Çukurova Üniversitesi Mühendislik Mimarlık Fakültesi Dergisi, 31(1), 59-67 ss.

, Haziran 2016
Çukurova University Journal of the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, 31(1), pp. 59-67, June 2016

Determining Process Capability Indices for Shirting Fabric

Serap AKCAN*1
1
Aksaray Üniversitesi, Mühendislik Fakültesi, Endüstri Mühendisliği Bölümü, Aksaray

Geliş tarihi: 05.01.2016 Kabul tarihi: 31.03.2016

Abstract

Organizations use process capability analysis to produce their products within specification limits for
regular manufacturing. Process capability indices, Cp (process potential indices) and Cpk (process
capability indices), are used as capability measures. In this study, process capability analysis and process
capability indices are discussed in the context of a textile factory that produces shirting fabrics in Turkey.
In this factory, it is desired that the amount of wastage fabric does not exceed the upper limit that
identified from production manager. If the amount of wastage fabric increases, the number of unsatisfied
customers will also increase. And, this situation is caused increasing cost and decreasing competitiveness
for factory. For these reasons, Cp and Cpk indices were calculated for the textile factory. As a consequence
of this study, we discovered that the process was inadequate precautions must be undertaken to decrease
the amount of wastage fabric. Furthermore, the fabric faults which cause wastage fabric and the reasons
for the process’ inadequacies were also investigated.
Keywords: Process capability analysis, Process capability indices, Textile, Fabric faults, Case study

Gömleklik Kumaş için Proses Yeterlilik İndekslerinin Belirlenmesi

Özet

Şirketler düzenli üretim yapabilmek için ürettikleri ürünlerin spesifikasyon limitleri dahilinde üretilmesini
arzu ederler. Proses yeterlilik indeksleri C p (proses potansiyel indeksi) ve C pk (proses yeterlilik indeksi)
yeterlilik ölçümleri için kullanılır. Bu çalışmada, Türkiye’de gömleklik kumaşlar üreten bir tekstil
fabrikasında proses yeterlilik analizi ve proses yeterlilik indeksleri tartışılmıştır. Bu fabrikada, fire kumaş
miktarının üretim yöneticisi tarafından belirlenen üst sınırı aşmaması arzu edilmektedir. Eğer fire kumaş
miktarı artarsa, memnun olmayan müşteri sayısında da artış olacaktır. Ve bu durum, fabrika için artan
maliyete ve azalan rekabet gücüne sebep olacaktır. Bu sebeple, bu tekstil fabrikası için C p ve C pk
indeksleri hesaplanmıştır. Çalışmanın sonucunda, incelenen tekstil fabrikasında prosesin yetersiz olduğu

*
Yazışmaların yapılacağı yazar: Serap AKCAN, Mühendislik Fakültesi, Endüstri Mühendisliği
Bölümü, Aksaray. [email protected]

Ç.Ü.Müh.Mim.Fak.Dergisi, 31(1), Haziran 2016 59

Determining Process Capability Indices for Shirting Fabric

ve fire kumaş miktarının azaltılması için bazı önlemlerin alınması gerektiği görülmüştür. Ayrıca, fire
kumaşa sebep olan kumaş hataları ve sürecin yetersizliği sebepleri de araştırılmıştır.

Anahtar Kelimeler: Proses yeterlilik analizi, Proses yeterlilik indeksleri, Tekstil, kumaş hataları, Örnek
olay çalışması.

1. INTRODUCTION and process capability. They detected the machine

tool and process capability for the whole process
Nowadays, competitiveness is very important for was inadequate and mass production was unstable.
organizations to continue one's existence. To Owing to this study, faults were eliminated, quality
compete with other organizations it is not enough was improved and productions costs were reduced.
to produce quality product. Now, customers desire Akcan and Kahraman (2008) [6] presented PCA
to buy quality product at a cheaper price. For this for a machining company. Delaney and Phelan
reason, organizations must put emphasis on both (2009) [7] used process capability data to predict
quality and cost. Process capability analysis (PCA) product performance variation early in the design
provides opportunity for organizations to improve process. In this study, a method by which process
their product’s quality and decrease costs. capability data can be applied to predict product
performance variation early in the design process
was presented. Therefore, redesign costs were
In the manufacturing sector, products must be reduced.
produced within specification limits; process
capability analysis can help reach this goal. The Ozyazgan (2014) [8] presented FMEA analysis
first step to measure process capability is to define and implementation in a textile factory producing
the process, and the second step is to define the woven fabric. In this study some fault types were
specification limits. In process capability analysis, determined. These were foreign fiber in weft, weft
data obtained from the process are compared with ladder, warp breaks, mesh, oil stains, reed marks,
the specification limits to decide whether a process foot ladder, weft ladder and double weft.
is adequate. Cp and Cpk, known as process
capability indices, are used to evaluate the process This paper shows how PCA can be used in a textile
capability. production process by presenting a case study that
uses real data from a textile factory that produces
Some studies of PCA can be seen in the literature. shirting fabrics and an outline for performing PCA
The base studies of Cp and Cpk are by Kotz and of manufacturing processes.
Johnson (1993) [1] and Kotz and Lovelace (1998)
[2]. A pragmatic view of process capability studies The remainder of this paper is organized as
and the advantages and disadvantages of PCA follows: Section 2 presents PCA, Section 3
were reported by Deleryd (1999) [3]. Some presents goodness-of-fit (GOF) tests, Section 4
advantages of PCA presented in this paper are the presents case study, Section 5 presents results and
method provides a lot of knowledge of the discussion and conclusions are given in Section 6.
processes, the method helps identifying
improvement priorities. Some disadvantages are it
might be hard to motivate co-workers, the method 2. PROCESS CAPABILITY
is resource consuming and that it involves some ANALYSIS
relatively difficult theory. A bibliography of
process capability studies was presented by Spiring Process capability analysis is a well-defined tool
et al. (2003) [4]. Motorcu and Güllü (2006) [5] within statistical process control techniques that
presented a case study for machine tool capability continuously improves quality and productivity

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 Serap AKCAN

[9]. The first aim for using PCA is to obtain A GOF test outlines the statistical discrepancy
information about the process and to determine if between the observed values and the values
the process can be improved [3]. To improve the expected under the model. To decide GOF,
process, Cp, the process potential indices, and Cpk, different tests are used for different statistical
the process capability indices, are calculated, models.
which were defined by Juran (1974) [10] and Kane
(1986) [11], respectively. 3.1. Chi-square Test

Cp and Cpk are used to evaluate the process The chi-square test is the oldest GOF test. A chi-
capability for data which fit a normal distribution. square test, also referred to as a test, is
While Cp controls only the dispersion of the
process, Cpk controls both the dispersion of the any statistical hypothesis test in which
process and the variation between the mean and the sampling distribution of the test statistic is
target values of the process. These capability a chi-squared distribution when the null
indices have been described as: hypothesis is true.

Cp= (USL-LSL)/6σ … (1) To calculate the chi-square test statistic, the sample
Cpu = (USL-µ)/3σ … (2) must be divided into the entire range of the fitted
Cpl=(µ-LSL)/3σ … (3) distribution in k adjacent intervals [a0,a1), [a1,a2),
Cpk=min{Cpu,Cpl} … (4) …, [ak-1,ak), where it could be that a0=-∞, in which
case the first interval is (-∞,a1), ak=+∞, or both.
Nj= number of ᵡi’s in the jth interval [aj-1,aj) for
Here; USL and LSL are the upper and lower
j=1,2,…,k. Next, the expected proportion pj should
specification limits, µ is the process mean, and σ
be calculated. In the continuous case,
is the process’ standard deviation.
To decide whether a process is adequate according
to Cp and Cpk indices, see Table 1.
… (5)
Table 1. Cp, Cpk indices and process capability
decisions [12]

Cp, Cpk indices Process capability where is the density of the fitted distribution.
decisions For discrete data,
Cp ≥ 1.33 Adequate
1< Cp ≤1.33 Satisfactory, but must be … (6)
closely monitorized
Cp ≤1 Inadequate
Cpk ≥ 1.33 Adequate
1< Cpk ≤1.33 Satisfactory, but; if µ go where is the mass function of the fitted
far from the process distribution. Finally, the test statistic is
target, percentage of
error can increase
Cpk ≤1 Inadequate … (7)

3. GOODNESS OF FIT TESTS

If H0 is true, it will be expected will be small if
A GOF test is a statistical hypothesis test used to
describe how well the model fits a set observation. the fit is good (see [13]) for more information).

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Determining Process Capability Indices for Shirting Fabric

3.2. Kolmogorov–Smirnov (K-S) Test 4. CASE STUDY

If a sample comes from a hypothesized continuous A medium-sized textile factory in Turkey that has
distribution, the Kolmogorov-Smirnov (K-S) test is produced shirting fabrics was investigated via PCA
used to decide GOF. The K-S test is based on the in this study. To meet customer satisfaction, the
empirical cumulative distribution function factory desires to produce faultless fabrics,
(ECDF). Assume that we have a random sample decreasing the total cost and making more
x1, x2, …, xn from some continuous distribution competitive prices feasible. For faultless
with a CDF . The ECDF is denoted by manufacturing, it must be investigated whether the
produced fabrics are within specification limits or
… (8) not. Therefore, PCA was done for this factory.
Figure 1 shows a flowchart for PCA.

The K-S test statistic (Dn) is the largest (vertical) 1193 data points from wastage fabrics were
distance between and , defined as collected for one year. The K-S test was performed
to test for normality. The normal probability graph
… (9) of these data is presented in Figure 2. As seen in
Figure 2, since the P-value (0.071) is bigger than
0.05, we can say that with 95% confidence that
If the test statistic (Dn) is greater than the critical these data come from a normal distribution.
value obtained from a table, the null hypothesis is
rejected at the chosen significance level (see [13] We determined the data scatter within the
for more information). specification limits using histograms, and the Cp
and Cpk indices were calculated using a trial
3.3. Anderson-Darling Test version of the statistics software package
MINITAB 14 (www.minitab.com), as seen in
The Anderson-Darling test is designed to detect Figure 3.
discrepancies in the tails. With the standard
normal CDF (F), the Anderson-Darling statistic
(A2) is defined as 5. RESULTS and DISCUSSION

(10) 5.1. Results of Process Capability for Wastage

Fabric Amount

An approximate adjustment A2* for sample size is As seen in Figure 3, capability indices were
calculated using: examined for both overall capability (long-term
performance) and potential (within) capability
(short-term performance). Cp was 0,37 and Cpk was
… (11) 0,07, as seen in Figure 3. Because these values
were smaller than 1, it can be said that the process
was inadequate. It is desired that Cp and Cpk
If the test statistic, A2*, is greater than the critical indices should be greater than or equal to 1,33. As
value obtained from a table, the null hypothesis seen in Figure 3, the sample mean of the process is
(the data follow the normal distribution) is rejected close to the upper limit, meaning that skewness is
at the chosen significance level [14]. shown at the upper limit of the process.

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 Serap AKCAN

Identify capability characteristics

for process capability

Collect process data

Yes Are data fit No

Process capability for normal Normalize
analysis distribution? the process

Make
Yes No performance
Cp ≥ Performance Cpk ≥ mean the target
analysis
1.33 1 value

No Yes

Improve the Continue

process the process

Figure 1. Flowchart of process capability analysis [15]

Figure 2. Normal probability plot of wastage Figure 3. Process capability report for wastage
fabric amount (WFA) fabric amount (WFA)

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Determining Process Capability Indices for Shirting Fabric

To improve the process, firstly, skewness should summer months. Therefore, the faults are increase
be investigated (please see [16] for more and correspondingly the amount of wastage fabric
information about skewed processes). is increase, too. It is also seen in Figure 5
that the first three faults are broken, stain and
The expected overall value shows how many data yellowing, respectively.
points are out of the limits in the long term and the
expected within value shows how many data 5.4. The Effect of Pattern Difficulty on
points are out of the limits in the short term. As Wastage Fabric
seen in Figure 3, approximately 42 % of the data
were above the upper limit and approximately 44 To see the effect of pattern difficulty on wastage
% of data were out of the limits. fabric, the difficulty level was separated into four
groups (1-very difficult, 2-difficult, 3-average and
5.2. Cause and Effect Diagram for Wastage 4-not difficult). As seen in Figure 6, the textile
Fabric factory investigated in this study produces mostly
the fabrics which have not difficult patterns. The
Because the process which was investigated in this faults which are caused wastage fabric were seen
study was inadequate, cause and effect diagram mostly in group 4. Then, group 3, group 1 and
was generated for investigating the reasons of group 2, respectively. Therefore, it can be said that
inadequacy of the process (Figure 4). As seen in the pattern difficulty is not affect the amount of
Figure 4, eight fault types (stain, broken, wastage fabric. It can also be seen in Figure 6 that
yellowing, seam slippage, foreign fiber in weft, the first three faults are stain, broken and
weft ladder, warp breaks and reed marks) which yellowing respectively.
are caused for wastage fabric were determined and
the reasons of faults were investigated. It was seen 6. CONCLUSIONS
that the most of faults resulted from personnel and
machine. To resolve these faults; personnel should In this study, PCA was performed for a medium-
be trained, the lack of knowledge of personnel sized textile factory in Turkey that produces
should be completed, the motivation of personnel shirting fabrics. As a result of this analysis, it was
should be increased, training about knowledge of seen that the process was inadequate. Because the
the machine specifications should be given and it process was inadequate, the reasons for the
should be avoid from work overtime. Furthermore, process’ inadequacies were also investigated.
outdated machine and machine parts should be
changed, machine maintenance should be at the To improve the process and decrease the amount
right time and the adjustment of reed should be of wastage fabric, some precautions have to be
controlled. The external environmental conditions taken. For example, operators have to be trained,
are also important for resolve the faults. Therefore, machines have to be maintained regularly. If these
it should be taken care on temperature and precautions are taken, the amount of wastage
cleanliness of environment for preventing the fabric will decrease, increasing customer
insects and dusts stick with on fabric. satisfaction and decreasing costs. PCA analysis
of data that are not normally distributed will be
5.3. Investigating the Connection between investigated in a future study.
Wastage Fabric and Months

When we investigate the connection between

wastage fabric amount and months seen in 7. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Figure 5, it can be seen that most of wastage
fabrics occur in spring and summer months. It was The author would like to thank the staffs of the
observed that, the motivation and care of personnel textile factory, and the reviewers for their
are low and the dirtiness of environment is high in contributions to the paper.

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 Serap AKCAN

Figure 4. Cause and effect diagram for wastage fabric

Figure 5. Investigating the connection between wastage fabric and months

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 Figure 6. The effect of pattern difficulty on wastage fabric

7. Delaney, K.D., Phelan, P., 2009. Design

Improvement Using Process Capability Data,
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