What is Capability Analysis?

Capability analysis refers to a set of tools and calculations used in determining whether a system meets certain specification requirements. The evaluation entails statistical analysis of how well the process meets the given requirements. A set of data on the system or process is required to carry out the calculation.

How is Capability Analysis Used?

This analysis also helps to evaluate the specification tolerance of a system to USL (upper specification limit) and LSL means lower specification limit. 

There are three steps in capability analysis:

• Planning for data collection
• Data collection
• Plotting and analyzing results.

During a process capability analysis, some of the following actions may be required:

• No action: This is when nothing is meant to be done about the process, especially when the process meets the specification limits.
• Adjust specifications: when the requirements or specifications are unattainable, the specifications need to be changed or adjusted. In a situation like this, the client must be informed before the specifications are modified, adjusted or changed.
• Reducing variability: reducing the variability of a process is often a complicated thing to achieve but reducing the variation of a process is possible. It entails scrapping the initial specifications and reworking the whole process more efficiently.

Other capability applications: In capability analysis, there are other vital procedures, these are otherwise called capability applications. They include the following:

• Creating a basis for the establishment of a variable control chart.
• Generating a set of data for capability analysis through a control chart.
• Evaluating the new equipment.
• Reviewing specification tolerances to the inherent variability of the process of system.
• Assigning better equipment for the job.
• A routine check and performance audits.
• Adjusting and modifying the process.
• Examining the effects of the adjustments.

Identifying Characteristics

Identifying the peculiar characteristics of a process is important in capability analysis. There are some requirements that the identification of characteristics to be examined in a capability study. They are;

• The characteristics must be vital to the quality of the process
• The values of the characteristics must be adjustable.
• The conditions of the characteristics that are to be measured must be clearly defined.
• The characteristics should be controllable.

Identifying Specifications/Tolerances

Typically, specifications and tolerances are influenced by the standards of the industry and the requirements of the customers. Other factors that determine the specifications and tolerances of a process the decision of the company's engineering department and the company's board. Here are some key points you should note;

• Capability study reflects how a system or process meets certain specifications while variation expresses how the process reflects certain tolerance requirements.
• If a process is incapable as shown by the process capability study, information derived from the capability analysis helps to adjust the process to meet specifications and tolerance requirements. This means the specifications must be modified.