Beginning a statistical process control program

Statistical Process Control (SPC) has in recent years become a hot'' topic in the manufacturing world. It has been touted as the means by which Japanese manufacturers have moved to the forefront of world-class quality, and subsequent financial power. Is SPC a business-saving strategy What is SPC What is the cost of quality and can we afford it Is SPC applicable to the petroleum refining and petrochemical manufacturing industry, or are these manufacturing operations so deterministic by nature that the statistics only show the accuracy and precision of the laboratory work If SPC is worthwhile how do we get started, and what problems can we expect to encounter If we begin an SPC Program, how will it benefit us These questions are addressed by the author. The view presented here is a management perspective with emphasis on rationale and implementation methods.