Illustration 1:
The Target Value of a process is the numerical aim of the process that is preferred for the quality characteristic of interest. Target Values can be of several types, but the most common ones are: (1) smaller is better, (2) larger is better, and (3) nominal is best. When you think of nominal is best, think of “named value.”
Example: Below are three examples of Target Values, one each for (1) smaller is better, (2) larger is better, and (3) nominal is best.
Smaller is Better
A company that assembles small gift sets that parents can purchase and have sent to their children in college tracks the quality of the assemblies by randomly selecting a fixed number of completed gift boxes and counting the number of non-conformances in the assembly of the gift box (for example, items placed in the wrong compartments). The rating is tracked as the number of non-conformances per 100 gift boxes assembled. In this scenario, the target value set by the company will be smaller is better.
Larger is Better
A supplier of food storage bags submits a random sample of the bags to a pressure test and records the pressure (in psi) required to burst each bag. Since the higher the pressure required to burst the bag, the stronger the sealing capacity of the bag, this is a larger is better target value.
Nominal is Best
A company tracks the amount of lubricate required to keep a bearing system in its machining centers functioning optimally. Too much lubricate and the expensive chemical is wasted. Too little and the machines wear out the bearings. Since there is an optimal amount of lubricate that should be administered, this is a nominal is best target value.
Illustration 2:
The Target Value of a process is the numerical aim of the process that is preferred for the quality characteristic of interest. Target Values can be of several types, but the most common ones are: (1) smaller is better, (2) larger is better, and (3) nominal is best.
Example: Below are three examples of Target Values, one each for (1) smaller is better, (2) larger is better, and (3) nominal is best.
Smaller is Better
A producer of packaging measures its machine centers on the percent of waste (packaging that cannot be used due to start-up, shut-down, or quality problems) that is generated for each type of packaging produced. In this scenario, the smaller the amount of waste generated the better.
Larger is Better
A bank regularly tracks customer satisfaction scores received from formal surveys. The best customer satisfaction score the bank can receive is a 10. In this scenario, the larger the score (that is, the closer the average score is to ten) the better the bank is performing
Nominal is Best
A manufacturer has solid product performance and engineering test data that shows a particular metal shaft they produce must be between 9 and 11 millimeters in diameter to perform well in the intended application with 10 millimeters being optimal. In this scenario, the nominal value of 10 millimeters is best.
Illustration 3:
The Target Value of a process is the numerical aim of the process that is preferred for the quality characteristic of interest. Target Values can be of several types, but the most common ones are: (1) smaller is better, (2) larger is better, and (3) nominal is best.
Example: Below are three examples of Target Values, one each for (1) smaller is better, (2) larger is better, and (3) nominal is best.
Smaller is Better
A company that assembles small gift sets that parents can purchase and have sent to their children in college tracks the quality of the assemblies by randomly selecting a fixed number of completed gift boxes and counting the number of non-conformances in the assembly of the gift box (for example, items placed in the wrong compartments). The rating is tracked as the number of non-conformances per 100 gift boxes assembled. In this scenario, the target value set by the company will be smaller is better.
Larger is Better
A supplier of food storage bags submits a random sample of the bags to a pressure test and records the pressure (in psi) required to burst each bag. Since the higher the pressure required to burst the bag, the stronger the sealing capacity of the bag, this is a larger is better target value.
Nominal is Best
A company tracks the amount of lubricate required to keep a bearing system in its machining centers functioning optimally. Too much lubricate and the expensive chemical is wasted. Too little and the machines wear out the bearings. Since there is an optimal amount of lubricate that should be administered, this is a nominal is best target value.
