Quality Assurance in Ceramic Industries represents the proceedings of a conference held at the New York State College of Ceramics, Alfred University, June 4-7, 1978, as fifteenth in a continuing series rotated annually among Alfred University, North Carolina State University, Notre Dame University and the University of California, Berkeley. The first four chapters develop the rationale for major efforts toward an integrated quality assurance program in the ceramic plant, to effect economy in manufacture, to reduce process losses and to improve product reliability and overall profitability. Chapters 5 and 6 cover the use of traditional and advanced statistical methods. They are followed by three chapters on quality assurance in raw materials production and procurement. Chapters 9 through 20 treat specific examples of techniques, sys­ tems and philosophy of quality assurance in glass, whitewares, abrasives, refractories, electroceramics, structural clay pro­ ducts and special ceramics for nuclear applications, turbines and igniters. The three concluding chapters deal with the broadly applicable subjects of failure analysis, gaging and life­ time predic tion. It is a pleasure to acknowledge the generous help and encouragement of the Program Committee: Messrs. R. A. Alliegro, Norton Company; D. L. Guile and R. N. McNally, Corning Glass Works; H. W. Larisch, Coors Porcelain Company; R. H. Lester, Ohio Brass Company (now at the Lapp Insulator Division of Interpace Corporation); R. J. Ryder, Brockway Glass Company and E. A. Thomas, Taylor Refractories Division, N L Indus trie s .