Lesson 15

Acceptance Sampling

a form of inspection applied to lots

or batches of items before or after a
process to judge conformance to
predetermined standards

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 Acceptance Sampling
Acceptance Sampling is very useful when
. Large numbers of items must be processed in a short amount
of time
. The cost of passing defectives is low
. Fatigue/boredom is caused by inspecting large numbers of
items

. Destructive testing is required

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 Sampling Plans
Sampling Plans specify the lot size, sample size, number of samples
and acceptance/rejection criteria. Sampling plans involve
. Single sampling
. Double sampling
. Multiple sampling

Lot
Random
sample

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 Single Sampling Plan
A Single Sampling Plan is one where
. A representative sample of n items is drawn from a lot size of N
items.
. Each item in the sample is examined and classified as
good/defective
. If the number of defective exceeds a specified rejection
number (C - cut off point) the whole lot is rejected; otherwise the
whole lot is accepted
Lot (N Random Lot (N Random
items) sample items) sample
(n items) (n items)

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 Double Sampling Plan
A Double Sampling Plan allows the opportunity to take a second
sample if the results of the original sample are inconclusive.
. Specifies the lot size, size of the initial sample, the accept/
reject/inconclusive criteria for the initial sample (CL - lower
level of defectives, CU - upper level of defectives)
. Specifies the size of the second sample and the acceptance
rejection criteria based on the total number of defective
observed in both the first and second sample (CT- total
allowable defectives)

It works like the following example

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 Double Sampling Plan

Lot First Random

sample

First sample inconclusive,

Accept Lot Reject Lot
take second sample

C CU
L
Compare number of defective found in the first random sample to CL
and CU and make appropriate decision.

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 Double Sampling Plan
Lot First Random sample

Second Random sample

Accept Lot Reject Lot

CT
Compare the total number of defective in both lots to CT and make the
appropriate decision
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 Multiple Sampling Plan
A Multiple Sampling Plan is similar to the double sampling plan in that
successive trials are made, each of which has acceptance, rejection
and inconclusive options.

Which Plan you choose depends on

. Cost and time
. Number of samples needed and number of items in each
sample

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 Acceptance Sampling
Purposes
Determine quality level
Ensure quality is within predetermined level
Advantages Disadvantages
Economy Risks of accepting bad lots and
Less handling damage rejecting good lots
Fewer inspectors Added planning and documentation
Upgrading of the inspection job Sample provides less information
Applicability to destructive testing than 100-percent inspection
Entire lot rejection (motivation for
improvement)

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 Operating Characteristic Curve (OCC)
An Operating Characteristic Curve (OCC) is a probability curve for a
sampling plan that shows the probabilities of accepting lots with various
lot quality levels (% defectives).
1
0. Under this sampling plan, if the lot has 3%
Probability of accepting lot

90. defective . the

80. probability of accepting the lot is 90% . the
probability of rejecting the lot is 10%
70.
60.
If the lot has 20% defective . it has a small
50.
probability (5%) of being accepted . the probability of
40. rejecting the lot is 95%
30.
20.
10

0 .0 .1 .1 .2 Lot quality (% defective)

5 0 5 0
10
 Operating Characteristic Curve (OCC)
Under this sampling plan what is the probability of accepting a lot that
has 5% defectives?

1
0.
Probability of accepting lot

90. Approximately
80.
This80%
sampling plan may not be
70. acceptable to customer. Therefore,
60. this sampling plan may not be
50. acceptable for meeting the
40. customers level of quality.
30.
20.
10

0 .0 .1 .1 .2 Lot quality (% defective)

0 5 0
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 Customer Acceptance Levels
Most customers understand that 100% inspection is impractical and are
generally willing to accept that a certain level of defectives will be
produced.

The Acceptable Quality Level (AQL) is the percentage level of defects

at which a customer is willing to accept as lot as good.

The Lot Tolerance Percent Defective (LTPD) is the upper limit on the
percentage of defectives that a customer is willing to accept.

Customers want lots with quality better than or equal to the AQL but are
willing to live with some lots with quality as poor as the LTPD, but prefer
not to accept lots with quality levels worse than the LTPD.

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 Customer Acceptance Levels
Therefore the sampling plan must be designed to assure the customer
that they will be receiving the required AQL and LTPD.

The AQL and LTPD are dependent on many things (reliability, liability,
competitor quality levels, etc.) and will vary by industry and by customer.
Typically industry standards are set because suppliers have more than
one customer and customers have more than one supplier.

The Consumers Risk is the probability that an unacceptable lot (e.g.

above the LTPD) will be accepted.

The Producers Risk is the probability that a good lot will be rejected.

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 OCC, AQL & Producers Risk
1
0. Producers Risk = probability acceptable lot is rejected
90.
Probability of accepting lot

8
0.
70.
60.
AQL - percentage level of defects at
50.
which a customer is willing to accept
40.
30.
20.
10

0 .0 .1 .1 .2 Lot quality (% defective)

5 0 5 0
Acceptable
Lot
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 OCC, LTPD & Consumers Risk
1
0.
90.
Probability of accepting lot

8
0.
70. LTPD - upper limit on the percentage
of defectives that a customer is
60.
willing to accept.
50.
40.
30.
20.
Consumers Risk = probability unacceptable is accepted
10

0 .0 .1 .1 .2 Lot quality (% defective)

5 0 5 0
Unacceptable Lot

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 Average Quality Of Inspected Lots
The result of acceptance sampling (assuming rejected lots are 100%
inspected) is that the level of inspection automatically adjusts to the
quality of the lots being inspected.

The Average Outgoing Quality (AOQ) is the average of rejected lots

(100% inspection) and accepted lots ( a sample of items inspected).

The maximum outgoing quality level is referred to as the AOQL.

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 OCC
Example: Create an Operating Characteristic Curve for the sampling plan:
Lot Size = N = 2000, sample size = n = 10, reject if number defectives > C = 1.
Answer the following questions.

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 Operating Characteristic Curves

What is the probability of

accepting a lot which has
2.5% defective?

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 Operating Characteristic Curves

What is the Producers risk if

the AQL is 1%? .0043
Mouse over the Producers
risk cell to see the explanation.

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 Operating Characteristic Curves

What is the Consumers risk if the

LTPD is 6%? .8824
Mouse over the Consumers
Risk cell to see the explanation.

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 Operating Characteristic Curves

What is the AOQ curve?

What is the AOQL?

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 Homework
Read and understand all material in the chapter.

Discussion and Review Questions

Recreate and understand all classroom examples

Exercises on chapter web page

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