Process Improvement Using Statistical Process Control in a Small Scale Industry

Different methods are used in an organization to improve productivity, one such method is Statistical Process Control (SPC). Statistical process control is a collection of tools that, when used together, can lead to process stability and variance reduction, thereby resulting in a more streamlined production process. This paper presents a case study of SPC to improve the performance of the current process by reducing variability in the dimension of parts produced, leading to diminished rejections and improved product quality. By carrying out mathematical calculations using various SPC tools and assessing process capability indices under existing conditions, some improvements were implemented in the existing welding fixture used for producing the part, ultimately aiming to enhance their capability. After the application of SPC and integrating suggested changes into the existing processes, significant improvements were observed, as capability indices, which were initially at 0.1 and 0.38 respectively for the existing process, increased to 1.91 and 1.50 for the improved process, thereby representing enhanced process performance with greater strength.