Acceptance Sampling in Modern Industrial Environments

Abstract

Abstract In the industrial mass production environments of the first half of the twentieth century, statistical product inspection (SPI) was a central tool of statistical quality control (SQC). Contemporary SQC emphasizes methods of provision and prevention such as experimental design or process control rather than inspection. To remain a valid tool of modern SQC, SPI has to be redefined in its purpose and in its procedures. This article analyzes important challenges for SPI in modern industrial environments: the adjunct role of SPI in product control, adaptiveness and flexibility of SPI, the role of prior information on product quality, the economic concern of SPI, and quality measurement as a purpose of SPI.