Measurement systems are essential to the quality of a manufacturing process. The measurement process itself is subject to variation, and excessive variation in the measurement instruments, referred to as gauges, can mask critical variation in the manufacturing process.
One type of measurement variation is caused by conditions inherent in the gauges. This variation, known as
Repeatability: Occurs when one person measures the same characteristic several times with the same gauge.
Reproducibility: Occurs when different individuals measure the same characteristics with the same gauge.
Other sources of measurement variation include part-to-part variation and lack of accuracy, stability, and linearity
Gauge R&R gives facility to obtain and study information on amount and type of variations related to the system and its interaction with the environment i.e. to record and calculate the Gauge R&R.
(See Part - Parameter Mapping)