Abstract

[This abstract is based on the author's abstract.] This summary of writings by prominent quality experts and quality practitioners on variation and defects in manufacturing has two goals. First, it provides people already engaged in quality improvement with the most relevant up-to-date information on measurement, control, and reduction of variation and defects. Second, it provides people new to the field with a guide to basic and advanced concepts of quality improvement in manufacturing. These goals are pursued in twelve sections: definitions of variation; types of errors and defects; sources and causes of variation; sources and causes of defects; relationship among variation, quality, and nonconformities; effects of variation and defects; measurement of variation; measurement of defects; remedies and techniques for reducing variation and improving processes; remedies and techniques for reducing nonconformities; benefits from reducing variation and nonconformities; and the rationale, goal, or main thesis.