Quality assurance and stage dynamics in multi-stage manufacturing. Parti

SUMMARY This is the first in a two-part report on control engineering considerations in quality assurance. This paper introduces some basic concepts in the measurement of the ‘loss’ due to poor product quality, and approaches the issue of parameter optimization of the control system through the modem of manipulating the ‘proportional-integral-and-derivative controller’ (PID) constants, using an experimental approach coupled with simulation as the methodology to achieve the desired objective. The second paper (forthcoming) approaches the problem from the point of view of parameter optimization via mathematical programming, and then addresses the issue of setting the standard of system performance through Markov decision processes.