Statistics for knowledge improvement of an innovative manufacturing process and quality cost management

The activities developed in collaboration with MBDA have followed two different research lines. In the first line a framework of statistical methods useful in the industrial qualification phase of an innovative process based on Additive Manufacturing technologies has been proposed. This technology has been recognized as the next chapter in the industrial revolution. Exactly in the qualification process of a new industrial technology, when is inadequate the practitioner's experience, statistics play a strategic role to help management in making-decision by planning experimental activities, analyzing statistical results and catalyzing technological interpretations. The second research line aims at providing a suitable statistical quality control methodology to monitor the non conformance management (NCM) process applied to a MBDA dedicated production line. The NCM process data are highly autocorrelated and cannot be assumed homogeneous because of the significantly different impact on non-quality costs. A demerit system based on a cost severity weighting scheme has been ad hoc developed and a suitable statistical process control methodology has been adopted to handle the autocorrelation structure in NCM process data.