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Chapter 8 – Process Capability

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Learning Outcomes

1. Investigate and analyze Process Capability (Cp) using

control charts,
2. Understand the differences between Cp and Process
potential,
3. Calculate and interpret Cp ratios,
4. Understand the differences between Cp and Cpk,
5. Estimate the natural limits of a process from a sample
of data from that process,

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Process Capability

• Process capability refers to the ability of a process to

produce products or provide services capable of meeting
the specifications set by the customer or designer.
•(Cp is the ability of a process to make a feature within its
tolerance.)
• Specification limits are set by management in response to
customers’ expectations
• The upper specification limit (USL) is the largest value that
can be obtained and still conform to customers’
expectations
• The lower specification limit (LSL) is the smallest value
that is still conforming

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Process Capability and objectives

• Enables successful manufacturing and sales

• Prevents scrap, sorting, rework
• Allows jobs to run well
• Has major impact on cost and schedule

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Process Capability

• Tolerances or specifications
– Range of acceptable values established by engineering
design or customer requirements

• Process variability
– Natural variability in a process

• Process capability
– Process variability relative to specification

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Process Capability

Cp represents the precision, but not the accuracy of the

process in respect to the tolerance window.

High Accuracy but low High Precision but low

precision Accuracy

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Process Capability
• Product Specifications
– Preset product or service dimensions, tolerances
– e.g. bottle fill might be 16 oz. ±.2 oz. (15.8oz.-16.2oz.)
– Based on how product is to be used or what the customer expects
• Process Capability – Cp and Cpk
– Assessing capability involves evaluating process variability relative
to preset product or service specifications
– Cp assumes that the process is centered in the specification range
specification width USL  LSL
Cp  
process width 6σ
– Cpk helps to address a possible lack of centering of the
process USL  μ μ  LSL
 
Cpk  min , 
© Wiley 2010 3σ 3σ 

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Process Capability & Tolerance

• When spec. established without knowing whether

process capable of meeting it or not serious situations
can result
• Process capable or not – actually looking at process
spread, which is called process capability (6)
• Let’s define specification limit as tolerance (T) :
T = USL -LSL
• 3 types of situation can result
– the value of 6 < USL - LSL
– the value of 6 = USL - LSL
– the value of 6 > USL - LSL

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Process Capability (6) And Tolerance

• Cp - Capability Index
T = U-L Formulas
Cp = 1  Case II 6 = T
Cp = (T)/6
Cp > 1  Case I 6 < T
Z(min)
Cp < 1  Case III 6 > T Cpk =
3
Usually Cp = 1.33 (de facto USL  x
std.) Z (USL) =
σ
• Measure of process
performance x  LSL
• Shortfall of Cp - measure 
not in terms of nominal or
target value >>> must use
Cpk

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-6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 +1 +2 +3 +4 +5 +6

How much of the curve is included in how many standard deviations?

From –1 to +1 is about 68% of the bell curve.

From –2 to +2 is about 95%
From –3 to +3 is about 99.73%
From –4 to +4 is about 99.99%
(NOTE: We usually show the bell from –3 to +3 to make it easier to draw, but in concept, the “tails” of
the bell get very thin and go on forever.)

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One Sigma Shift

LSL USL

Cp = 1.33

-6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Standard Deviations

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Relationship bet. Process Variability and Specification Width

• Possible ranges for Cp

– Cp < 1, as in Fig. (b),

process not capable of
producing within
specifications

– Cp ≥ 1, as in Fig. (c), process

exceeds minimal
specifications

• One shortcoming, Cp assumes

that the process is centered on
the specification range

• Cp = Cpk when process is

centered

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Various Cp Values In Relationship

to Specifications

LSL USL

Cp = 2.00

Cp = 1.33
Cp = 1.00
Cp = 0.75

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Computing the Cp Value at Cocoa Fizz: three bottling machines
are being evaluated for possible use at the Fizz plant. The
machines must be capable of meeting the design specification of
15.8-16.2 oz. with at least a process capability index of 1.0 (Cp≥1)

• The table below shows the information • Solution:

gathered from production runs on – Machine A
each machine. Are they all
acceptable? USL  LSL .4
Cp   1.33
6σ 6(.05)
Machine σ USL-LSL 6σ – Machine B
USL  LSL .4
A .05 .4 .3 Cp   0.67
6σ 6(.1)
B .1 .4 .6
– Machine C
C .2 .4 1.2
USL  LSL .4
Cp   0.33
6σ 6(.2)

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Process Capability for Variable Control Charts

• Procedure (for S - Chart)

1. Take subgroup size 4 for 20 subgroups

2. Calculate sample s.d., s, for each subgroup

3. Calculate avg. sample s.d. s = s/g

4. Calculate est. population s.d. ˆ o  s c4

5. Calculate Process Capability = 6̂

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Process Capability for Variable Control Charts (cont.)

• R - Chart
1. Take subgroup size 4 for 20 subgroups

1. Calculate R for each subgroup

2. Calculate avg. Range, = R/g

3. Calculate R σ̂ o  R d2

4. Calculate 6 ̂ o

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What is Cpk? It A

is a measure of Cpk =
how well B A divided by
a process is B
within a
specification.
Specification Specification
Limit Limit

Cpk = A divided by B
A = Distance from process mean to closest spec limit
B = 3 Standard Deviations (also called “3 Sigma”)

A bigger Cpk is better because fewer units will be beyond spec.

(A bigger “A” and a smaller “B” are better.)

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Cpk =
B A divided by
B

Specification Specification
Limit Limit

Analogy:
The bell curve is your automobile.
The spec limits are the edges of your garage door.
If A = B, you are hitting the frame of your garage door with your car.

An Analogy

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Cpk =
B A divided by
B

Specification Specification
Limit Limit

1. Design the product so a wider tolerance is functional (“robust design”)

2. Choose equipment and methods for a good safety margin (“process capability”)
3. Correctly adjust, but only when needed (“control”)
4. Discover ways to narrow the natural variation (“improvement”)

How can we make Cpk (A divided by B) better?

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This Cpk is
B about 2.
Very good!

Specification Specification
Limit Mean Limit

This process is producing good units with a good safety margin.

Note that when Cpk = 2, our process mean is 6 standard deviations

from the nearest spec, so we say it has “6 Sigma Capability.”

What does a very good Cpk do for us?

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This Cpk is just

B slightly greater
than 1. Not good!

Specification Specification
Limit Limit

This process is in danger of producing some defects.

It is too close to the specification limits.

(Remember: the bell curve tail goes further than B…

…we only show the bell to 3-sigma to make it easier to draw.)

What does a problem Cpk look like?

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This Cpk is less

B than 1. We desire
a minimum of 1.33
and ultimately we
want 2 or more.

Specification Specification
Limit Limit

A significant part of the “tail” is hanging out beyond the spec limits.
This process is producing scrap, rework, and customer rejects.
Notice that if distance “A” approaches zero…
…the Cpk would approach zero, and…
…the process would become 50% defective!

What does a very bad Cpk look like?

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Example

Solution
Determine Cp and Cpk for a Cp= T/6= 0.2/6(0.03)=1.11
process with average 6.45, Cpk = Z(min)/3
Z(U) = (USL -x)/  =
 = 0.030, having USL =
6.50 , LSL = 6.30 -- T = 0.2 (6.50-6.45)/0.03 = 1.67
Z(L) = (x –LSL)/  =
(6.45-6.30)/0.03 = 5.00
L U
T
Cpk = 1.67/3 = 0.56
Process NOT capable since
x not centered. Cp > 1 doesn’t
mean capable. Have to check
6.30 6.45 = 6.50 Cpk

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Computing the Cpk Value at Coc Limon

• Design specifications call for a

target value of 16.0 ±0.2 OZ.
(USL = 16.2 & LSL = 15.8)
• Observed process output has
now shifted and has a µ of 15.9
and a σ of 0.1 oz.
 16.2  15.9 15.9  15.8 
Cpk  min , 
 3(.1) 3(.1) 
.1
Cpk   .33
.3

• Cpk is less than 1, revealing that

the process is not capable
(1 L = 33.8 ounce (oz.)

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Comments On Cp, Cpk

• Cp does not change when process center (avg.)

changes
• Cp = Cpk when process is centred
• Cpk  Cp always this situation
• Cpk = 1.00 de facto standard
• Cpk < 1.00  process producing rejects
• Cp < 1.00  process not capable
• Cpk = 0  process center is at one of spec. limit (U or
L)
• Cpk < 0  i.e. – ve value, avg outside of limits

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Cpk, PPM, and "Six Sigma"

PPM of the Bell
Cpk "How Many PPM of the Bell PPM of the Bell
Curve
(Defined as Within Spec Out of Spec
Sigma Curve Curve
distance from (Process Perfectly The column AT with Six-Sigma
Capability?" Out of Spec Out of Spec
process mean to Centered, LEFT equates to 1 Philosophy
Distance of (Process Perfectly (Process Not
the nearest spec, Both Tails defective out of how of 1.5 Standard
Process Mean to Centered, Centered,
divided by 3 Considered) many total? Deviation Penalty
Spec Limit in Both Tails Only One Tail
Standard Good Units Per for Anticipated
Standard Deviations Considered) Considered)
Deviations) Million Unfavorable
Process Mean Drift

0 0 0 1,000,000 500,000 2

0.17 0.5 382,925 617,075 308,538 3

0.33 1 682,689 317,311 158,655 6

0.5 1.5 866,386 133,614 66,807 15 500,000

0.67 2 954,500 45,500 22,750 44 308,538

0.83 2.5 987,581 12,419 6,210 161 158,655

1 3 997,300 2,700 1,350 741 66,807

1.17 3.5 999,535 465 233 4,298 22,750

1.33 4 999,937 63 32 31,560 6,210

1.5 4.5 999,993.2 6.8 3.4 294,048 1,350

1.67 5 999,999.4 0.6 0.3 3,483,046 233

1.83 5.5 999,999.96 0.04 0.02 52,530,944 32

2 6 999,999.998 0.002 0.001 1,009,976,693 3.4

2.17 6.5 999,999.99992 0.00008 0.00004 24,778,276,273 0.3

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Conclusion:
Yes: Process Capability: No:

too wide

Yes: No:

potentially capable
if re-centered

Yes: No:

potentially capable
if re-centered

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Examples:

Suppose that a feature tolerance is .750”/.760”, and the

process average is .759”, and the process standard
deviation is .002”, is the process satisfactory and capable?

Suppose that a diameter tolerance is 8.010” to 8.060”, and the

process average is 8.041”, and the process standard
deviation is .002”, is the process capable?

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http://elsmar.com/Cp_vs_Cpk.html

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End of Chapters (8)

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