Process Capability

Ross L. Fink
Process capability is the
ability of the process to meet
the desired quality (as
measured by the
specifications)
Natual Tolerance Limits

LNTL UNTL

-6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Standard Deviations
Cp-- Process Capability Ratio

USL  LSL
CP 
6
Various Cp Values In Relationship
to Specifications

LSL USL

Cp = 2.00

Cp = 1.33
Cp = 1.00
Cp = 0.75
 One Sigma Shift

LSL USL

Cp = 1.33

-6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Standard Deviations
Cpk Process Capability Ratio


USL  X X  LSL 

CPK  Min  , 

 3 3 

Cut-Offs
 Typical:
 Cp and Cpk > 1.33
 Might be raised:
 Cost of failure
 Non-Normality of quality characteristic
 Process consistently goes out of control
 Motorola’s Six Sigma Quality
Motorola’s Six Sigma Quality
 Cp = 2.00, and Cpk =1.50
 PPM = 3.4
Normal v. Six Sigma Quality
 Normal Six Sigma
 Cp = 1.33, Cpk = 1.33 Cp = 2.00, Cpk = 1.50
 No. of Prob. Within Spec. PPM Prob. Within Spec. PPM
 Characteristics
 1 0.999936628 63.37 0.999996599 3.40
 2 0.999873260 126.74 0.999993198 6.80
 3 0.999809896 190.10 0.999989798 10.20
 4 0.999746536 253.46 0.999986397 13.60
 5 0.999683180 316.82 0.999982996 17.00
 10 0.999366460 633.54 0.999965992 34.01
 20 0.998733321 1266.68 0.999931986 68.01
 50 0.996836311 3163.69 0.999829974 170.03
 100 0.993682631 6317.37 0.999659977 340.02
 500 0.968809735 31190.27 0.998301040 1698.96
 1000 0.938592302 61407.70 0.996604967 3395.03
Six Sigma Quality Programs
 Six Sigma Quality--Technical quality--
3.4 PPM
 Breakthrough Strategy
 Training--Master Black Belts, Black
Belts, and Green Belts
Breakthrough Strategy
 Recognize
 Define
 Measure
 Analyze
 Improve
 Control
 Standardize
 Integrate
Cost of Quality
 Appraisal
 Prevention
 Internal Failure
 External Failure