Statistics 312 31 Control Charts 1

Statistics 312 31 Control Charts 2

Control charts can be used to:

1. Assess process stability
2. Assess process capability
3. Aid in process improvement

Chance causes or common causes are numerous small causes of variability that
are inherent to a system or process and operate randomly.

Assignable or special causes of variability have relatively large effects on the

process and are not inherent to it. The circumstances or factors that cause this kind
of variability can be identified.

A stable process is in a state of statistical control and has only chance or

common causes of variability operating on it. A process is said to be out of
statistical control if one or more special causes are operating on it.

Control charts can be divided into two categories that are determined by the type of
measurements used to monitor a process. These two broad categories are called
attribute control charts and variables control charts.

The attribute control charts:

1. Counts of nonconforming items charts
a. Pieces or number nonconforming charts (np Charts)
b. Fraction or proportion nonconforming charts (p Charts)
2. Area of Opportunity Charts
a. Number of nonconformities charts (c charts)
b. Nonconformities per unit charts (u charts)

Variables control charts are generally used in pairs. One member of the
pair monitors process variability while the other monitors central tendency or the
average quality level of the output of the process. The major types of variables
control charts include:
1. Charts based on means of samples
a. Mean and range charts ( X & R charts)
b. Mean and standard deviation charts ( X & s charts)
2. Charts based on individual measurements (X charts)
a. Individual measurements using the range
b. Individual measurements using the standard deviation
Statistics 312 31 Control Charts 3

Center Line (CL) of a Control Chart A line that represents the mean of the
process in control.
Upper and Lower Control Limit (UCL & LCL) of a Control Chart Lines that
represent the limits to the variation of a process. An observation above the
UCL or below the LCL suggests an uncontrolled or special-cause variation.

A process is considered out of control if any of the following occur.

1. A point falls above the upper control limit or below the lower control limit.
2. Two out of three consecutive points fall above the 2 limits or two out of
three consecutive points fall below the -2 limits.
3. Four out of five consecutive points fall above the +1 limit or four out of
five consecutive points fall below the -1 limit.
4. Eight or more consecutive points lie above the center line or eight or more
consecutive points lie below the center line.
5. Eight or more consecutive points move upward in value or eight or more
consecutive points move downward in value.

Read pp. 230-253

np-Chart A chart that monitors the number of nonconforming (defective) output

from a process.

Example Granny's Beer caps 240 beer bottles in a minute. The numbers of bottles
broken per minute in a half-hour period follow. See if the process is in control.
1 1 3 1 5 6 1 2 5 1 3 6 3 3 2
2 7 5 3 2 2 5 0 1 1 3 3 1 4 3
Statistics 312 31 Control Charts 4
Statistics 312 31 Control Charts 5
p-Chart A chart that monitors the proportion of nonconforming (defective) output
from a process.
Statistics 312 31 Control Charts 6

Example Suppose that the breakage counts were based on different numbers of
bottles.
Statistics 312 31 Control Charts 7
Statistics 312 31 Control Charts 8
Read pp. 240-253, Prob 6.2abdeg,6.3abdeg,6.6ab

c-chart Number of nonconformities in area of opportunity (same size).

Example Computer crashes requiring a technician in a week

Statistics 312 31 Control Charts 9
Statistics 312 31 Control Charts 10

u-chart Number of nonconformities in area of opportunity (varying size).

Example Suppose crashes were based on different number of days.

Read pp. 256-264, Prob 6.9ab,6.10ab,6.14ab

Statistics 312 31 Control Charts 11

X And R Charts

Example Granny's Beer makes a light beer. The main indicator that the brewing
process is in control is the percentage of alcohol. Every 30 minutes, Granny's
chemists sample five beers and determine the percent of alcohol. On one day, the
following results were observed.

Subgroup Obs. Obs. Obs. Obs. Obs.

1 2 3 4 5
1 3.18 3.19 3.22 3.24 3.24
2 3.24 3.22 3.17 3.24 3.12
3 3.16 3.19 3.06 3.20 3.31
4 3.25 3.20 3.21 3.21 3.11
5 3.22 3.24 3.18 3.27 3.22
6 3.19 3.10 3.16 3.17 3.21
7 3.16 3.22 3.17 3.28 3.23
8 3.21 3.30 3.19 3.19 3.28
9 3.08 3.15 3.28 3.23 3.22
10 3.14 3.33 3.18 3.32 3.25
11 3.16 3.19 3.19 3.23 3.12
12 3.24 3.25 3.25 3.20 3.34
13 3.20 3.20 3.23 3.23 3.22
14 3.20 3.23 3.21 3.09 3.19
15 3.19 3.20 3.18 3.25 3.20
16 3.26 3.19 3.14 3.24 3.16
Statistics 312 31 Control Charts 12
Statistics 312 31 Control Charts 13

X And s Charts
Statistics 312 31 Control Charts 14
Example Wafer removal
Statistics 312 31 Control Charts 15

Read pp. 287-305, Prob 7.1acdeg,7.3acdeg