ASQ CQT Certification Exam Syllabus

I. Quality Concepts and Tools (19 Questions)

1. Customers and suppliers
- Define internal and external customers, identify their expectations, and determine their satisfaction levels. Define internal and external suppliers and key elements of relations with them. (Understand)

2. Quality principles for products and processes
- Explain basic quality principles related to products (e.g., features, fitness-for-use, and freedom from defects) and processes (e.g., monitoring, measuring, and continuous improvement). Confirm conformance to product or process specifications. Understand the production part approval process (PPAP). (Apply)

3. Quality standards, requirements, and specifications
- Define and distinguish between national and international standards, quality management systems, customer requirements, and product and process specifications. (Understand)

4. Cost of quality (COQ)
- Describe and distinguish between the four classic cost of quality categories (i.e., prevention, appraisal, internal failure, and external failure) and classify activities appropriately. Understand and apply total cost of quality and cost of poor quality (COPQ). (Apply)

- The seven basic quality tools Select, construct, and interpret the seven basic quality tools:
1. Cause and effect diagrams (Evaluate)
2. owcharts (i.e., process maps) (Evaluate)
3. Check sheets (Evaluate)
4. Pareto charts (Evaluate)
5. Scatter diagrams (Evaluate)
6. Control charts (Evaluate)
7. Histograms (Evaluate)

8. Problem-solving techniques
- Define, describe, and apply problem-solving techniques, such as 5 Whys and 8D. (Apply)

9. Lean
- Identify key concepts and tools, such as 5S, value-stream mapping, and flow. (Remember)

10. Continuous improvement techniques
- Define and use various continuous improvement techniques, including the plan-do-check-act (PDCA) cycle, six sigma DMAIC (design, measure, analyze, improve, control), brainstorming, and  benchmarking. (Apply)

- Determine and apply appropriate behaviors and actions that comply with the ASQ Code of Ethics. (Evaluate)

II. Statistical Techniques (17 Questions)

1. Terminology
- Identify and explain statistical terms, such as population, sample, parameter, statistic, and statistical process control (SPC). (Understand)

2. Normal distribution
- Define normal distribution and explain the area under the normal curve. (Understand)

1. Measures of central tendency
- Define, compute, and interpret mean, median, and mode. (Analyze)

2. Measures of dispersion
- Define, compute, and interpret standard deviation, range, and variance. (Analyze)

3. Confidence levels and limits
- Explain confidence levels and confidence limits in various situations. (Understand)

1. Control limits vs. specification limits
- Identify and distinguish between the different uses of control limits and specification limits. (Analyze)

2. Variables charts
- Identify, construct, and interpret variables charts, such as individual moving range (I-MR) chart, X̅– R, and X̅– s. (Analyze)

3. Attributes charts
- Explain and interpret attributes charts, such as p, np, c, and u. (Understand)

4. Process capability measures
- Define the prerequisites for capability, calculate capability indices (e.g., Cp, Cpk, Pp, and Ppk), and draw conclusions from the results. (Analyze)

5. Common and special cause variation
- Interpret various control chart patterns and trends. Use rules for determining statistical control to distinguish between common cause and special cause variation. (Analyze)

III. Metrology and Calibration (16 Questions)

- Describe the following types of M&TE. (Understand)
1. Hand tools (e.g., calipers, micrometers, linear scales, analog, digital, vernier scales, and dial indicators)
2. Gauges (e.g., pins, threads, custom gauges, and gauge blocks)
3. Optical tools (e.g., comparators, profiles, and microscopes)
4. Coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) (e.g., touch probes, vision, and laser)
5. Electronic measuring equipment (e.g., digital displays and output)
6. Weights, balances, and scales
7. Surface plate methods and equipment
8. Surface analyzers (e.g., profilometers)
9. Force measurement tools (e.g., torque wrenches and tensometers)

1. M&TE identification, control, and maintenance
- Describe various methodologies for identifying and controlling M&TE to meet traceability requirements and apply appropriate techniques for maintaining such equipment to obtain optimum performance. (Apply)

2. Customer-supplied M&TE
- Describe and apply requirements for validation and control of customer-supplied equipment. (Apply)

1. Calibration intervals
- Apply calibration schedules based on M&TE usage history and risk. (Apply)

2. Calibration results
- Interpret calibration results and the potential impact of using out-of-calibration tools or failing to calibrate equipment on a regular basis. Recognize the need to adjust calibration schedules based on calibration data, records, history, and reliability, and document results. (Analyze)

3. Calibration error
- Identify the causes of calibration error and its effect on processes and products. (Understand)

4. Hierarchy of standards
- Explain the levels of standards (e.g., reference, primary, and transfer) and their relationship to one another. (Apply)

IV. Inspection and Test (21 Questions)

1. Drawing symbols and components
- Interpret drawings and apply requirements in various test and inspection activities. (Analyze)

2. Geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T)
- Define and apply GD&T covered in the ASME Y14.5 standard. (Analyze)

3. Classification of product defect characteristics and symbols
- Define and distinguish between product defect characteristics (e.g., critical, major, and minor) and characteristic symbols (e.g., significant and critical). (Analyze)

1. Types of measurements
- Define and select between direct, differential, derived, and transfer measurements. (Understand)

2. Gauge selection
- Determine which measurement instrument to use considering factors such as resolution, accuracy, tolerance, environment, and product features. (Evaluate)

3. Measurement system analysis (MSA)
- Define and distinguish between measurement terms, such as correlation, bias, linearity, precisionto-tolerance, attribute, variable, and percent agreement. Describe how gauge repeatability and reproducibility (R&R) studies are performed and how they are applied in support of MSA. (Analyze)

4. Rounding rules
- Use truncation, rounding rules, significant digits, and significant figures on both positive and negative numbers. (Apply)

5. Conversion of measurements
- Convert between metric and English units. (Apply)

6. Inspection points
- Define and distinguish between inspection point functions (e.g., receiving, in-process, final, source, and first-article). Determine what type of inspection is appropriate at different stages of production, from raw materials through finished product. (Analyze)

7. Inspection error
- Explain various types of inspection error, including operator error (e.g., parallax and fatigue), environment (e.g., vibration, humidity, and temperature), and equipment (e.g., limitations, capability, and setup). (Understand)

8. Product traceability
- Explain the requirements for documenting and preserving the identity of a product and its origins. (Apply)

9. Certificates of compliance (COC) and analysis (COA)
- Define and compare these two types of certificates. (Understand)

1. Sampling characteristics
- Identify and define sampling characteristics, such as lot size, sample size, acceptance number, and switching rules. (Apply)

2. Sampling types
- Define and distinguish between sampling types, such as fixed, single, double, skip lot, 100% inspection, attributes, variables, acceptance, parts per million (PPM), and average outgoing quality (AOQ). (Apply)

3. Selecting samples from lots
- Determine sample size (e.g., AQL), selection method, and accept/reject criteria used in various situations. (Apply)

1. Identifying and segregating
- Determine whether products and material meet conformance requirements. Use various methods to label, segregate, and document nonconforming material. (Evaluate)

2. Material review process
- Explain various elements of this process, such as the function of the material review board (MRB), the steps in determining fitness-for-use, and product disposition. (Understand)

V. Quality Audits (13 Questions)

- Define basic audit types: 1) internal, 2) external, 3) systems, 4) product, 5) process, 6) virtual, and, 7. Distinguish between first-, second-, and third-party audits. (Understand)

- Describe and apply various elements of the audit process: 1) audit purpose and scope, 2) audit reference standard, 3) audit plan (preparation), 4) audit performance, 5) opening and closing meetings, 6) grading / classifying audit findings (e.g., major, minor, and observational), 7) final report and verification of corrective action. (Apply) 

- Define and apply various auditing tools: 1) checklists and working papers, 2) data gathering and objective evidence, 3) forward- and backward-tracing, 4) audit sampling plans and procedural guidelines. (Apply)

VI. Risk Management (14 Questions)

- Describe methods of risk assessment and mitigation, such as trend analysis (SPC), failure mode and effects analyses (e.g., PFMEA and DFMEA), root cause analysis (RCA), product and process monitoring reports, inputs for risk assessment (e.g., customer complaints and field / warranty returns), and control plans. (Understand)

- Explain and apply elements of the corrective action process, including identify the problem, contain the problem (interim action), assign responsibility (personnel) to determine the causes of the problem, and propose solutions to eliminate it or prevent its recurrence (permanent action), verify that the solutions are implemented, and confirm their effectiveness (validation). (Apply)

- Explain and apply elements of the preventive action process, select data analysis techniques to identify potential failures, defects, and process deficiencies, assign responsibility for improving the process (e.g., develop error- and mistake-proofing devices and methods, initiate procedural changes, evaluate lessons learned, and conduct read across), and verify the effectiveness of the preventive action. (Apply)