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Free course · Quality management

SPC and MSA: Control Charts, Capability and Gauge R&R

This free course teaches statistical process control and measurement system analysis with real numbers. You choose rational subgroups, build X-bar and R, individuals and attribute charts, apply run rules, write reaction plans, calculate Cp, Cpk, Pp and Ppk, and run gauge R&R studies by average and range and by ANOVA. The data is in the notes, so you can repeat every result in a spreadsheet. It suits quality, process and supplier quality engineers in automotive, aerospace and medical device supply chains.

See the modules

Free to learn. Verifiable certificate £19 when you pass the final exam (optional, VAT included).

Level
Beginner
Modules
15
Video
16 hours
Price
Free

Outcome

What you will be able to do

Explain variation and choose rational subgroups; build and read X-bar and R, X-bar and S, individuals and attribute control charts with the right constants; apply run rules and write a reaction plan; calculate Cp, Cpk, Pp and Ppk with confidence and handle skewed data; study a measurement system for resolution, bias, linearity and stability; run gauge R&R by the average and range method and by ANOVA and judge %GRR, percent of tolerance and distinct categories; run an attribute agreement study with kappa; and place SPC and MSA correctly in APQP, PPAP and IATF 16949.

  • Explain variation and choose rational subgroups and sampling plans
  • Build X-bar and R, X-bar and S, individuals and attribute control charts with the right constants
  • Apply run rules and write a reaction plan for a signal
  • Calculate Cp, Cpk, Pp and Ppk with confidence limits, and handle skewed data
  • Check a gauge for resolution, bias, linearity and stability
  • Run gauge R&R by the average and range method and by ANOVA and judge %GRR, percent of tolerance and ndc
  • Run an attribute agreement study with effectiveness, miss rate, false alarm rate and kappa
  • Place SPC and MSA correctly in APQP, PPAP and IATF 16949 and a control plan

Software

A spreadsheet (Excel or LibreOffice Calc) is all the course needs. JASP or R can repeat the ANOVA and capability steps; Minitab appears in some videos and is optional.

Hardware

None. A caliper and a gauge block make the measurement-system practice more real but are not required.

Syllabus

15 modules

Each module has video lessons, notes and a short quiz. The final exam closes the course.

  1. 1Variation, process thinking and the control chart idea2 lessons
  2. 2Rational subgroups, sample size and sampling frequency3 lessons
  3. 3Variables charts: X-bar and R, X-bar and S4 lessons
  4. 4Individuals and moving range charts2 lessons
  5. 5Attribute charts: p, np, c and u2 lessons
  6. 6Run rules and reacting to signals4 lessons
  7. 7Short runs, pre-control and SPC on the shop floor2 lessons
  8. 8Process capability: Cp and Cpk2 lessons
  9. 9Process performance: Pp, Ppk, non-normal data and confidence2 lessons
  10. 10MSA basics: resolution, bias, linearity and stability4 lessons
  11. 11Gauge R&R by the average and range method3 lessons
  12. 12Gauge R&R by ANOVA4 lessons
  13. 13Attribute agreement analysis4 lessons
  14. 14SPC and MSA in APQP, PPAP and IATF 16949, and the reaction plan2 lessons
  15. 15Final Assessment1 lesson

How it works

How this course works

  1. Watch the video lessonsOne module at a time, at your own pace.
  2. Take the module quizA short quiz at the end of each module shows what stuck.
  3. Keep your notesWrite in My notes beside each module and ask the trainer if you are stuck.
  4. Sit the final examPass it once you have been through the modules.
  5. Certificate, if you want oneOptionalPaid, and only after you pass. Anyone can check it online.

Certificate

An optional certificate when you pass

Learning is free. Pass the final exam and you can have a certificate for £19, including VAT, with a number employers can check online. It records that you completed a free online course; it is not a regulated qualification or a CPD certificate.

  • Your name, the course, its study time and your final exam score
  • A unique certificate number and a QR code to its verification page
  • Issued by Wartens Ltd; add it to your LinkedIn profile in one click
  • Pay now or after you pass: it is issued the moment you pass the final

How the certificate works

Sample certificate for SPC and MSA: Control Charts, Capability and Gauge R&R

Credits

Who made the lessons

The video lessons belong to their creators. EDWartens wrote the study plan, notes, quizzes and the final exam.

Jobs

Jobs this course can lead to

The skills in this course are used in quality and project engineering work, for example as a quality engineer, a supplier quality engineer and a process engineer. No course can promise a job, and employers also look for experience, so read what live adverts ask for.

Questions

About this course

Last reviewed 1 November 2026.

Does it follow the AIAG SPC and MSA manuals?
It teaches the methods those manuals describe and names the editions it refers to, in its own words. Customers set their own acceptance limits, so check your customer specific requirements before you judge a study.
What software do I need?
A spreadsheet such as Excel or LibreOffice Calc is enough, and the free JASP program is used for ANOVA. Minitab appears in some videos and is optional. Every worked number can be repeated from the data printed in the notes.
Is the certificate an automotive qualification?
No. The optional £19 certificate is an EDWartens certificate of completion with a verification page. It is not issued by AIAG, SMMT or any certification body and is not a regulated qualification. The course itself is free.
What is the SPC and MSA course?
It is a free-to-learn course on statistical process control and measurement system analysis. You build control charts, calculate Cp, Cpk, Pp and Ppk, and run gauge R&R and attribute agreement studies. Every number is worked from data printed in the notes, so you can repeat it in a spreadsheet.
Which AIAG manuals does the course follow?
It teaches the ideas that the AIAG SPC manual (second edition) and the MSA manual (fourth edition) share with textbook practice, in its own words. AIAG announced a new SPC edition in July 2026, so check which edition your customer names. No table or form from the manuals is copied.
Is this course an AIAG, IATF or ASQ credential?
No. The course gives you the knowledge used in SPC and MSA work, but its certificate is a verifiable certificate of completion from EDWartens. It is not an AIAG, IATF or ASQ qualification, and third-party IATF auditors are qualified through IATF-approved bodies.
How long is the course and is it free?
It has about 9.7 hours of video and around 16 hours in total with the notes, worked problems and practice. The modules, notes, practice and the optional project are free to learn. You learn at your own pace.
What certificate do I get?
You get a verifiable certificate of completion once you finish the modules and pass the 15-question final at 60 percent. It carries a unique certificate number, a QR code and a public verification page that shows the course, the modules and the final score.
Where do SPC and MSA fit in APQP, PPAP and IATF 16949?
Gauge studies and capability studies are planned in APQP, named in the control plan and submitted as PPAP evidence. IATF 16949 expects measurement system studies and statistical tools for the characteristics in the control plan. The last module shows where each piece sits and how to write a reaction plan.

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The Professional Module is five live days of Siemens PLC, HMI and SCADA with an instructor, then a resume session and a CPD certificate.

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