Statistical Methods for Setting Specifications

Description

Sometimes specifications are given by the customer or marketplace. But when these are not specified externally, a common task for engineers or designers is to set either product or process specifications. One typical case is to set process windows on inputs so as to achieve a given performance on some outputs. Unfortunately, there is very little guidance about best methods for setting these specifications. This course presents statistical approaches to certain specification problems such as setting specs for standardization, determining statistically valid process windows for inputs, setting specs to achieve a given Cpk, using correlation to set specifications, setting rework limits, or determining statistical guardbands for testing. Notice that the specification problems here are distinct and different from geometrical tolerancing which would usually be covered in a drafting or machinist curriculum.

This information is not widely seen together in one place and will give the participant the ability to improve controls on processes with statistically valid limits. The creation of specifications defines processes. It is critical that these process boundaries be set accurately based on data and sound analysis. This course provides proven techniques to set statistically valid process specification limits or to reexamine current process specifications for validity. This is vital knowledge that every engineer, manager, R&D member, or researcher should know.