variation, but
in which a significant proportion of the process output lies outside the tolerance band (Figure 10.4). This does
not invalidate the use of Cp as an index to measure the ‗potential capability‘ of a process when centred, but
suggests the need for another index which takes account of both the process variation and the centring. Such an
index is the Cpk, which is widely accepted as a means of communicating process capability.

https://sixsigmastudyguide.com/statistical-process-control-spc/

Measuring Process Control:

https://www.juran.com/blog/statistical-process-control-and-quality-improvement/

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What is Statistical Process Control?
The control process detects and takes action on sporadic quality problems; the improvement process
identifies and takes action on chronic quality problems.

In the control process, statistical control charts detect the existence of special causes of variation that
result in sporadic problems. The charts show sample data falling beyond statistical control limits, i.e.,
the process is ―out of statistical control.‖

Conversely, when a chart shows that a process is ―in statistical control,‖ the process is in a state of
stability, and variation is due to a set of common causes inherent in the process. Statistical control
means stability, but stability does not always mean customer satisfaction with the result.

Unfortunately, a process in statistical control can have serious quality problems. Because the process
is stable, the problems will continue (become chronic) unless a basic change in the system of common
causes is made. Such a change, which typically affects the average or variation, is the job
of improvement. ―Removal of a special cause of variation, to move toward statistical
control, important though it may be, is not improvement of the process‖ (Deming, 1986, page 338).

Process improvement is directed at several problems:

1. The process average is misdirected. Table 20.9 shows possible corrective action.
2. The inherent variability of the process is too large. Table 20.9 provides some of
the approaches available to reduce variability.
3. The instrumentation is inadequate. See Section 15.8, ―Errors of Measurement.‖
4. A process drift exists. Here the need is to quantify the amount of drift in a given period of
time and to provide a means of resetting the process to compensate for this drift.
5. Cyclical changes in the process exist. The need is to identify the underlying cause and either
remove it or reduce the effect on the process.
6. The process is erratic. Sudden changes can take place in processes. As the capability studies
quantify the size of these changes and help to discover the reasons for them, appropriate
planning action can be taken:
1. Temporary phenomena (e.g., a cold machine coming up to operating temperature) can
be dealt with by scheduling warming periods plus checks at the predicted time of
stability.
2. More enduring phenomena (e.g., changes due to new materials) can be dealt with by
specifying setup reverification when such changes are introduced.

The statistical design of experiments is an essential analytical tool for improvement that goes far
beyond the investigation of out-of-control points on a statistical control chart. This tool, when
combined with the knowledge of those who plan and run the processes, replaces intuitive decision
making with a scientific basis.

Now, how do these matters relate to customer needs?

Clearly, in using statistical process control and taking subsequent actions, the focus must be on
meeting customer needs. One definition—which is far from perfect—is given by specification limits.
Limits on statistical control charts are different from specification limits. In some situations, a process

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is not in statistical control but may not require action because the product specifications are easily
met. In other situations, a process is in statistical control, but the product specifications are not being
met.

If a product does not meet specifications, then some type of action is needed—changing the average
value, reducing the variability, doing both, changing the specifications, sorting the product, etc. If a
product does meet the specifications, the alternatives are different—taking no action, using a less
precise process, or reducing the variability further (see below for reasons). Table 20.10 shows the
more usual permutations encountered and provides suggestions on the type of action to be taken.

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Slide 14:Process Improvement Cycle:

A 5 Step Continuous Improvement Cycle

Define
1. Identify the target process
2. Organize and empower an improvement team
3. Describe the issues, concerns or opportunity
4. Collect current performance data
5. Create a process map

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Identify
1. Identify the process customers and suppliers
2. Define the process inputs and outputs
3. Define the process requirements
4. Identify wastes and value-added activities
5. Generate a list of potential improvements
Select
1. Establish desired performance goals
2. Prioritize the potential solutions
3. Establish the selection criteria
4. Select the best solution(s)
5. Define the desired process
Implement
1. Develop an action plan to achieve the goals
2. Develop process performance metrics
3. Document the solutions(s)
4. Test the changes
5. Implement per the action plan
Evaluate
1. Establish ongoing feedback
2. Measure progress per the action plan
3. Compare results with desired performance goals
4. Determine corrective actions that need to be taken
5. Repeat the cycle to define new opportunities
Reference https://ultraconsultants.com/erp-software-blog/continuous-improvement-cycle/

Slide 15:Continuous Improvement Methods

There are many methods of continuous improvement, all with the goal of improving processes
through establishing a company culture where employees are encouraged to seek out and identify
areas for improvement. These include:

1. Plan – Do – Check – Act (PDCA) – This method prescribes a problem-solving system which
includes planning small improvements, reviewing the resulting data to evaluate the results,
and implementing ongoing improvement through standardization.
2. Lean methodology – Focuses on reducing waste and creating efficient workflows to optimize
processes.
3. Six Sigma – Aims to reduce defects and variability in processes in order to improve quality.
4. Total Quality Management (TQM) – This method emphasizes a continual improvement
process across the entire organization, focusing on getting the company‘s people involved in
process changes and increasing customer satisfaction.
5. Theory of Constraints (TOC) – Focuses on removing constraints in order to facilitate
optimized resources and workflows.
6. Root Cause Analysis (RCA) – Seeks to identify the root causes of problems to implement
long-term solutions.
7. Benchmarking – Identifies improvement opportunities by comparing key metrics against
industry standards or competitors.

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