[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":3,"doc-seo-649988-105":59,"doc-detail-649988-en":130},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",[7,13,18,23,28,33,38,43,48,51,55],{"id":8,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":10,"show_sort_weight":11,"slug":12},1,"Document","Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":14,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":15,"show_sort_weight":16,"slug":17},2,"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":19,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":20,"show_sort_weight":21,"slug":22},4,"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":24,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":25,"show_sort_weight":26,"slug":27},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":29,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":30,"show_sort_weight":31,"slug":32},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":34,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":35,"show_sort_weight":36,"slug":37},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":39,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":40,"show_sort_weight":41,"slug":42},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":44,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":45,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":47},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":46,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":49,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":50},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":52,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":53,"show_sort_weight":52,"slug":54},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":56,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":57,"show_sort_weight":24,"slug":58},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":60,"data":61},"ok",{"site_id":62,"language":63,"slug":64,"title":65,"keywords":66,"description":67,"schema_data":68,"social_meta":123,"head_meta":125,"extra_data":127,"updated_unix":129},105,"en","critical-characteristics-and-key-product-characteristics-kc-purpose-and-definitions-identification-and-maintenance","Critical Characteristics and Key Product Characteristics (KC) - Purpose and Definitions - Identification and Maintenance","","Purpose and key concepts define how Critical Characteristics and Key Product Characteristics (KC) differ in intent, outcomes, and required resource investment. It explains Critical Characteristic and Critical Safety Item (CSI) definitions, emphasizing safety consequences across the lifecycle. It also defines Key Characteristic as a variation driver for fit, performance, service life, and manufacturability, outlining responsibility, identification during design, maintenance planning, deviation/waiver review, inspection and process control, and ongoing variation management with process capability targets.",{"@graph":69,"@context":122},[70,84,105],{"@type":71,"itemListElement":72},"BreadcrumbList",[73,77,79,82],{"item":74,"name":75,"@type":76,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":78,"name":9,"@type":76,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":80,"name":40,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/research-report/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/critical-characteristics-and-key-product-characteristics-kc-purpose-and-definitions-identification-and-maintenance/649988/",{"url":83,"name":65,"@type":85,"image":86,"author":91,"headline":65,"publisher":94,"fileFormat":97,"inLanguage":63,"description":67,"dateModified":98,"datePublished":99,"encodingFormat":97,"isAccessibleForFree":100,"interactionStatistic":101},"DigitalDocument",{"url":87,"@type":88,"width":89,"height":90},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/critical-characteristics-and-key-product-characteristics-kc-purpose-and-definitions-identification-and-maintenance/649988.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":92,"@type":93},"anakgang17","Person",{"url":74,"name":95,"@type":96},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-30","2026-10-24",true,{"@type":102,"interactionType":103,"userInteractionCount":8},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":104},"ViewAction",{"@type":106,"mainEntity":107},"FAQPage",[108,114,118],{"name":109,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":111},"What is the core difference between a Critical Characteristic and a Key Product Characteristic (KC)?","Question",{"text":112,"@type":113},"A Critical Characteristic exists to ensure an unsafe condition will not exist when the item meets engineering requirements, supporting safety. A KC focuses on producing the item at its specified dimensional or performance condition rather than merely within tolerance to create value through variation management.","Answer",{"name":115,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":116},"What qualifies an item as a Critical Safety Item (CSI)?",{"text":117,"@type":113},"A CSI is an item that would result in an unsafe condition if missing or not conforming to design data, quality requirements, or overhaul/maintenance documentation. The determination depends on the consequence of failure, not the probability of occurrence.",{"name":119,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":120},"When should a Key Characteristic (KC) be identified and how is it maintained?",{"text":121,"@type":113},"A KC should be identified only after confirming a significant benefit from controlling the characteristic to keep it at or very close to the specified dimension. After identification, variation management continues until influencing processes are in control and process capability is established (Cpk > 1.33), followed by monitoring to sustain performance.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":83,"og:type":124,"og:title":65,"og:site_name":95,"og:description":67},"article",{"robots":126,"canonical":83},"index,follow",{"doc_id":128,"site_id":62},649988,1792813228,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":131},{"doc_id":128,"user_id":132,"nickname":92,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":39,"category_name":40,"doc_title":65,"doc_description":67,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":8,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":8,"is_downloadable":8,"audit_status":8,"page_count":81,"language":139,"language_code":63,"site_id":62,"html_lang":63,"table_of_contents":140,"faqs":141,"seo_title":142,"seo_description":67,"update_tm":129,"read_time":39},962090883568,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_a8503ba1806abce46bf441b54a3ca4cd","August 25, 2003  \nCritical Characteristics and Key Product Characteristics (KC)  \nPurpose  \nThis paper is intended to inform the reader regarding the differences (and similarities) between Critical Characteristics and Key Product Characteristics (KC) . These two terms are not synonymous. Both require the expenditure of resources to assure that they are achieved, but the intended outcome is significantly different. In the case of a Critical Characteristic the intent is to assure that an unsafe condition will not exist when the item conforms to the engineering requirements and to alert those in the production and maintenance of the importance of this feature in assuring safety. For a KC the desired outcome is that the item is produced at its specified dimensional or performance condition rather than merely within the engineering tolerance, thereby providing significant value from this variation management.  \nIt is not the intent of this paper to provide guidance on the identification and maintenance of Critical Characteristics and Key Characteristics. Rather it is to provide an understanding of the intent behind the classification of these two characteristics.  \nCritical Characteristic-Definition  \nA Critical Characteristic is any feature throughout the life cycle of a Critical Safety Item, such as dimension, tolerance, finish, material or assembly, manufacturing or inspection process, operation, field maintenance, or depot overhaul requirement that if nonconforming, missing or degraded may cause the failure or malfunction of a Critical Safety Item. As used in this paper, the term “Critical Characteristic” is synonymous with “Critical Safety Characteristic” and “Flight Safety Characteristic.”  \nCritical Safety Item-Definition  \nA Critical Safety Item (CSI) is an item (part, assembly, installation, or production system) that, if missing or not conforming to the design data, quality requirements, or overhaul and maintenance documentation, would result in an unsafe condition per the established risk acceptance criteria. CSIs include items determined to be “life limited”, “fracture critical”, “fatigue sensitive”, etc. The determining factor in CSIs is the consequence of failure, not the probability that the failure or consequence would occur. For the purpose of this paper “Critical Safety Item”,“Flight Safety Critical Aircraft Part”,“Flight Safety Part”,“Flight Safety Critical Part” are all synonymous. The term Critical Safety Item is the encompassing term used throughout this paper.  \nKey Characteristic-Definition  \nA Key Characteristic (KC) is a feature of a material, process, or part (includes assemblies) whose variation within the specified tolerance has a significant influence on product fit, performance, service life, or manufacturability.  \nIdentification and Maintenance of CSIs  \nThe determination of a CSI and related Critical Characteristics is the responsibility of Engineering or Integrated Product Teams and is best accomplished during the design process, in association with system safety and system engineering activity. Preferably the Critical Characteristic(s) are identified on the drawing. Alternate methods of Critical Characteristic identification are implemented in accordance with approved documented processes.  \nRequests for a deviation or waiver of a Critical Characteristic’s nonconformance must be reviewed and approved by personnel familiar with the criteria that resulted in the initial designation as a Critical Characteristic. Similar care must be exercised during the engineering change process to assure that the change does not adversely impact the design. Maintenance planning must assure that those servicing the product are aware of the Critical Characteristics.  \nThe quality planning and/or inspection planning activity shall provide for the use of methods that provide assurance that the item conforms to the engineering requirements. This may involve inspection, testing and process control or a combination of th","cbCaijhKDpamWP5O","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaijhKDpamWP5O","pdf",32321,"English","# Purpose\n## Critical Characteristic and KC distinction\n# Critical Characteristic-Definition\n# Critical Safety Item-Definition\n# Key Characteristic-Definition\n# Identification and Maintenance of CSIs\n## Deviation, waivers, and engineering changes\n## Quality and inspection planning\n# Identification and Maintenance of Key Characteristics\n## Economic factors in identification of KCs\n## Example KC features","[{\"question\":\"What is the core difference between a Critical Characteristic and a Key Product Characteristic (KC)?\",\"answer\":\"A Critical Characteristic exists to ensure an unsafe condition will not exist when the item meets engineering requirements, supporting safety. A KC focuses on producing the item at its specified dimensional or performance condition rather than merely within tolerance to create value through variation management.\"},{\"question\":\"What qualifies an item as a Critical Safety Item (CSI)?\",\"answer\":\"A CSI is an item that would result in an unsafe condition if missing or not conforming to design data, quality requirements, or overhaul/maintenance documentation. The determination depends on the consequence of failure, not the probability of occurrence.\"},{\"question\":\"When should a Key Characteristic (KC) be identified and how is it maintained?\",\"answer\":\"A KC should be identified only after confirming a significant benefit from controlling the characteristic to keep it at or very close to the specified dimension. After identification, variation management continues until influencing processes are in control and process capability is established (Cpk \\u003e 1.33), followed by monitoring to sustain performance.\"}]","Critical Characteristics and Key Product Characteristics (KC) - Purpose and Definitions - Identification and Maintenance | PDF"]