This 2-day seminar includes the steps and techniques used to quantify variability in manufacturing processes, and to assure quality products.

All processes exhibit intrinsic variation. However, sometimes the variation is excessive and this hinders the ability to achieve reliable measurements and desired results. Statistical process control (SPC) and statistical quality control (SQC) allow us to control the functions of our processes (input) and the quality of our product (output) by providing tangible tools for monitoring and testing.

The concepts and information presented will be mainly concerned with statistical quality control: obtaining information (data) that is objective, unbiased, and useful for decision making. An emphasis will be placed on the set-up and use of control charts and acceptance sampling systems and procedures.
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The objective of the seminar is to provide information that can be used immediately by personnel involved in production operations, and by supervisors and management in decision making. Although the presentation involves use of statistical techniques, presentation of statistical theory will be limited to only what is needed by the attendees to understand and implement processes and monitoring tools within the statistical framework.

Presented examples will include an emphasis on the manufacturing processes and quality assurance needs of product in the medical device and pharmaceutical industries.

Minitab statistical software will be used to demonstrate data collection and input, and how to build and interpret various process control charts for both attributes and variables data. The seminar will also include the use of Minitab to develop attributes and variables sampling plans for quality assurance and acceptance. A handout and dataset will be provided to attendees so they may work hands-on with the information presented in the seminar.