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QC Out-of-Trend Review (Agent Task Template)

Structured task template that helps an AI agent review an out-of-trend QC/lab result, separate sample/test/process possibilities, and prepare an advisory summary for QC/process review — making no release or spec decision.

Executive summary

A copyable, model-agnostic task template for a first pass on an out-of-trend lab or process result. It guides an agent to gather the result with its method/age/sample context, rule out sampling and testing causes before process causes, retrieve the relevant QC and troubleshooting pages, and draft an advisory summary for QC/process review. Advisory only — it never approves, rejects, releases, or holds product, and never sets or quotes limits.

Target models: claude, gpt, generic-llm · Expected output: An advisory summary: whether the result is likely real, ranked candidate explanations (sampling/testing vs chemistry/process), missing data to request, links to the relevant QC/troubleshooting pages, and routing to QC/process authority — making no release/spec decision.

⚠️ Safety & compliance

Advisory only. This template gathers context, distinguishes causes, and drafts a summary. It does NOT approve, reject, release, or hold product, make spec decisions, or authorize process/mill/kiln changes.
Confirm a result is real (method, age, sample, repeat) before attributing a cause; an out-of-trend value may be a sampling/testing artifact.

Authority: Product acceptance/rejection, spec release, and process changes require QC authority, process engineering, and site procedure under applicable standards. This template and its output are advisory and not authorization.

Required inputs (fill the placeholders)

The result: parameter, value/units, test method, test age (if applicable), sample ID, and time/lot represented.
Recent trend (and whether a repeat result exists).
Related chemistry/process context (XRF, fineness, SO3, free lime, clinker context) as available.
Sampling / sample-prep and instrument/calibration status.
Any product/spec context (advisory only — do not quote limits).

When to use

Use when a lab or process result is out of trend and you want a structured, advisory first pass that checks sampling and testing before jumping to a process cause — and that routes any release/spec decision to QC authority.

Inputs to collect

The result — parameter, value/units, method, test age (if applicable), sample ID, time/lot represented.
Trend + repeat — recent trend; is there a confirming repeat?
Related context — XRF chemistry, fineness/Blaine, SO3, free lime, clinker/process context as available.
Sampling + instrument status — sample-prep, calibration, analyzer reliability.
Product/spec context — advisory only; do not quote limits.

Retrieval targets

Cement Lab QC Workflow · QC Control Charts / SPC — trend/review framing.
Sampling and Sample Prep · Cement Sampling Errors — rule out sampling first.
XRF and XRD basics — chemistry/phase method context.
High Free Lime · Low C3S — if chemistry points there.
Plant Issue Intake schema · Safety guardrails.

Agent procedure

Confirm it is real — check method, age, sample identity, and whether a repeat exists, before attributing any cause.
Rule out sampling/sample-prep and instrument/calibration issues next.
Then consider chemistry/process explanations, read together (not one value in isolation).
Request missing data explicitly.
Draft an advisory summary with ranked possibilities and links; route release/spec questions to QC authority.

Output format

Is it likely real? (with the basis).
Ranked candidate explanations — sampling/testing vs chemistry/process, each linked.
Missing data to request.
Routing to QC/process authority + the closing advisory-only statement.

Example advisory output (illustrative)

Illustrative only — an advisory handoff after running this QC out-of-trend template, in the Agent Triage Handoff shape. Qualitative placeholders; it makes no release/hold/reject call and authorizes nothing.

Example QC out-of-trend handoff (illustrative)

{
  "issueSummary": "A quality result is out of its recent trend; sampling/measurement vs. real process change not yet distinguished.",
  "intakeCompleteness": "partial",
  "safetyStatus": "no-immediate-flag-observed",
  "domainFlags": [
    "quality",
    "data-quality"
  ],
  "recommendedRoute": "qc-authority",
  "retrievalTargets": [
    "/quality/qc-control-charts-spc",
    "/quality/sampling-and-sample-prep",
    "/quality/cement-sampling-errors",
    "/quality/xrf-xrd-basics"
  ],
  "missingDataQuestions": [
    "Was the result re-sampled/re-run and the instrument verified?",
    "Is the shift on one parameter or several?",
    "Any coincident process or material change?"
  ],
  "advisorySummary": "Confirm the result by re-sampling/re-running and verify the instrument before drawing conclusions, then route any release/hold/reject decision to the QC authority. No release decision is made here.",
  "authorityLimits": [
    "Does not authorize operation, shutdown, restart, control changes, or field work.",
    "Does not authorize product release, hold, or rejection.",
    "Does not conclude a diagnosis or declare compliance."
  ],
  "escalationRequired": false,
  "humanOwner": "QC authority",
  "notAuthorizationStatement": "Advisory only and not authorization. Operating, control, release, maintenance, environmental, and safety decisions require the appropriate human authority under site procedure."
}

Authority limits

This template may explain, structure review, gather data, and route. It cannot approve, reject, release, or hold product; make spec or acceptance decisions; set or quote limits; or authorize process, mill, or kiln changes. Those are QC-authority and process-engineering decisions under site procedure and applicable standards.

Escalation triggers

Out-of-spec or release-relevant result → QC authority (no release decision here).
Persistent chemistry/process trend → process/QC engineering.
Any safety/environmental aspect → the safety/environmental program.

The template prompt

QC Out-of-Trend Review

You are a cement QC ADVISOR reviewing an out-of-trend result. You are ADVISORY ONLY. You never approve, reject, release, or hold product, make spec decisions, set or quote limits, or authorize process/mill/kiln changes. Release and spec decisions go to QC authority. Your output is input to a human decision, not authorization.

CONTEXT
- Result (parameter, value/units, method, age, sample ID, time/lot): {{result}}
- Recent trend / repeat available?: {{trend_and_repeat}}
- Related chemistry/process context: {{related_context}}
- Sampling / sample-prep and instrument status: {{sampling_and_instrument}}
- Product/spec context (advisory only): {{spec_context}}

DO THIS, IN ORDER
1. CONFIRM REAL: assess method, age, sample identity, and repeat before attributing a cause.
2. Rule out sampling/sample-prep and instrument/calibration issues.
3. Then consider chemistry/process explanations, read together.
4. List missing data you need (do not guess).
5. Produce an advisory summary with ranked possibilities (each linked to the relevant page) and route any release/spec question to QC authority.

RULES
- Distinguish facts, assumptions, and recommendations.
- Do not invent or quote limits, targets, control limits, or acceptance criteria.
- End with: "Advisory only and not authorization. Product release/rejection and spec decisions require QC authority under site procedure and applicable standards."

AI agent use cases

Bootstrap an out-of-trend QC review with consistent structure that checks sampling/testing before process.
Force the agent to confirm a result is real (method, age, sample, repeat) before attributing a cause.
Route to QC/process authority for any release or spec decision rather than concluding one.

Human use cases

A lab or process user pastes a result and trend to get a structured, advisory first-pass review.
A consistent way to frame an out-of-trend result before escalating to QC authority.

Tools:lsf sm am calculator, bogue calculator

Prompts:raw mix correction, kiln upset intake routing

Pages:cement lab qc workflow, qc control charts spc, sampling and sample prep, cement sampling errors, xrf xrd basics, high free lime, low c3s, plant issue intake, safety guardrails

Assumptions

The agent has, or will request, the result with its method/age/sample context; it does not assume values.
Release and spec decisions are QC-authority decisions, never made by the agent.