I'm fairly new to the Quality world, and TS16949 requirements. Through reading, I'm finding many ways to implement quality goods. The one thing I'm finding, or rather not finding is a good statistical method to help bring our product under better control. In school they always pushed 6 sigma, but that is an entirely different quality control method.

Where in the TS guide lines should I look for statistical controls? So far between TS and PPAP 4th addition I've only found the GR&R studies, but that only ensures we are measuring correctly. Is there a proper method to use with TS16949? Could I just take the 6 sigma statistical method and use the rest of the TS guide lines?

Thanks in advance for all your help.

I'm fairly new to the Quality world, and TS16949 requirements. Through reading, I'm finding many ways to implement quality goods. The one thing I'm finding, or rather not finding is a good statistical method to help bring our product under better control. In school they always pushed 6 sigma, but that is an entirely different quality control method.

Where in the TS guide lines should I look for statistical controls? So far between TS and PPAP 4th addition I've only found the GR&R studies, but that only ensures we are measuring correctly. Is there a proper method to use with TS16949? Could I just take the 6 sigma statistical method and use the rest of the TS guide lines?

Thanks in advance for all your help.

Jmarcus:
Welcome!
The auto industry is basically looking for you to use a number of tools which have statistics at their root. As you are new to this, 'TS' is not the only requirement, you must add in the specifics that the customer is requiring too. These are often known as the 'Core Tools' and include (an obvious) statistical tool - SPC. Further, the use of the MSA is also a statistical tool, to determine your measurement system capability. In many ways the use of PFMEA is a statistical tool too.

You can also go further and equip your line supervisors with tools to analyze their process/product - using Pareto charts, CUSUM, scatter diagrams etc.

BTW - TS isn't 'guidelines' - it's a requirement. The basic ISO 9001 requirement leaves it up to the organization to decide what to use, in the planning phase (read APQP) of any measurement activity.

To gain 'better control' I'm guessing you don't have high capability or first pass yield - is that so? Or are you looking to make a continual improvement to a capable process? It may make a difference as to how you might apply the statistical tools.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for the quick reply.

You are correct, the TS are requirements. I just didn't know which statistical method to apply. The TS says I can use any, but I didn't know if there are a few that don't work well with TS or I can just pick one.

I'm trying first to get our process under control. I would be happy with a consistent 1.00 CpK with a future continual improvement toward >1.33 CpK. Right now we run day to day, some over >1.33 other <0.6.

I'm looked for some places to look to help with this process. I'm using what I know to find our base line, but "with out starting a fight" find the best statistical method to get under control, and improve that control down the line.

I will look through the APQP again to get some ideas.