02 May 2011: Edgar Dietrich

The question arising after the release of the 2nd edition of VDA 5 is: Which guideline is better to apply? VDA 5 or MSA 4? This article tries to provide an answer.

Guidelines and standards for measurement process capability analysis

So far, the MSA (Measurement System Analysis) [1, 2, 3 and 4] for establishing measurement process capability is the most frequently used document in audits according to ISO/TS 16949. When the AIAG (Automotive International Action Group) announced the 4th edition, they explicitly stated that even other methods (not mentioned in MSA 4) are permissible as long as they are suitable or in case of an agreement between customer and supplier. Today, there really is an alternative to MSA 4.

The new VDA volume 5 “Capability of Measurement Processes” [13] published in November 2010 is available as a guideline meeting all these requirements. Additionally, it is much more practice-oriented than MSA 4. Furthermore, the approach of VDA 5 is based on the ISO standard 22514-7 Capability of Measurement Processes [8]. GUM (Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement) is also worth mentioning. However, this guide lacks practical relevance for capability analyses in industrial production. And let’s not forget about numerous company guidelines (see [7], [9] and [12])...