Re: What is Measurement System Analysis (MSA)?
MSA is basically the methodology by which your fixtures, gages, and other variables that can influence measurment results are evaluated. MSA includes Gage R&R, Stability Studies, Linearity & Bias evaluation as well as Correlation Techniques.
A lot of people think that MSA is limited to Gage R&R which in and of itself has many iterations as a means to an end ; % of tolerance, % of Study variation, etc. etc. - Miner can best explain the statistical particulars and their relevance. There is a lot of planning and understanding of what the data is telling you in a good MSA program / evaluation. Remember, there are so many tools available, see#2 below - make sure you don't create a "head-spinner" for yourself and go overboard (I have seen this happen - 10 studies later, you arrive at the same conclusion that you would have 4 hrs. ago).
My advice is this - 1st, get the AIAG MSA "Handbook" if you can, it basically reviews all of the methodologies that I described above. 2nd, make yourself a flowchart or diagram that basically describes "Where are we going, and how are we getting there".
In other words, arrive at the conclusion of what studies or techniques you are going to apply in what situation. Of course, sometimes you have to wing it and go with what is appropriate, but, there are so many activities that you can plan ahead to incorporate prevention in your calibration system that it needs to be clearly organized and defined, or it can become a mess quickly.
