Design of Experiments (DoE) as a

research method

Dr. S. P. SIVAPIRAKASAM
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
TIRUCHIRAPPALLI
 INTRODUCTION

Research
Research is a structured enquiry that utilizes
acceptable scientific methodology to solve
problems and create new knowledge that is
generally applicable.
How to Select a Research Topic?
 Emerging field and Technology
 Social problem
 Personal interest
 What are some of the Limitations
Encountered when Doing or Thinking of
Doing a Research Project?

 Time constraints
 Financial consideration
 Equipment limitations
 Human resource limitations
 “Out of the box” thinking
 “In the box” thinking
How to Select an Appropriate Methodology?

 What is the nature of the problem being

investigated?

 Is the problem being investigated subjective or

objective?

 Four types of research methods:

 Qualitative
 Quantitative – Design of Experiments(DoE)
 Mixed (qualitative and quantitative)
 Critical and action oriented
Experiment
 An experiment is a structured set of
coherent tests that are analyzed as a
whole to gain an understanding of the
process.

 Essential items needed for a successful,

efficient experiment
 Knowledge of the process
 A response variable
 Clear goals and objectives
 Introduction to DoE

 Design of Experiments

A statistical approach to design the

experiments

A systematic technique for planning,

designing and analyzing the experiment

A methodology to achieve a predictive

knowledge of a complex, multi-variable
process with the fewest trials possible
Goals of DoE
– Identify the individual effects of each input
variable.

– Determine combined effects (Interaction) of

two or more input variables effects of
interactions.

– Determine the experimental error

– Obtain maximum information from minimum

number of experimental trials.
 Terminology
• Responses
– Measured output value.
– Eg : production rate, strength of joint
• Factors
– Input variables that can be changed
– Factor may be qualitative or quantative
– Examples :
• velocity, temperature, speed (quantitative),
• material, polarity, direction (qualitative)
 Terminology

Treatments
 Different combinations of conditions that one
wish to test
Levels
 Specific values of factors
Replication
 Completely repeat experiment with same input
levels
 Used to determine impact of experimental error
Terminology
 Analysis of Variance (ANOVA)
 Principal statistical means for
evaluating potential sources of
variation in the responses.
Major approaches of DoE

 Factorial Design

 Taguchi Method

 Response Surface Design

Guidelines for Designing
Experiments
1. Recognition of and statement of the problem
2. Choice of factors levels and range
3. Selection of the response variable
4. Choice of experimental design
5. Performing the experiment
6. Statistical analysis of the data
7. Conclusions and recommendations
 Factorial Design
• This is an experimental strategy in which
factors are varied together.

• Full factorials – all combinations of the factors

are tested in each replicate

• Fractional factorials – fewer combinations of

the factors are examined
Factorial Design
• The change in response produced by a change
in the level of a factor is called a main effect.

• The average difference between the effect of

one factor at different levels of other factor is
called an interaction effect.

• The general approach for fitting interpolation

functions for the response variable in an
experiment is known as regression analysis.
Procedure of DoE

1. Calculate the sum of squares (each term and error)

2. Determine degrees of freedom for each term
3. Calculate mean squares
4. Calculate F statistics
5. Find critical F values from table
6. If F(computed) > F(table), (1-α) confidence that
effect is statistically significant
 23 Factorial Design

 Suppose there are three factors A, B and C each at

two levels, the design is called a 23 factorial and the
eight treatment combinations can now be displayed
graphically as a cube
EXAMPLE : PICKLING PLANT COLD MILL

Cold drawn tubes are lubricated by

coating with soap solution
Process is done by immersing the
tubes inside the soap bath.
The input parameters are:
Concentration of soap solution
Temperature of the soap bath
Time for the tubes are immersed
in the soap bath
The response variable is the weight of
soap coating
 INPUT PARAMETERS AND THEIR LEVELS

Code Factor Unit Level 1 Level 2

A Concentrati % 3 5
on
B Temperature oC 70 80

C Time min 10 20
EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS

Time  10 min 20 min

Conc (%) Temp(oC) Weight (mg)
Replicate I Replicate II
130 210
70 180 200
3
030 30
80 020 0
250 330
70 300 350
5
0.2 270
80 0.13 240
 A B C Treatment Response
Conc. Temp. Time Combinatio
n Weight (in mg)
Replicate Replicate Sum
I II
- - - (1) 130 180 310
+ - - a 250 300 550
- + - b 30 20 50
+ + - ab 200 130 330
- - + c 210 200 410
+ - + ac 330 350 680
- + + bc 30 0 30
+ + + abc 270 240 510
 Calculation of Main Effects

 Estimate of the main effects of A is the average of

Effect of A when B and C are at the low level

i.e., [a-(1)]/n
Effect of A when B is at the high level and C is
at the low level i.e., [ab-b]/n
Effect of A when C is at the high level and B is
at the low level i.e., [ac-c]/n
Effect of A when both B and C are at the high
level i.e, [abc-bc]/n
 Calculation of Main Effect

 a  ab  ac  abc  b  c  bc  (1) 
• Effect of A =  
 4n 

 b  ab  bc  abc  a  c  ac  (1) 
• Effect of B =  
 4n 

• Effect of C =  c  ac  bc  abc  a  b  ab  (1) 

 
 4n 
 Calculation of Interaction Effects
 AB interaction is the one half of the
difference between the average A effects at
high level of B i.e.,
[(abc  bc)  (ab  b)]
2n
and average A effects at low level of B i.e.,
{(ac  c)  [a  (1)]}
2n
Treatment A B C AB BC AC
Combinat Conc. Temp. Time
ion

(1) - - - + + +
a + - - _ + _
b - + - _ _ +
ab + + - + _ _
c - - + + _ _
ac + - + _ _ +
bc - + + _ + _
abc + + + + + +
 Calculation of Interaction Effects

 c  ab  abc  (1)  a  b  ac  bc 
• Effect of AB =  
 4n 

• Effect of BC =  a  bc  abc  (1)  b  c  ab  ac 

 
 4n 

• Effect of AC =  b  ac  abc  (1)  a  c  ab  bc 

 
 4n 
• Effect of ABC =
 a  b  c  abc  ab  bc  ac  (1) 
 
 4n 
Contrast

 The expression in the numerator is known as the

contrast of the particular effect

 Example :- Contrast of A =

[a+ab+ac+abc-b-c-bc-(1)]
 Effect of factor Concentration (A) =

1
 ( 1 )  a  b  c  ab  bc  ac  abc
4n
  310  550  50  410  330  30  680  510
1
8
 1270  158.75
1
8
 Effect of factor Temperature (B) =
1
 (1)  a  b  c  ab  bc  ac  abc
4n
  310  550  50  410  330  30  680  510
1
8
  1030  128.75
1
8
 Effect of factor Time (C) =

1
 (1)  a  b  c  ab  bc  ac  abc
4n
  310  550  50  410  330  30  680  510
1
8
 390  48.75
1
8

 Effect of Interaction AB =
1
(1)  a  b  c  ab  bc  ac  abc
4n
 310  550  50  410  330  30  680  510
1
8
 250  31.25
1
8
 Effect of BC =
1
(1)  a  b  c  ab  bc  ac  abc
4n
 310  550  50  410  330  30  680  510
1
8
  70  8.75
1
8

 Effect of AC = 1
(1)  a  b  c  ab  bc  ac  abc
4n
 310  550  50  410  330  30  680  510
1
8
 230  28.75
1
8
 Effect of ABC =

1
 (1)  a  b  c  ab  bc  ac  abc
4n
  310  550  50  410  330  30  680  510
1
8
 170  21.25
1
8
Sum of Squares

 Sum of square is a measure of deviation

 Sum of squares of effects =
Contrast 2
Total No of Experiment s
 Total sum of square = Mean of squares – square of mean
 Sum of square for error = total sum of square -Sum of
the sum of square of all effects.
Sum of Squares

• SSA = contrast  2

1270
2
 100806.25
8n 16

• SSB =  10302  66303.25

16

390 2
 9506.25
• SS C =
16

• SSAB = 250 2
 3906.25
16
  702  306.25
 SSBC=
16

 SSAC= 2302  3306.25

16
 SSABC= 170 2
 1806.25
16 2
a b c n y
 y
2
 SSTotal=  ...
= 192093.75
i 1 j 1 k 1 l 1
ijkl abcn

 SSError = SST – SSA – SSB – SSC – SSAB – SSAC – SSBC – SSABC

=6150
Number of degrees of freedom
 Degrees of freedom for main effect A =( a-1)
 Degrees of freedom for interaction effect
AB = (a-1)(b-1)
 Total degrees of freedom = abcn – 1
 Degrees of freedom for error = abc(n-1)

Where
 a – Number of levels of factor A
 b – Number of levels of factor B
 c – Number of levels of factor C
 n – Number of Replications
Mean Square
 Sum of Squares divided by its degrees of freedom is the
mean square.

 MSA =
SS A
(a  1)

SS AB
 MSAB=
(a  1)(b  1)

SS Error
 MSError=
ab(n  1)
F Test
 To test the significance of both the main effects and
their interactions divide the mean square by the error
mean square to get the F value.
MS A
 For the main effect A, F = MS Erro r

 For the interaction effect AB, F = MS AB

MS Error
 Large value of this ratio imply that the effect is
significant
Source of Sum of Degrees Mean F F0.05
Variation Squares of Square
Freedom
A 100806.25 1 100806.25 131.13 5.32

B 66306.25 1 66306.25 86.24 5.32

C 9506.25 1 9506.25 12.36 5.32

AB 3906.25 1 3906.25 5.08 5.32

BC 3306.25 1 3306.25 4.3 5.32

AC 306.25 1 306.25 0.3976 5.32

ABC 1806.25 1 1806.25 0.2936 5.32

Error 6150 8 768.75

Total 192393.75 15
Regression Model
The ANOVA results show that
 The main effects of Concentration(A)
Temperature (B) and Time (C) are
significant on Weight of soap coating.
 No interaction effect is significant.
 Regression Model
y   x  x  x
1 2 3
0 1 2 3

Where
y is the Weight of soap coating
x1 is the Concentration
x2 is the Temperature
x3 is the Time
1, 2 and 3 are one half the value of the
corresponding main effects
0 is estimated by average of all the responses.
 Regression Model

158.75 128.75 48.75

y  179.375  x1
 x 2
 x3
2 2 2
Modeling Using
“Design Expert
Software”
2 D contour showing the interaction of Concentration and Temperature
3 D view showing the interaction of Concentration and Temperature
2 D contour showing the interaction of Concentration and Time
3 D view showing the interaction of Concentration and Time
2 D contour showing the interaction of Temperature and Time
3 D view showing the interaction of Temperature and Time
Case Study

 Analysis of Machining Parameters

of EDM Process
Details of Design
 Input parameters : Peak Current, Pulse
Duration, Dielectric Level, Flushing Pressure

 Output Parameter : Material Removal rate

 Type of Design : Box Behnken Response

Surface Design
 Input parameters and their levels
Process Operating Range
Parameter
Peak current 2 4.5 7
(I), A
Pulse 2 261 520
duration,(ton),
µs
Dielectric 40 60 80
level(h), mm
pressure(p), 0.3 0.5 0.7
kg/cm2
 EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS
Run Peak Current Pulse Duration Dielectric Pressure MRR (mg/m3)
(A) (µs) Level (mm) (kg/cm2)
1 4.5 2 60 0.3 90.0253
2 4.5 261 80 0.3 53.2677
3 4.5 261 40 0.3 68.6983
4 7 261 60 0.7 136.395
5 4.5 520 40 0.5 63.8014
6 7 261 40 0.5 158.414
7 2 520 60 0.5 10.15706
8 4.5 520 60 0.3 55.59887
9 7 261 80 0.5 153.57
10 7 2 60 0.5 175.686
11 4.5 261 60 0.5 76.5961
12 4.5 261 40 0.7 64.0151
13 4.5 261 60 0.5 75.6796
14 4.5 2 60 0.7 102.7729
15 2 2 60 0.5 57.29
16 2 261 60 0.3 7.4038
17 4.5 520 80 0.5 73.55643
18 4.5 261 60 0.5 75.3444
19 4.5 2 80 0.5 110.978
20 4.5 261 60 0.5 76.7191
21 7 261 60 0.3 130.837
22 7 520 60 0.5 145.95
23 2 261 40 0.5 15.4485
24 2 261 80 0.5 10.73096
25 4.5 2 40 0.5 132.088
26 4.5 261 60 0.5 74.1791
27 4.5 261 80 0.7 67.2807
28 4.5 520 60 0.7 52.3516
29 2 261 60 0.7 7.50224
ANALYSIS OF
VARIANCE
 Source Sum of Squares Df Mean Square F-Value P-Value

Model 62963.8186 14 4497.4156 980.740539 < 0.0001

Current 32069.668 1 32069.668 6993.35489 < 0.0001
Pulse Duration 3269.03517 1 3269.0352 712.870588 < 0.0001
Dielectric Level 91.1988562 1 91.198856 19.8875139 0.0005
Pressure 49.966009 1 49.966009 10.8959667 0.0053
AB 75.6633803 1 75.66338 16.4997303 0.0012
BC 238.162526 1 238.16253 51.9355257 < 0.0001
BD 63.958967 1 63.958967 13.9473772 0.0022
CD 87.3869736 1 87.386974 19.0562659 0.0006
A2 348.396492 1 348.39649 75.97398 < 0.0001
B2 1447.35413 1 1447.3541 315.621013 < 0.0001
C2 45.1005268 1 45.100527 9.83496274 0.0073
D2 1331.19709 1 1331.1971 290.290928 < 0.0001
AC2 176.552178 1 176.55218 38.5003062 < 0.0001
BC2 102.919046 1 102.91905 22.4433074 0.0003
Residual 64.2002814 14 4.5857344
Lack of Fit 59.918784 10 5.9918784 5.5979279 0.0557
Pure Error 4.28149737 4 1.0703743

Cor Total 63028.0188 28

 REGRESSION MODEL FOR MRR

MRR = 68.44627 + 13.57107  I - 0.49117  tp - 3.78007  h +

318.38293 p + 6.71697  10-3  I  tp + 8.68552  10-3  tp  h -
0.077195  tp  p + 1.16851  h  p + 1.17261  I2 + 2.22681 
10-4  tp2 + 0.021601  h2 -358.14297p2 + 1.42768  10-4  I  h2
- 5.99658  10-5  tp  h2
Response surface showing the effects of
pulse duration and peak current on MRR
Response surface showing the effects
of pulse duration and dielectric level on
MRR
Response surface showing the effects of pulse
duration and flushing pressure on MRR
Response surface showing the effects of
dielectric level and flushing pressure on
MRR