STA 577

STATISTICAL QUALITY CONTROL

[ASSIGNMENT 1]

1. The definition of quality.

Quality is a procedure or a set of procedures intended to ensure that a manufactured product
or performed service to a defined set of quality criteria or meets the requirements of the client
or customer. It is difficult to obtain a single universal definition of quality. A particular
definition of quality is highly dependent on the context. For example, various functions in an
organization may have a particular preference for defining quality. The production functions
may utilize manufacturing based criteria. Similarly arguments can be made for differing
buyer perspectives, based on individual preferences or products, we should view quality as a
measure of goodness that is inherent to a product or service. In manufacturing, a measure of
excellence or a state of being free from defects, deficiencies and significant variations. It is
brought
about
by
strict
and consistent commitment to
certain
standards
that achieve uniformity of product in order to satisfy specific customer or user requirements.

2. The traditional and modern definition of quality.

Traditional definition of quality:
Quality based on the view point that products and services must meet the
requirements of those who use them fitness for use.
Aspects of fitness for use are :
i)
Quality of design: Variation in grades or level of quality.
ii)
Quality of conformance: How well products conforms to the specifications
requires by the design.
Modern definition of quality:
Quality is inversely proportional to variability.
If variability in important characteristics decreases, quality of the product increases.

QUALITY
Traditional concept

Modern concept

Some minor defects and deviations are

acceptable.

The goal is to have defects-free products and

services.

Low quality is due to poor working

people.

Automation is the key to higher quality.Low

quality is due to poor labor
management. Sincere evaluation and respect for
people is the key to higher quality.

Higher quality means higher costs,

reduced profits and makes production
harder.

Higher quality creates higher profits. It isthe

major production target.

Control finished products quality and

remove the low quality ones.

Improve the processes in advance to eliminate

the reasons for the low quality.

The quality control department is a

separate unit, checking the finished
products.

Quality is everyone's business. Its total control

includes all production phases.

Buy only from the cheapest suppliers.

Compete suppliers to lower your overall
costs.

Buy from quality and reliable suppliers. Even if

you split your profit with such a supplier, you
will win.

Quality depends only on production.

Quality depends on all phases of the production

process - from the design till the delivery and
after-sales service.

Business inventories are necessary to

ensure a continuous process. Idle
workers are direct net loss.

Maintaining surplus stocks sharply deteriorates

economic performance. Idle workers are
diverted to other useful activities.

3. The statistical methods for Quality Control and Improvement.

The statistical methods in quality improvement take many forms which are;
1. Hypothesis Testing

Two hypotheses are evaluated: a null hypothesis (H0) and an

alternative hypothesis (H 1). The null hypothesis is a straw
man used in a statistical test. The conclusion is to

2. Regression Analysis

either reject or fail to reject the null hypothesis.

Determines a mathematical expression describing the
functional relationship between one response and one or
more independent variables.

3. Statistical
Process
Control (SPC)

Monitors,

controls

and

improves

processes

through

statistical techniques. SPC identifies when processes are out

of control due to special cause variation (variation caused by
special circumstances, not inherent to the process).
Practitioners may then seek ways to remove that variation

4. Design and Analysis

of Experiments

from the process.

Planning, conducting, analyzing and interpreting controlled
tests to evaluate the factors that may influence a response
variable.

4. The Quality Gurus and their philosophy:

i. Walter A. Shewhart
-

The importance of adapting management processes to create profitable situations for

both businesses and consumers, promoting the utilization of his own creation - the
SPC control chart.

Dr. Shewhart believed that lack of information greatly hampered the efforts of control
and management processes in a production environment. In order to aid a manager in
making scientific, efficient, economical decisions, he developed Statistical Process
Control methods.

He also developed the Shewhart Cycle Learning and Improvement cycle, combining
both creative management thinking with statistical analysis. This cycle contains four
continuous steps: Plan, Do, Study and Act. These steps (commonly refered to as the
PDSA cycle), Shewhart believed; ultimately lead to total quality improvement. The
cycle draws its structure from the notion that constant evaluations of management
practices as well as the willingness of management to adopt and disregard
unsupported ideas are keys to the evolution of a successful enterprise.

ii. W. Edwards Deming

- Satisfying the customer, not merely to meet his expectations, but to exceed them.
- Placed great importance and responsibility on management, at both the individual
and company level, believing management to be responsible for 94% of quality
problems. His fourteen point plan is a complete philosophy of management, that
can be applied to small or large organisations in the public, private or service
sectors:
Create constancy of purpose towards improvement of product and
service.
Adopt the new philosophy. We can no longer live with commonly
accepted levels of delay, mistakes and defective workmanship.
Cease dependence on mass inspection. Instead, require statistical
evidence that quality is built in.
End the practice of awarding business on the basis of price.

Find problems. It is managements job to work continually on the

system.
Institute modern methods of training on the job.
Institute modern methods of supervision of production workers. The
responsibility of foremen must be changed from numbers to quality.
Drive out fear, so that everyone may work effectively for the company.
Break down barriers between departments.
Eliminate numerical goals, posters and slogans for the workforce
asking for new levels of productivity without providing methods.
Eliminate work standards that prescribe numerical quotas.
Remove barriers that stand between the hourly worker and their right
to pride of workmanship.
Institute a vigorous programme of education and retraining.
Create a structure in top management that will push on the above
points every day.

iii. Joseph M. Juran

- Fitness for purpose or use-design, conformance, availability, safety, field use.
- Developed the quality trilogy quality planning, quality control and quality
improvement. Good quality management requires quality actions to be planned
out, improved and controlled. The process achieves control at one level of quality
performance, the plans are made to improve the performance on a project by
project basis, using tools and techniques such as Pareto analysis. This activity
eventually achieves breakthrough to an improved level, which is again controlled,
to prevent any deterioration.

iv. Philip Crosby

- Philip B Crosby is known for the concepts of Quality is Free and Zero
Defects, and his quality improvement process is based on his four absolutes of
quality:
Quality is conformance to requirements.
The system of quality is prevention.
The performance standard is zero defects.
The measurement of quality is the price of non-conformance.
-

Fourteen steps to quality improvement are:

Management is committed to a formalised quality policy.
Form a management level quality improvement team (QIT) with
responsibility for quality improvement process planning and administration.
Determine where current and potential quality problems lie.
Evaluate the cost of quality and explain its use as a management tool to
measure waste.
Raise quality awareness and personal concern for quality amongst all
employees.
Take corrective actions, using established formal systems to remove the root
causes of problems.
Establish a zero defects committee and programme.
Train all employees in quality improvement.
Hold a Zero Defects Day to broadcast the change and as a management
recommitment and employee commitment.
Encourage individuals and groups to set improvement goals.
Encourage employees to communicate to management any obstacles they
face in attaining their improvement goals.
Give formal recognition to all participants.
Establish quality councils for quality management information sharing.
Do it all over again form a new quality improvement team.