Computer tools for statistical quality control

Since the 1920' sanduntil recently, numerical computation has beena limiting factor in the application of statistical methods to the improvement of product quality. This restriction is be in geliminated by the in troduction of computer tools for statistical quality control.

Both novice and expertusers of statistical methods can ben-efitsubstantially from the availability o intergrated soft ware for computing, graphics, and data management. Theuse of such soft ware in SQC training program senables the student to focus on the under standing of statistical techniques, rather than the irmechanicaldetails. In productionen vironments, properly designedinterfaces facilitated at aent ryand access to statistical soft ware by plant personnel, with out requiring know ledge of a computer language. The sesame tool scan be used by management to retrieve in for mationandob tain summaries and display sofcriti-caldata gatheredover different period softime. Finally, computer tool sprovide the applied statistician with agreater range of advanced methods, includinganalytical and graphical extensions of the traditional She whart control chart.