Gauge R&R: how much variation is the gauge?
A gauge R&R study separates measurement error from real part-to-part variation, so you can tell whether a tolerance decision is trustworthy.
Root-cause analysis (RCA)
Evidence-based investigation of why a problem recurred.
A structured investigation that separates symptoms from underlying causes and verifies why a failure or defect occurred. Useful RCA tests corrective actions against recurrence instead of stopping at operator error or the first plausible explanation.
See also: Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) · Nonconformance · Predictive maintenance
Use the concept: Cp, Cpk, Pp & Ppk calculator · Downtime log template · MTBF, MTTR & availability calculator
In depth
Takt time vs cycle time vs lead time: calculate the right clock
A worked shift example separates customer pace, observed process speed and end-to-end delivery time, with practical checks before changing the line.
SMED changeover study: measure last good to first good
Use a time observation sheet to separate internal and external work, preserve safe setup steps, and verify a repeatable changeover improvement.