Quality Assurance & Process Optimization Flashcards

Which tool is used to identify which defects occur most frequently by ranking causes from highest to lowest frequency?

Answer: Pareto chart

A Pareto chart ranks defect causes by frequency, helping teams focus on the vital few problems that cause most issues.

A process technician notices that consecutive data points on a control chart are all trending upward. This pattern is called a:

Answer: Run

A run is a sequence of consecutive points on the same side of or trending in one direction on a control chart, signaling a non-random pattern.

PDCA stands for Plan, Do, Check, Act. Which phase involves comparing actual results against expected outcomes?

Answer: Check

The Check phase of PDCA compares measured results to the original goals to evaluate whether the change achieved the desired effect.

Which type of process variation is inherent to the system and cannot be eliminated without changing the process itself?

Answer: Common cause variation

Common cause variation is natural, random variation built into the process design and requires systemic changes to reduce.

A Cp value of 1.33 indicates that a process:

Answer: Has adequate capability with margin

A Cp of 1.33 means the process spread fits within specification limits with a comfortable margin, indicating good capability.

In a Six Sigma DMAIC project, during which phase are root causes of defects statistically validated?

Answer: Analyze

The Analyze phase uses statistical tools to identify and confirm the root causes contributing to process defects.

Which mistake-proofing method physically prevents an error from occurring rather than detecting it after the fact?

Answer: Control poka-yoke

A control poka-yoke stops the process or prevents the defect from occurring, while a warning poka-yoke only alerts the operator.