Statistical Process Control is commonly used in Industrial Process
Control Systems to measure how consistently a product performs
according to its design specifications. Some of the benefits that
can be realized are:
- Reduced scrap, rework, and warranty claims - This is possible
because uniformity is one of the key features of SPC. By assuming
the uniformity of manufactured products adhering to strict and
tightly designed specifications, product quality is assured.
- Maximized productivity - Defects and problems in the industrial
process are identified and only a small part of the production line
has to be shut down. The workflow is diverted to a backup line.
Thus, the production is never completely stopped. The same is true
during repair/maintenance. The enhanced problem-solving abilities
of a modern SPC can identify problems during the process as opposed
to a traditional system where the errors and defects are observed
at the end of the product line.
- Improved resource utilization & Increased operational
efficiency - Statistical information provides real-time analysis to
set baselines for manufacturing, establish control over those
baselines, improve the manufacturing process, identify the flaws or
imperfections and also to correct those imperfections. Unusual
variations during the manufacturing process can be observed and
identified and this allows the manufacturers to test for different
cases.
- Decreased manual inspections - Once the errors in the
industrial process are detected and corrected, the equipment
settings and controls can be set faster without the need for manual
inspections. SPC can be used to provide instantaneous operator
feedback with actionable information reducing the need for having
an extensive skilled manual labor force.
- Improved client satisfaction - The higher product quality
translates to higher customer satisfaction which leads to higher
customer loyalty.
- Reduced Costs - By observing the product quality at every
level, defects are caught before shipping or delivery. Reworks and
expensive recalls are reduced. Real-time SPC helps reduce the
margin of error.