Question
I am confused about the values used for AQLs. For example in Table II-A the AQL values range from 0.010 to 1000. Where do these values come from and what do they mean?
The table states, “AQLs, in Percent Nonconforming Items and Nonconformities per 100 Items .” At first I thought the values were percentages, but how can you have more than 100, as in 100%, as the values go up to 1000? Also how can there be more than 100 nonconformities per 100 items, unless one part can have multiple nonconformities?
Just looking for clarification on the AQL numbers, what they mean, and how to interpret them.
Answer
Let’s start with the definition of Acceptable Quality Level (AQL). From Z1.4, the AQL is the quality level that is the worst tolerable process average when a continuing series of lots is submitted for acceptance sampling. Although individual lots with quality as bad as the AQL can be accepted with fairly high probability, the designation of an AQL does not suggest that this is necessarily a desirable quality level. The AQL is a parameter of the sampling scheme and should not be confused with a process average which describes the operating level of a manufacturing process. It is expected that the product quality level will be less than the AQL to avoid excessive non-accepted lots.
The columns with percentages greater than 100% should not be included in the standard, but remain as indication of how to interpret lots where the entire sample is defective. It has some statistical relevance with use of the switching rules, but for the general practitioner, it should be ignored.
Hope this helps.
For more about this topic, please visit ASQ’s website.
It could be greater tha 100 because are non-conformities or defects not non-conforming or defective units.