Driving Innovation: Direct Imaging vs. Conventional Exposure
It’s Only Common Sense: Selling to Today's Generation of Buyers
Dan’s Biz Bookshelf: ‘Believe in Better'
The Benefits of Statistical Process Control
February 17, 2021 | Kurt Palmer, Bürkle North AmericaEstimated reading time: 1 minute
Statistical process control (SPC) is a method of quality control which employs statistical methods to monitor and control a process. This helps to ensure that the process operates efficiently, producing more specification-conforming products with less waste [1].
The concepts of statistical process control were initially developed by Dr. Walter Shewhart of Bell Laboratories in the 1920s, and were expanded upon by Dr. W. Edwards Deming, who introduced SPC to Japanese industry after WWII. After early successful adoption by Japanese firms, SPC has now been incorporated by organizations around the world as a primary tool to improve product quality by reducing process variation [2].
The use of statistical process control (SPC) was initially ignored in North America for quite some time, but in the 1960s and moving forward, SPC—using control charts to control every step of a process—became an integral part of any manufacturing process. Dr. Robert Deming was the evangelist who advocated the concept of eliminating final inspection requirements if every step in the process was monitored. At the beginning, this program met management head-winds, but over time, the concept, when adopted from senior management down through an organization, has proven to reduce costs and improve quality.
From our experience, and with the development of a host of modern electronic innovations, we have witnessed this program successfully interfaced directly from the machine to an engineer’s computer and stored as history to the cloud.
The Bürkle LFC roller coating machine is another example of how a coating process can be monitored in “real time.”
To read this entire article, which appeared in the February 2021 issue of PCB007 Magazine, click here.
Share on:
Suggested Items
SMT007 Magazine July—What’s Your Competitive Sweet Spot?
07/01/2025 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamAre you in a niche that’s growing or shrinking? Is it time to reassess and refocus? We spotlight companies thriving by redefining or reinforcing their niche—what are their insights? In the July 2025 issue of SMT007 Magazine, we spotlight companies thriving by redefining or reinforcing their niche and offer insights to help you evaluate your own.
Smarter Machines Use AOI to Transform PCB Inspections
06/30/2025 | Marcy LaRont, PCB007 MagazineAs automated optical inspection (AOI) evolves from traditional end-of-process inspections to proactive, in-line solutions, the integration of AI and machine learning is revolutionizing defect reduction and enhancing yields, marking a pivotal shift in how quality is managed in manufacturing.
Magnalytix and Foresite to Host Technical Webinar on SIR Testing and Functional Reliability
06/26/2025 | MAGNALYTIXMagnalytix, in collaboration with Foresite Inc., is pleased to announce an upcoming one-hour Webinar Workshop titled “Comparing SIR IPC B-52 to Umpire 41 Functional & SIR Test Method.” This session will be held on July 24, 2025, and is open to professionals in electronics manufacturing, reliability engineering, and process development seeking insights into new testing standards for climatic reliability.
The Death of the Microsection
06/26/2025 | Bob Neves, Reliability Assessment Solutions, Inc.I got my start out of college grinding and polishing PCB microsections. My thumbs are a bit arthritic today because of the experience (microsection grinders know what I mean). Back then, via structures were rather large, and getting to the center in six steps of grinding and polishing was easy compared to what my team has been doing recently at the lab.
Specially Developed for Laser Plastic Welding from LPKF
06/25/2025 | LPKFLPKF introduces TherMoPro, a thermographic analysis system specifically developed for laser plastic welding that transforms thermal data into concrete actionable insights. Through automated capture, evaluation, and interpretation of surface temperature patterns immediately after welding, the system provides unprecedented process transparency that correlates with product joining quality and long-term product stability.