Sunday, December 22, 2013

The Meaning Of Acceptance Sampling

The Meaning Of Acceptance Sampling

By Marcia Marks


The statistical technique called acceptance sampling is used in industrial settings for controlling the quality of production batches. The staff of a company can accept or refuse a batch of products. From the production line, a sample will be picked and evaluated. If the respective material passes the test, the entire line is released on the market. It would take too much time to verify each item.

The procedure is usually performed when a product is still inside the production facility, or it leaves the factory. The first application of the method was made in the World War II, by the US military. The purpose of the operation was to test bullets, because the use of malfunctioning pieces could have a disastrous effect. A random sample was about to be picked from the production line and verified.

The level of acceptance can be determined by the amount of defects that could exist and quality is not the top priority. The most important thing can be deciding if a lot will be released on the market or not. A large stock is handed to the consumer, but only when the amount of defects does not cross the established limits. A total assurance cannot be offered, because just a sample is usually collected in a certain production line.

The technique can be implemented in three ways: single, double, or sequential. In the first case, there is a limited number of samples collected and a certain amount of defects considered. For the second type, things are more complex, but not very different. Sequential is the extended version of single.

The technique is appreciated for various reasons and one of them is that a full lot does not have to be checked for each individual piece. Valuable products can be saved. Some good examples may be given from a real production line. When a company makes candies, it can struggle to keep the percentage of unsuitable sweets under ten. Five percent of the batch is tested and if the broken pieces exceed this level, the whole line can be canceled.

The defect percentage is decided by the company and it could be any number. The way of selecting the samples is also decided by the firm. The method is usually determined through specific statistical operations. Each firm has to choose a batch size that is representative for the larger lot from which it comes.

In the majority of cases, the testing sample is suggestive for its lot and seen as a mark of quality. A batch with a high percentage is a poor one. Lots that need higher standards also have a low limit of defects.

The use of acceptance sampling is a regular practice for companies in different industries. Depending on the quality of the production lot that is needed, there are various maximum percentage levels used. There are specific examples that can show people how the method works and why it is useful for companies.




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