The study of process improvement techniques which will ultimately lead to quality products. Process improvement includes the reduction of variability in process during the manufacturing stage resulting in improved product quality. A team problem solving approach utilizing data acquisition systems and statistical methods are emphasized. Practical industrial applications of process monitoring and control are reviewed.

Prerequisites/Corequisites: Prerequisite: STAT 2600, IME 2610 or equivalent. (Recommended)

Credits: 3 hrs.

Notes: Open to Graduate Students Only.

Lecture Hours - Laboratory Hours: (3-0)

Upon completion of this course the student will be able to:

1. Understand the basic nature of industrial processes.
   1. Differentiate between a process and a system.
   2. Identify the appropriate industrial processing philosophy.
   3. Analyze processing parameters that contribute to the make-up process problems.
2. Understand industrial process control systems.
   1. Survey appropriate industrial process control equipment for mechanical, thermal, electrical, and chemical systems.
3. Understand process testing techniques.
   1. Analyze industrial processes and establish appropriate testing techniques to solve process related problems.
      
   2. Select appropriate testing techniques for manufacturing applications.
4. To develop an understanding of the role of process monitoring in the manufacturing environment.
5. To develop an understanding of the role and function of teams in the problem solving process.
6. To develop a capability to identify special and common causes of process variability..
7. To develop an ability to use basic data gathering and analysis tools.
8. To develop an understanding of the concepts of data distributions in process control.
9. To develop the ability to identify appropriate control charts to assess the state of a process.
10. To develop abilities in the construction and interpretation of control charts.
11. To develop an understanding of the relationship between process control and process capability.

None Required

References:

Alwan Layth C., Statistical Process Analysis, Irwin/McGraw-Hill Companies, 2000.

Mitra, Amitava, Fundamentals of Quality Control and Improvement, Mcmillan Publishing Company, 1993.

Bothe, Davis R., Measuring Process Capability: Techniques and Calculations for Quality and Manufacturing Engineers, McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1997.

Johnson, Curtis, Process Control Instrumentation Technology, Prentice Hall, Inc., NJ, 1997.

Course Coordinator:

Alamgir Choudhury
Western Michigan University
F-222 Parkview Campus
Kalamazoo, Michigan 49008-5336
Phone: 276-3357
Email: alamgir.choudhury@wmich.edu