Overview for Variables Acceptance Sampling (Create/Compare)

Use Variables Acceptance Sampling (Create/Compare) to create an inspection plan that you use to accept or reject a lot of incoming material based on the data from a representative sample. You can also compare multiple sampling plans to understand how varying the sample size and the critical distance affects the plan risk.

Acceptance sampling can determine whether an entire lot of product should be accepted or rejected. With variables data, each plan evaluates a single measured characteristic, such as thickness, concentration, or surface roughness, against at least one specification.

For example, you receive a shipment of 3,600 camera lenses. With acceptance sampling, you develop a plan to determine how many lenses you need to evaluate (sample size) and what the critical distance is. Minitab compares the critical distance to the sample mean and to the specification limits to determine whether to accept or reject a lot based on sample data.

Acceptance sampling does not improve the quality of the process in any way, and is not a substitute for good quality control processes. Acceptance sampling is useful as a decision-making tool for accepting or rejecting products and services. In particular, in cases when the quality of a supplier's process is unknown, acceptance sampling may be a good option as opposed to 100% inspection.