Introduction

Quality control via the use of statistical methods is a very large area of study in its own right and is central to success in modern industry with its emphasis on reducing costs while at the same time improving quality. In recent times, the Japanese have been extremely successful at applying statistical methods to industrial quality control and have gained a significant advantage over many of their competitors. One need only think of the reputations enjoyed by Japanese motor, camera, TV, video, DVD and general electronics manufacturers to realize just how successful they have become. It is because of the global nature of modern industrial competition that quality control, or more precisely, statistical quality control has become an area of central importance to engineers. Manufacturing a product that the public wants to buy is no longer good enough. The product must be of sufficiently high quality and sufficiently competitive price-wise that it is preferred to its competitors. Without statistical quality control methods it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to either attain or maintain a truly competitive position.

Prerequisites

Learning Outcomes