Quality control charts

Quality control charts are used as an important part of process improvement techniques in
numerous industries. Variations within any process are an unavoidable aspect. But when timely
corrective action is not taken then these variations can affect the business negatively.

Control charts are graphs with a central line for the average, an upper line for the upper control limit,
and a lower line for the lower control limit. Control charts in quality control are used as a tool for
data collection, data comparison and analysis.

What is a control chart in quality control?

In quality control, control charts are always used in combination with other process improvement
tools.

A control chart in quality control is especially useful to monitor the process that is under statistical
control.

The importance of quality control charts is to enable the visualization of variation, monitor for
problems and take actions to improve processes, predict expected outcomes and also to analyze the
variation patterns.

Importance of quality control charts

Here are some benefits of control charts that helps in quality control:

 Determine process variations that occur within and outside of your control limits.

 Find problem indicators, and know beforehand if something may or may not go wrong in the
process.

 Determine patterns within plotted points that could be the possible causes of variations.

 Guide in deciding the right solutions or corrective actions to be taken.

 Forecasting future performance.

 Find new ideas to improve quality on the basis of analysis from quality control charts

Types of quality control charts

There are different types of quality control charts and each of these was developed to suit
particular characteristics of the quality attribute being analyzed.
 1) P chart in quality control (Proportion)

A P chart is a tool used in quality control to track the proportion of defective items in a process over
time. It shows how many items are good or bad in samples taken from a production line.

### Key Points:

- **Proportion**: It calculates the percentage of defective items in each sample.

- **Center Line**: Displays the average proportion of defects.

- **Control Limits**: Indicates the acceptable range of defect proportions. If a data point falls
outside these limits, it signals a potential issue in the process.

- **Monitoring**: Helps businesses maintain quality by spotting trends or problems.

In short, a P chart helps ensure that products meet quality standards.

An NP chart is a tool used in quality control to track the number of defective items in a process over
time, especially when the sample size stays the same.

### Key Points:

- **Count of Defects**: It records how many defective items are in each sample.

- **Center Line**: Shows the average number of defects.

- **Control Limits**: Marks the acceptable range for the number of defects. If a count goes outside
these limits, it indicates a potential problem.

- **Monitoring**: Helps businesses keep track of quality and spot any issues.

In short, an NP chart helps ensure that the number of defects in a product stays within acceptable
limits.
3) C chart in quality control (Control chart)
A C chart is a tool used in quality control to track the number of defects in a product or
process over time.

### Key Points:

- **Count of Defects**: It records how many defects are found in each sample.
- **Center Line**: Shows the average number of defects.
- **Control Limits**: Marks the acceptable range for the number of defects. If the count
goes outside these limits, it signals a possible problem.
- **Monitoring**: Helps businesses keep an eye on quality and spot any issues.

In short, a C chart helps ensure that the number of defects stays within acceptable levels.
4) S chart in quality control
An S chart is a type of control chart used in quality control to monitor the variability
(standard deviation) of a process over time. It helps assess whether the process variation is
stable and consistent.

### Key Components of an S Chart:

2. **Standard Deviation Calculation**: For each sample, calculate the standard deviation,
which measures how spread out the data points are.

3. **Center Line**: The center line represents the average standard deviation of all the
samples.

4. **Control Limits**: Calculate the upper and lower control limits using formulas based
on the average standard deviation and the number of samples.

5. **Chart Construction**: Plot the calculated standard deviations on the chart along with
the center line and control limits.

### Usage:

- **Monitoring Variability**: The S chart helps track changes in process variability. If points
fall outside the control limits, it may indicate an issue.
- **Identifying Trends**: It allows businesses to see trends or shifts in variability, which
can suggest underlying problems.

### Applications:

S charts are often used in manufacturing and service industries where monitoring process
consistency is crucial for quality assurance. They help maintain stable processes and
identify areas for improvement.