Statistical Process Control Essay

In this essay I will be covering the statistical process control system. The statistical process control system, or SPC for short, is basically a quality control & improvement strategy information system. The statistical process control system is a data driven, graphic centered, process oriented operator run system designed to implement timely corrective action & also a way to identify quality problems & challenges. In this essay I will cover the main features & uses of the statistical process control system. There are several reasons of why many companies use the statistical process control system. The main tool of the statistical process control system is the control chart, which users with access can view & change attribute data & variable

It is basically a graphical representation of what is going on in a process. It is a graphical tool used to distinguish between inherent & assignable variation. The SPC system incorporates the control chart with center line, upper limit, & lower limit functions which can be manipulated by the user. The control chart basically shows changes in data pattern as well as the causes of the changes in data. The control charts have a center line, upper limit line & lower limit line. The center line function is basically the process average or expected value. The upper & lower limit values can also be changed by the user if they see fit to do so. The users can signal the need for corrective action by measuring the process sample in accordance with the control plan. They then can use the record function by recording the data on the control chart & plot points that need further attention. Other users then can log in to the SPC system, view the control chart & compare any individual readings to the specifications that are previously noted on the control chart. The variables & attributes functions are other features that users can view & change via the SPC system. The variables function basically are characteristics that users can measure, weight, or change. The attributes function is used for users to focus on defect & classification. Other functions of the statistical process control system are the “In control” & “Out of control” status options. If data listed on the control chart are within the upper & lower limit lines, the process is listed to be “In control” and is capable of producing within the control limits. If the data is plotted outside of either the upper limit or lower limit lines, it is process is listed to be “Out of control”. The In control & Out of control status can also be viewed as functions due to the fact that users can manually change the status of a process