AAOM Handbook

PS.10 Set Operating Specification Limits

Context

The Task Assignments completed up to this point have defined a set of Production strategies that are likely to deliver the target performance and confidence level for the process. This set of Production strategies comprises the Production steps that must be completed to deliver the required output from the process and the operating approach for these steps. These production steps may be executed by either people or machines, but in every case there will be a set of specification limits that should be adhered to in completing the step if the process is to consistently meet its target confidence levels. The Capability Histograms for independent output characteristics that produced the modelling result that met the confidence levels for the process performance define the specification limits for these characteristics. The distributions for other technical parameters associated with these Production strategy choices (chemistry, temperature, pressure, etc.) define the operating specification limits for these parameters.

A set of specification limits may include; • a lower specification limit, • an upper specification limit, and • a target operating point.

Purpose

To define the operating specification limits for Production steps.

Quantity

• One set of specification limits for each Production step.

Quality

A set of specification limits may include; • a lower specification limit, • an upper specification limit, and • a target operating point.

Each significant operating parameter for each Production step must have at least one of the above specification values. In many processes the range of output performance has a significant impact on connected processes, and hence it should be common that at least an upper and lower specification limit be set. If any of the other two specification values is significant in evaluating the performance of the asset it shall also be specified in the target.

© McAlear Management Consultants 2006

Operational Planning: Set Production Strategy

Updated: August 2018

Page 36