What does a "Gage RandR" study measure?

A "Gage R&R" study, or Gage Repeatability and Reproducibility study, is primarily focused on assessing the measurement system's performance by evaluating the amount of variation introduced by that system itself. This study helps to differentiate between the variation caused by the measurement tool and the actual variation present in the part being measured.

By measuring the repeatability, which is the variation when the same operator uses the same measurement instrument multiple times under the same conditions, and reproducibility, which assesses how different operators using the same instrument yield different results, a Gage R&R study quantifies the measurement system's quality.

This information is critical for ensuring data integrity in any process, as significant measurement variation could obscure real process performance or quality issues. Understanding the measurement system's variation is necessary for making informed decisions based on the collected data. Thus, the answer accurately reflects the purpose and utility of a Gage R&R study.