Dao Vu Truong Son, PhD

International University, VNU-HCM

Email: [email protected]
A Technical component of TQM:
SPC/SQC

Part 1
Stabilizing and Improving
a Process with Control Charts

2
 Outlines
◼ Introduction to SPC
◼ Target of SPC
◼ Process Variation
◼ The Structure of Control Charts
◼ Stabilizing a Process with Control Charts
◼ Advantages of a Stable Process
◼ Improving a Process with Control Charts
◼ Two Possible Mistakes in Using Control Charts
◼ Some out-of-control evidence
◼ Quality Consciousness and Types of Control Charts
◼ Three Uses of Control Charts
◼ Exercises

3
 Learning Objectives (You will be able to:)
◼ To explain the need for continual reduction of variation, even when
the quality characteristic is within specifications.
◼ To discuss the use of control charts to stabilize and improve a
process.
◼ To discuss the consequences of over and under-adjustment of a
process.
◼ To detect out-of-control behavior using the 7 Western Electric
rules.
◼ To describe how attributes control charts can be used for defect
prevention.
◼ To describe how variables control charts can be used for never-
ending improvement.
◼ To discuss the purposes of studying control charts.
4
What it is What it is not
- A procedure structured to - No wondermeans to
tackle, recognize and solve problems
control problems

- Gives info concerning the - short-term approach

stability and capability of
the process

- Based on measurements - Business of the

and interpretation of the quality departments
operator alone
- Based on control charts
and standard procedures

5
6
◼ Recall: process variation as the result of either common
causes or special causes.
◼ Control Charts and Variation:
1. Control charts are used to identify and differentiate
between common and special causes of variation.
2. When a process no longer exhibits special variation, but
only common variation: process is stable.
3. When only common causes of variation are present in a
process: must take action to reduce the difference
between customer needs and process performance by
endeavoring to move the centerline of the process closer
to nominal and/or by reducing the magnitude of common
variation.
◼ The Need for the Continual Reduction of Variation 7
  All control charts
P Chart f or Fraction have a common
1 structure:
1. a centerline (the
UCL=0.2055
0.2 process average)
2. upper and lower
Proportion

control limits (3-

0.1
P=0.1112 sigma limits) that
provide information
on the process
LCL=0.01689 variation.
0.0

0 5 10 15 20 25
Sample Number

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 Control charts are constructed by drawing samples
and taking measurements of a process characteristic.
Each set of measurements is called a subgroup.
 Control limits are based on the variation that occurs
within the sampled subgroups.
 In this way, variation between the subgroups is
intentionally excluded from the computation of the
control limits; the common process variation becomes
the variation on which we calculate the control
limits.
 The control limit computations assume that there are
no special causes of variation affecting the process. If
a special cause of variation is present, the control
chart, based solely on common variation, will
highlight when and where the special cause occurred.

9
Stabilizing a Process with Control Charts
Raw data for construction of control chart
No of No of Fraction of
Day
entries defects defective entries
1 200 6 0.03
2 200 6 0.03
3 200 6 0.03
4 200 5 0.025
5 200 0 0
6 200 0 0
7 200 6 0.03
8 200 14 0.07
9 200 4 0.02
10 200 0 0
11 200 1 0.005
12 200 8 0.04
13 200 2 0.01
14 200 4 0.02
15 200 7 0.035
16 200 1 0.005
17 200 3 0.015
18 200 1 0.005
19 200 4 0.02
20 200 0 0
21 200 4 0.02
22 200 15 0.075
23 200 4 0.02
24 200 1 0.005

Total 4800 102 10

  When the data
consist of a series of
fractions that are
Chart Title
defective or possess
0.08
Fraction of defective entries

0.07 some other

0.06 characteristic of
0.05 interest, the
0.04
appropriate control
0.03
0.02
chart is a p-chart.
0.01 This is a depiction of
0 the process output in
0 4 8 12 16 20 24
Day terms of an attribute
of interest - in our
example, the fraction
defective.

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 The centerline for a p-chart is the mean of the fraction
defective.

 Total number of defectives in all subgrops under investigation 

p= 
 Total number of units examined in all subgroups under investigation 

 Control limits are calculated as plus and minus three

times the standard error. The standard error for the
average proportion is:

p(1 − p)
p =
n

 Where n is the subgroup size.

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 Using this value, the upper and lower control limits for a
p-chart are given by:
p(1 − p)
UCL(p) = p + 3
n

p(1 − p)
LCL(p) = p - 3
n

 We can now find the numerical values for constructing

our p-chart:
102
p= = 0.021
4,800
(0.021)(1 − 0.021)
UCL(p) = 0.021 + 3 = 0.052
200
(0.021)(1 − 0.021)
LCL(p) = 0.021 − 3 = −0.009
200

 Notice that since a negative fraction defective is not

possible, the lower control limit is set at 0.00. 13
 New Terminal Malfunction
Untrained (Replaced with “Old”
Operator Standby Unit)

0.08

0.07
Fraction of defective entries

0.06

0.05 UCL

0.04

0.03

0.02

0.01

0 LCL
0 4 8 12 16 20 24
Day

Unknown

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 The action taken on the process stemming
from investigations of days 8 and 22 should
change the process so that the special causes
of variation will be eliminated. Consequently,
the data from days 8 and 22 may now be
deleted. After eliminating the data for the days
in which the special causes of variation are
found, the control chart statistics are
recomputed.
73
p= = 0.017
4,400
(0.017)(1 − 0.017)
UCL(p) = 0.017 + 3 = 0.045
200
(0.017)(1 − 0.017)
LCL(p) = 0.017 − 3 = −0.010
200
Hence, use LCL = 0.00 15
 0.05

0.045 0.044

0.04

0.035
Fraction defectives

0.03

0.025

0.02
0.017
0.015

0.01

0.005

0
0 10 20 30 40 50
Day

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 A stable process is a process that exhibits only
common variation or variation resulting from inherent
system limitations. The advantages of achieving a
stable process are:
◼ Management knows the process capability and can predict
performance, costs, and quality levels.
◼ Productivity will be at a maximum, and costs will be minimized.
◼ Management will be able to measure the effects of changes in
the system with greater speed and reliability.
◼ If management wants to alter specification limits, it will have the
data to back up its decision.
 A stable process is a basic requirement for process
improvement efforts.

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 Once a process is stable, it has a known capability. A
stable process may, nevertheless, produce an
unacceptable number of defects (threshold state)
 There are two areas for action to reduce the difference
between customer needs and process performance.
➢ First, action may be taken to change the process
average.
➢ Second, management can act to reduce the level of
common variation with an eye toward never-ending
improvement of the process.
 The workers can only suggest changes; they can not
effect changes to the system.

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 0.03

0.026
0.025

0.02
Fraction defective

0.015

0.01
0.008

0.005

0
0 5 10 15 20 25
Day

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 There are two types of mistakes that the
user of a control chart may make: over-
adjustment and under-adjustment.

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◼ Avoiding both of these mistakes all of the time is an
impossible task.
◼ Never adjusting the process - so that we never
make the mistake of over-adjusting - could result in
severe under-adjustment.
◼ On the other hand, if we made very frequent
adjustments to avoid the problem of under-
adjustment, we would probably be over-adjusting.
◼ Control charts provide an economical means to
minimize the total loss that results from these two
errors.
◼ Consequently, control charts provide management
with information on when to take action on a
process and when to leave it alone.

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 The area between the control limits is divided into 6 bands.
1. C zones: centerline  1 standard error.
2. B Zones: between 1 and 2 standard errors from the centerline.
3. A zones: between 2 and 3 standard errors from the centerline.

 Rules for identifying out-of-control points (7 rules).

- Backward looking
- Any out-of-control points found are marked with an X.
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 Rule 1. A process exhibits a lack of control if any
subgroup statistic falls outside of the control limits.

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 Rule 2. A process exhibits a lack of control if any two
out of three consecutive subgroup statistics fall in one
of the A zones or beyond on the same side of the
centerline.

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 Rule 3. A process exhibits a lack of control if four out
of five consecutive subgroup statistics fall in one of
the B zones or beyond on the same side of the
centerline.

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 Rule 4. A process exhibits a lack of control if eight or
more consecutive subgroup statistics lie on the same side
of the centerline.

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 Rule 5. A process exhibits a lack of control if eight or
more consecutive subgroup statistics move upward in
value or if eight or more consecutive subgroup statistics
move downward in value.

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 Rule 6. A process exhibits a lack of control if an unusually
small number of runs above and below the centerline are
present (a saw-tooth pattern).

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 Rule 7. A process exhibits a lack of control if 13
consecutive points fall within zone C on either side of the
centerline.

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 No quality consciousness: Accept Everything without Question
 Defect detection: Mass inspection. (yes-no)
 Defect prevention: Attribute control charts. (goalpost view)
 Never-ending improvement: Variable control charts. (Taguchi)
 Innovations (quality creation)

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 Evaluating the Past
 Evaluating the Present
 Predicting the Near Future

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 Identify any points that indicate a
lack of control and explain why

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 RMIT Classification: Trusted

Assoc. Prof. Ho Thanh Phong, International University

 RMIT Classification: Trusted

Assoc. Prof. Ho Thanh Phong, International University

 RMIT Classification: Trusted

Assoc. Prof. Ho Thanh Phong, International University