Fundamentals of Quality Control and Improvement

Incorporating modern ideas, methods, and philosophies of quality management, Fundamentals of Quality Control and Improvement, Third Edition presents a quantitative approach to management-oriented techniques and enforces the integration of statistical concepts into quality assurance methods. Utilizing a sound theoretical foundation and illustrating procedural techniques through real-world examples, this timely new edition bridges the gap between statistical quality control and quality management.

The book promotes a unique "do it right the first time" approach and focuses on the use of experimental design concepts as well as the Taguchi method for creating product/process designs that successfully incorporate customer needs, improve lead time, and reduce costs. Further management-oriented topics of discussion include total quality management; quality function deployment; activity-basedcosting; balanced scorecard; benchmarking; failure mode and effects criticality analysis; quality auditing; vendor selection and certification; and the Six Sigma quality philosophy.

The Third Edition also features:

• Presentation of acceptance sampling and reliability principles

• Coverage of ISO 9000 standards

• Profiles of past Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award winners, which illustrate examples of best business practices

• Strong emphasis on process control and identification of remedial actions

• Integration of service sector examples

• The implementation of MINITAB software in applications found throughout the book as well as in the additional data sets that are available via the related Web site

• New and revised exercises at the end of most chapters

Complete with discussion questions and a summary of key terms in each chapter, Fundamentals of Quality Control and Improvement, Third Edition is an ideal book for courses in management, technology, and engineering at the undergraduate and graduate levels. It also serves as a valuable reference for practitioners and professionals who would like to extend their knowledge of the subject.