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Statistical Process Control

Understanding and responding to process variation for industrial and energy professionals: common-cause vs special-cause variation, control charts, control vs specification limits, reacting to signals without tampering, and process capability.

54m
Total time
4
Competency levels
12
Lessons

What you'll learn

  • Explain the difference between common-cause and special-cause variation, and why confusing the two makes a process worse
  • Describe how a control chart works: centre line, control limits, and plotting data in time order
  • Distinguish control limits (the voice of the process) from specification limits (the voice of the customer)
  • Recognise out-of-control signals such as points beyond the limits, runs and trends, and react appropriately
  • Avoid tampering and over-adjustment when a process shows only common-cause variation
  • Interpret process capability qualitatively, using Cp and Cpk as measures of how well the process fits within specification

Curriculum

Progress through each competency level in order.

1

Awareness

  • Two Kinds of Variation
    Knowledge
    2m
  • The Two Mistakes and the Cost of Tampering
    Knowledge
    3m
  • Awareness Check: Understanding Variation
    Assessment
    7m
2

Knowledge

  • Control Charts: Listening to the Voice of the Process
    Knowledge
    3m
  • Control Limits vs Specification Limits
    Knowledge
    3m
  • Knowledge Check: Charts and Limits
    Assessment
    8m
3

Skill

  • Reading Signals and Responding Without Tampering
    Knowledge
    3m
  • Build and Run a Control Chart
    Assignment
    3m
  • Skill Check: Responding to the Chart
    Assessment
    8m
4

Mastery

  • Process Capability: Can the Process Meet the Specification?
    Knowledge
    3m
  • Stability and Capability Review with Improvement Decision
    Assignment
    3m
  • Mastery Check: SPC Judgement
    Assessment
    8m

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