Process Capability Analysis in Machining for Quality Improvement in Turning Operations

Abstract

Process capability indices are effective tools for both, process capability analysis and quality assurance. In quality assurance programs, process capability indices reflect the performance of key quality characteristics for a control process. Quality assurance in mass production is enabled by using statistical process control techniques. In this study, various statistical process control techniques were carried out using the measured values taken from the workpieces that represent the whole process in the medium sized company. The chances for using statistical techniques for quality estimation processes have been discussed. For this purpose, normal probability plots and histograms were prepared and the process capability indices were calculated. As a result of this study, it turned out that the process capability for the whole process was inadequate and the mass production was unstable. Some actions must be taken by engineers to improve the quality level by shifting the process mean to target value and reducing the process variation.