A food processing company has large tanks that are cleaned daily. Cleaning includes the use of packaged detergents, which dissolve in a solution inside the tanks. The company purchases packages with a fill-weight specification of 12.00 0.08 oz. A supplier representative claims that his company uses statistical process control and will promise an inherent process capability of 0.20 oz. for the fill weight specification. The brochure says nothing else about the process except that the advertised weight of the detergent packages is 12 oz.

a. should the food processor buy detergent from the supplier? Why or why not?

b. if the supplier had control chart evidence that its fill weight process was in fact centered at 12.00 oz and was an in state of statistical control, how would your answer to question a change? Does all output meet specs?

c. suppose the supplier is a reliable provider of other products and can reasonably be expected to improve the detergent packaging process. What advise would you offer to the food processor on seeking alternative suppliers? What advice would you offer regarding the relationship with the food processor? Can you show sigma, R-bar and d_2.