The Need for

Continuous Improvement

Jeffery Cawley
Northwest Analytical
 Continuous Process Improvement

• CPI - Continuous Process Improvement

• What is CPI?
• What are the Implications of CPI?
• Why use CPI?
• How do we achieve CPI?

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 CPI - What is it?

• A way of doing business - not an isolated project

• Goal - stable processes
• Goal - capable
• Means - process monitoring & control
• Means - process improvement projects
– Continuous variation/waste reduction

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 Why Process Control?

• The best business model

• Enables successful inspection systems
• Business necessity
– Economic production
– Risk reduction
– Supply chain considerations
– Simplify audit
– Vendor certification

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 SPC - The Tool for Process Control

Statistical Process Control is the term for statistical

analysis methodologies developed by Walter
Shewhart and popularized by W. Edwards Deming.

•Monitors process stability - alerts to excessive

process variation

•Evaluates the process’ capability to meet

specifications

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Control Chart

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Process Capability

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Process Capability

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Process Capability

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 Inspection & Process Control

• Different Views
“You only get the quality you inspect for…”
vs..
“You only get the quality you build in…”

• Appropriate roles

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 Appropriate Use of Inspection

• Process not capable of producing perfect product

• Production of defective product has serious consequences.
• Process not capable of meeting customer’s needs and
requirements.
• Little process history is known

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Inspection Caveats

• Inspection is never 100% effective

• Cannot inspect quality into a product

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 HACCP & SPC

“FSIS has concluded that statistical process control

techniques will provide experience in ``process thinking'' (a
central tenet of HACCP), develop an historical record of
performance, and permit evaluation of the long-term stability of
a process and determination of process capability (that is, how
the process is actually working), and track the effectiveness of
process improvement actions. “

Federal Register, v.62, #92, May 13, 1997, p. 26213

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 HACCP & SPC
• The emphasis of food safety regulatory agencies must continue
to be on prevention, reduction, or elimination of foodborne
hazards along the food production, processing, and distribution
continuum, rather than on inspection of the end product.
• Statistical Process Control linked to continuous improvement
must be part of food safety regulations. The concept of
“continuous improvement” is central to food safety.

Excerpt from Summary Findings

Scientific Criteria to Ensure Safe Food
National Academies of Science

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 HACCP & SPC

• SPC enabling successful HACCP program

• Process control monitoring provides early alert to
problems.
• High capability process enabling production of acceptable
product even when system stressed

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The Faces(?) of the Enemy

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http://www.nwasoft.com/press/mag_haccp.htm

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 Risk Management

• Recalls
• Food Safety
• Fill Weight/Portion Control

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 ConAgra - Portion Control

• Drivers
– Regulatory Cost Avoidance
– Supply Chain Requirements
– Giveaway Reduction
– CPI
• Implementation
• Results

www.nwasoft.com/appnotes/conagra.htm

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 Risk Management

Food Processors Product Recall

Risk Management

The Hartford

http://mb.thehartford.com/view_industry/tips_food.asp

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 SPC - Necessary for Business

• CPI
• Within Enterprise Reporting
– Multi-Location, Complex Organizations
– Benchmarking Best Practices
• Supply Chain Quality Reporting
– Contractually Required Deliverables
– Vender Certification
– Bid Requirement

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 Vendor Certification - USDA AMS

http://www.ams.usda.gov/lsg/cp/beef/beef_whatsnew.htm

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 Vendor Certification - USDA AMS

AMS PROCESS Quality Control

Program Approved
REQUIREMENTS by AMS
FLOW CHART

Process Assessment
Status
20 Consecutive Lots

YES Process
Capable?

NO
Conditional Status Process
Assessment of 20
Consecutive Lots within 30
production days

YES
Process
Capable?

NO

Ineligible
Supplier/Contractor

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 CPI

The Best Model for Long-term

Corporate Success

• Vendor/Customer Relations
• Risk Management
• Profitability
• Survive/Thrive Question

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 The concept of
“continuous improvement”
is central to food safety.

National Academies of Science

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Northwest Analytical, Inc.
519 SW Park Ave.
Portland, OR 97205
USA
1-503-224-7727
www.nwasoft.com
jcawley@nwasoft.com
mdrapcho@nwasoft.com

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