Check sheet

Check sheet

A check sheet is a simple form used to collect data in an orderly manner and according to established criteria. It is a quality tool used to monitor and check various aspects of a production or service process by collecting data on the occurrence of specific events, defects or other relevant information.

Check sheet design

The preparation of a check sheet can be divided into several steps:

• Purpose of data collection. At the beginning, it is important to clearly define the purpose, i.e. why data will be collected.
• Data categories. The categories or parameters to be monitored are then specified. These could be various types of product defects, number and type of alarms in the process, product versions, locations of reported problems, etc.
• Design of check sheet. Design a check sheet adequate to the predetermined data categories. The appearance is up to you. Kaoru Ishikawa described following types of the check sheet:[1]
  • Production Process Distribution Check Sheet.
  • Defective Items Check Sheet.
  • Defective Location Check Sheet.
  • Defective Cause Check Sheet.
  • Check-up Confirmation Check Sheet.
• Gathering data. During the process execution, people using the sheet mark the appropriate boxes on the form based on observations or measurements.
• Analysis. Once the data is collected, the results are analyzed to draw conclusions and take possible actions to improve the process/product.

Examples of check sheets

An example of a check sheet in the form of defective items after the conformal coating process:

An example of a check sheet in the form of the location of defects found after the soldering process:

Advantages

• Simplicity. The sheet is easy to use and requires no complicated tools or training.
• Effective data collection. Helps effectively collect process or product data that is critical for decision-making and corrective action.
• Organizing information. Organizes collected information in a clear manner, facilitating analysis and presentation of results.
• The check sheet is very helpful during problem solving like 8D Method.

Disadvantages

• Manual work. The sheet requires manual filling, which can be time-consuming and error-prone.
• Restricted complexity. Not suitable for collecting very complex data or analyzing many variables simultaneously.

Summary

A check sheet is a tool that helps collect, analyze and review data related to production or service processes. It is a simple and effective tool that can be used in a variety of industries.

Using the check sheet, engineers can quickly implement a mechanism for data collection and subsequent analysis. This tool is especially helpful when the company's IT system is not sophisticated enough to automatically collect data from manufacturing processes.