To Get Your Process in Control You Need a Plan

The process an organization uses to make or delivery their goods or services is as important as the people, suppliers, and raw material they use. Controlling that process is critical to meeting the quality and volume our customer demands. In order to get a process in control you need a plan. A plan that serves as a living document showing how the organization plans to sustain process control and process capability.

At a very minimum that plan has to include; specific product characteristics, critical process variables or activities, critical measuring systems, devices, and calibration methods, and incoming critical material supplier characteristics.

Specific Product Characteristics

Product Control Plans define the critical characteristics that your customer and business must have to safely produce a quality product on-time. At a minimum it goes on to list the units of measure and the Measurement Systems that will ensure those characteristics. And the Control Plan will include goals for the upper and lower control limits of each characteristic.

Critical Process Variables or Activities

Process Control Plans define the critical process variables that control your product attributes and business needs. At a minimum it goes on to units of measure and the Measurement Systems that will ensure those variables are within the expectable variation levels. And the Process Control Plan will include the goals for the upper and lower control limits for each variable.

Critical Measuring Systems, Devices, and Calibration Methods

Measurement Assurance Control Plans identify your critical measurements gauges, the units of measure, and the procedure on how to use them correctly. At a minimum it goes on to list the accuracy of the gauge and a determination if they are what is needed to accurately measure the product specification or process variable. And the Measurement Assurance plan will include the method for calibrating the tool and how often it has to be done.

Incoming critical material supplier characteristics

Incoming Control Plans identify your critical incoming material specifications that affect your product attributes and business needs. At a minimum it goes on to list the units of measure and the monitoring methods. And the Incoming Control Plans will include your goal and the upper and lower control limits for the incoming specifications.

Help your organization get their critical processes in control. To do that, they are going to need some plans for the product, process, measurements, and incoming material.