Statistical process control: the lessons to be learnt. (5th August 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Dale, B.G.; Shaw, P.
• Is Part Of: International journal of vehicle design. Volume 9:Number 3(1988)
• Page Start: 276
• Page End: 286
• Publication Date: 2014-08-05
• Subjects: automotive management -- quality improvement -- statistical process control -- SPC -- control charts -- variation -- automobile industry -- automotive suppliers; Motor vehicles -- Design and construction -- Periodicals; 629.231
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0143-3369

Abstract

The authors, from their training and research activities, have identified a number of practicalities and pitfalls relating to the introduction and application of statistical process control (SPC) in the automotive supplier community. These include: senior management not taking their obligations for quality improvement seriously; insufficient thought being given to the role of the SPC facilitator; people who are not directly responsible for control of a process, collecting and plotting data on control charts; control charts being displayed away from the work area; an over–reliance being placed on SPC computerised packages; confusion over the type of control chart to use in a particular situation; a lack of action on the data collected and presented on control charts; and a lack of confidence to experiment with the use of SPC. This paper articulates these difficulties and speculates on the reasons for them.