QMS 8
QMS 8
QMS 8
THE PROBLEM-SOLVING PROCESS - A methodical and effective approach for OTHER TOOLS: Process Flowcharts
analysing problems and generating workable solutions to them.
When to use it - • A problem exists • Needs improvement. STEP 2: Investigate and Fix
Aim: To identify which possible causes actually contribute to the problem and fix
Why use it? Can identify quick fixes as well as permanent solutions to the ROOT
CAUSES. those that can be acted upon immediately.
MAIN TOOLS: Checksheets, Concentration Diagrams, Pareto Analysis, Data
The Problem-Solving Process
Handling and Display.
em OTHER TOOLS: Process Flowcharts, Interviews and Questionnaires.
2. Investigate & Fix
3. Analyse Data & Identify Root Causes STEP 3: Analyse Data and Identify Root Causes
4. Identify Possible Solutions • Aim: To identify the root causes of a problem.
mplementation stages if viable, MAIN TOOLS: Pareto Analysis, Data Handling and Display.
Review/re-start if not viable.
OTHER TOOLS: 5 Whys, Process Flowcharts
Define the
STEP 4: Identify Possible Solutions
problem
• Aim: To identify possible solutions which could be used to eliminate the identified
root cause(s).
Problem MAIN TOOLS: Brainstorming
solving wheel
STEP 5: Select and Test Solutions
• Aim: To select an effective, practical and implementable solution that will remove the
RULE 4. Nine or more consecutive points fall on the same side of the centerline.
Solution:
n=4, Z=3, σ=0.02
Mean Chart
This approach is recommended when the process standard deviation is not known
A second approach to calculate the control limits:
This approach assumes that the range is in control
Where:
A2 = A factor from table
R = Average of sample ranges
Example Using Mean and Range Charts
Twenty samples of n = 8 have been taken from a cleaning operations. The average • Mean control charts and range control charts provide different perspectives on a
sample range for the 20 samples was 0.016 minute, and the average mean was 3 process.
minutes. Determine three-sigma control limits for this process. • The mean charts are sensitive to shifts in process mean, whereas range charts
Solution: are sensitive to changes in process dispersion.
X= 3 min, R=0.016, A2= 0.37 for n= 8 • both types of charts might be used to monitor the same process.
Use of c-Charts
Use only when the number of occurrences per unit of measure can be counted; non-
occurrences cannot be counted.
– Scratches, chips, dents, or errors per item
– Cracks or faults per unit of distance
– Breaks or Tears per unit of area
– Bacteria or pollutants per unit of volume
– Calls, complaints, failures per unit of time
• When the goal is to control the number of occurrences (e.g., defects) per unit, a C-
chart is used.
• Units might be automobiles, hotel rooms, typed papers, or rolls of carpet.
• The underlying sampling distribution is the Poisson distribution.
• Use of Poisson distribution assumes that defects occur over some continuous
region and that the probability of more than one defect at any particular point is
Control limits are negligible.
• The mean number of defects per unit is c and the standard deviation is:
Control Limits:
C- Chart Example When multiple points can be plotted for a dependent variable.
The line of best fit is the line that comes closest to all the points on a scatter plot.
7. Flow Charts
When the computed lower control limit is negative, the effective lower limit is zero. Process Flowcharts are used to show the steps in a process. These include the inputs
The calculation sometimes produces a negative lower limit due to the use of normal and outputs as well as the intermediate steps and decision points.
distribution as an approximation to the Poisson distribution. INPUTPROCESSOUTPUT
6. Scatter Diagram - It is commonly recognized as the most powerful analysis tool. A process is a series of activities that converts an input to an output, by doing
It is a plot to show the relationship between “paired data”. The data is plotted work.
in the form of points with the horizontal and vertical axis determining the Process
value. Flowcharts create a common understanding of the steps involved in carrying out
Applications: any process.
To find the correlation between two variables. Applications:
To find relationships between two seemingly unrelated variables objectively. • Organize a team for the purpose of examining the process
To find the root cause of a problem or an event. • Construct a flow chart to represent each process step
After using an Ishikawa diagram to better analyze data and determining • Discuss and analyze each step in detail
whether a particular cause and effect are related. • Ask the key question, “Why do we do it this way?”
• Compare the actual process to an imagined “perfect” process Process Capability
• Is there unnecessary complexity? • Represents the performance of a process in a state of statistical control. It is
• Does duplication or redundancy exist? determined by the total variability that exists because of all common causes present
• Are there control points to prevent errors or rejects? Should there be? in the system
• Is this process being run the way it should? • A common measure of process capability is given by 6σ, which is also called the
• Improvement ideas may come from substantially different processes process spread.
Lesson 9: Tools for Measuring Quality: Process Capability Index Process Capability Analysis
• Estimates process capability
SPECIFICATION LIMITS AND CONTROL LIMITS • Involves estimating the process mean and standard deviation of the quality
Specifications limits and tolerance limits are often used interchangeably and are characteristic.
defined as the acceptable bounds on quality characteristics. • Additionally, the form of the relative frequency distribution of the characteristic of
Tolerance limits - generally preferred in evaluating manufacturing or service interest is estimated. If specification limits are known, a process capability analysis
requirements will also estimate the proportion of nonconforming product.
Specification Limits - more appropriate for categorizing materials, products, or
services in terms of their stated requirements. Specification limits are determined by Benefits of Process Capability Analysis
the needs of the customer 1. Uniformity of output
Tolerance Limit - Can be two-sided (with upper and lower limits) or one-sided with 2. Maintained or improved quality
either upper or lower limits 3. Product and process design facilitated
A lower tolerance limit defines the lower conformance boundary for an individual 4. Assistance in vendor selection and control
unit of manufacturing or service operation; an upper tolerance limit defines the upper 5. Reduction in total cost
conformance boundary.
NATURAL TOLERANCE LIMITS
Specification limits are determined by the needs of the customer. It’s placed on a • also known as process capability limits, are established or influenced by the process
product characteristic by designers and engineers to ensure adequate functioning of itself.
the product. • They represent the inherent variation in the quality characteristic of the individual
items produced by a process in control.
PROCESS CAPABILITY ANALYSIS • They are estimated based on the population of values or, more typically, from large
• The determination of process capability begins only after the process has been representative samples.
brought to a state of statistical control.
• A process is said to be in statistical control when the only sources of variation in the
system are common causes
Example
The diameter of a part has to fit an assembly. The specifications for the diameter are
5 ± 0.015 cm. The samples taken from the process in control yield a sample mean X
of 4.99 cm and a sample standard deviation * of 0.004 cm. Find the natural tolerance
limits of the process. Would you consider adjusting the process center?
Solution: The upper and lower natural tolerance limits based on the sample estimates
are found using eq
• UNTL = 4.99 + (3) (0.004) = 5.002
• LNTL = 4.99 - (3)(0.004) = 4.978
• Assuming a normal distribution of diameters, the process spread is (6)(0.004) =
0.024 cm, which is the difference between the natural tolerance limits
• For the current process, we would expect the diameters to lie between 5.002 and
4.978 cm
• The difference between the specification limits is 0.03 cm.
If the process were left in its original state, some proportion of the parts would
fall below the lower specification limit of 4.985 cm. SPECIFICATIONS AND PROCESS CAPABILITY
• Technically, there might not be any mathematical relationship between the process
capability limits (or the natural tolerance limits) and the specification limits. The former
are determined by the condition of the process and its inherent variability; the latter
are influenced by the needs of the customer.
Thus, it would be desirable to adjust the process center to the target value of 5 cm. If
this is done, since the process spread is 0.024 cm and the difference between the
specification limits is 0.03 cm, virtually all parts would fall between the specification
limits, and we would have a capable process.