BS 6002-3:2005

Committees responsible
Foreword
Introduction
1 Scope
2 Normative references
3 Terms and definitions
4 Symbols and abbreviations
5 Acceptance quality limit (AQL)
6 Switching rules for normal, tightened and reduced inspection
7 Relation to BS 6001-1
8 Limiting quality protection
9 Planning
10 Choice between variables and attributes
11 Choice of method
12 Choice between single and double sampling plans
13 Choice of inspection level and AQL
14 Choice of sampling scheme
15 Preliminary operations
16 Standard univariate "s" method procedures
17 Standard univariate "sigma" method procedures
18 Procedure during continuing inspection
19 Normality and outliers
20 Records
21 Operation of switching rules
22 Discontinuation and resumption of inspection
23 Switching between the "s" and "sigma" methods
Annex A (informative) Standard multivariate "s" method
        procedures for double sampling with independent
        quality characteristics
Annex B (informative) Standard multivariate "sigma" method
        procedures for double sampling with independent
        quality characteristics
Annex C (informative) Standard multivariate combined "s"
        and "sigma" method procedures for double sampling
        with independent quality characteristics
Annex D (informative) Location of text on key features
Annex E (normative) Estimating the process fraction nonconforming
Annex F informative) Form k "s" method single sampling plans
        matched to the corresponding single sampling plans by
        attributes
Annex G (informative) Form k "sigma" method single sampling
        plans matched to the corresponding single sampling plans
        by attributes
Annex H (informative) Average sample numbers for double sampling
        by variables: "s" method
Annex I (informative) Producer's risks for the "s" method
Annex J (informative) Tabulated operating characteristics for
        double sampling plans with known process standard deviation
Annex K (informative) Ratios of ASNs of double sampling plans
        under normal inspection to the sample size of the
        corresponding single sampling plan by variables
Annex L (informative) Ratios of the ASNs of double sampling
        plans by variables to the ASNs of corresponding plans
        by attributes
Bibliography

Describes an acceptance sampling system of double sampling schemes for inspection by variables for percent nonconforming. It is indexed in terms of the acceptance quality limit (AQL).

This British Standard specifies an acceptance sampling system of double sampling schemes for inspection by variables for percent nonconforming. It is indexed in terms of the acceptance quality limit (AQL).

The objectives of the methods laid down in this British Standard are to ensure that lots of acceptable quality have a high probability of acceptance and that the probability of non-accepting inferior lots is as high as practicable. This is achieved by means of the switching rules, which provide:

1. automatic protection to the consumer (by means of a switch to tightened inspection or discontinuation of sampling inspection) should a deterioration in quality be detected;
2. an incentive (at the discretion of the responsible authority) to reduce inspection costs (by means of a switch to a smaller sample size) should consistently good quality be achieved.

In this British Standard, the acceptability of a lot is implicitly or explicitly determined from an estimate of the percentage of nonconforming items in the process, based on either one or two random samples of items from the lot.

This British Standard is primarily designed for use under the following conditions:

1. where the inspection procedure is to be applied to a continuing series of lots of discrete products all supplied by one producer using one production process. If there are different producers or production processes, this British Standard shall be applied to each one separately;
2. where the items of product have a single quality characteristic (for multiple quality characteristics, see Annex A, Annex B and Annex C, which are all informative);
3. where the quality characteristic is measurable on a continuous scale;
4. where the measurement error is negligible (i.e. with a standard deviation no more than 10 % of the corresponding process standard deviation);
5. where production is stable (under statistical control) and the quality characteristic is distributed, at least to a close approximation, according to a normal distribution;

CAUTION. The procedures in this British Standard are not suitable for application to lots that have been screened previously for nonconforming items.

1. where the possibility of having to select and inspect a second sample is administratively acceptable;
2. where a contract or standard defines an upper specification limit U, a lower specification limit L, or both on the quality characteristic. An item is deemed to conform if its measured quality characteristic x satisfies the appropriate one of the following inequalities:
   1. x ≤ U (i.e. the upper specification limit is not violated);
   2. x ≥ L (i.e. the lower specification limit is not violated);
   3. x ≤ U and x ≥ L (i.e. neither the upper nor the lower specification limit is violated).

NOTE Inequalities i) and ii) are called cases with a “single specification limit”, and iii) is the case with “double specification limits”.

For double specification limits, a further distinction is made between combined control, separate control and complex control, as follows:

• combined control is where a single AQL applies to nonconformity beyond both limits;
• separate control is where separate AQLs apply to nonconformity beyond each of the limits;
• complex control is where one AQL applies to nonconformity beyond the limit that is of greater seriousness, and a larger AQL applies to the total nonconformity beyond both limits.