Statistical process control (SPC) may sound like such a complicated term, but simply put, it is the application of methods in statistics to the monitoring and evaluation of processes to make sure that it meets its full capacity of producing a product that conform to quality control criteria. What happens under SPC is that a process will be made to behave in a predictable way in order to manufacture a product that is as up to standards as possible while making the least waste possible.
SPC is most frequently used to evaluating and keeping manufacturing lines in check, but it can be equally applied to any process that produces a measurable output. Statistical process control usually makes use of a control chart. This chart is known as a process-behavior chart, or Shewart chart, named after the person who pioneered the process, American physicist, statistician, and engineer Walter Shewhart. He was the one who came up with the control chart and the idea of keeping a statistical control. He used pure mathematical theories of statistics. From these seeds, SPC has come to be used to check whether the given business or manufacturing operational process is within a state of statistical control. The advantages of SPC include the following:
1. Continuous improvement is a goal that SPC strives to achieve. This is simply a continued effort to enhance products, processes, or services, which can come in incremental stages or a possible one-time breakthrough. Design of experiments is also a critical tool used in this process, which helps tell whether any variation has to be allowed, or if there is a certain level of control that can be reached for the particular experiment.
2. SPC works best in examining processes and checking the sources of variation for those particular operations, making use of tools that emphasize objective results over subjective perspectives. This objectivity means that data need to be stated in numerical terms. Variations in the operation have the capacity to affect the output, which means it takes these into account and they are considered vital in terms of being detected and possibly corrected in all possible means. This results in an overall reduction of waste, as well as avoiding passing on some of the potential problems to the end-user.
3. In addition, SPC emphasizes early detection of problems as well as prevention of them, making it a good tool over other quality-control methodology. For example, physical inspection will only be able to find problems and correcting them after they are already in place.
4. Not only does SPC reduce waste, it also saves time in terms of how long it takes to produce a certain item or service. This is largely due to the lower chances of a final product needing to be remade, as well as SPC being able to detect bottlenecks and other possible causes of delay throughout the production line. Identifying these allows the company to reduce them significantly, resulting in huge reduction of costs and a higher customer satisfaction.
Once you understand the benefits that statistical process control can offer your company, you can be sure that your overall operations will be greatly improved and made faster. Your manufacturing line will also be able to speed up its process, reduce costs, and offer greater satisfaction to your customers. With the existence of many consultants that are able to help your business with applying this system, you will not even have to be an expert in statistics, as long as you appreciate the benefits it offers. All you need to do is point out the processes you want to be subjected to the test, and you can rest knowing you will wind up with an improved production line.
