What does the term "process capability" refer to?

The term "process capability" specifically refers to the ability of a process to produce output that meets specified limits or requirements consistently. This concept focuses on the inherent variability of the process itself and evaluates how well the process can perform in accordance with the established specifications or tolerances.

Understanding process capability is vital in the context of quality management, as it helps organizations assess whether a process is capable of producing goods or services that meet customer expectations. It is usually measured using statistical tools like Cp and Cpk, which quantify how much of the process output falls within the desired specification limits.

While efficiency, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness are important aspects of a process, they do not specifically define process capability, which is narrowly focused on output quality relative to predetermined limits.