Is

Process
Stable
The Define
?

Quality Process

Improvement Select
Measures
Model
Collect &
Interpret
Data

Is Process Stable? Is No Investigate &

Process
Fix Special
Stable
Causes
Purpose: Determine the ?

stability of key Yes

measures of the
Is
product. Improve
Process
No
Process
Capable
Capability
?

Yes
Use SPC to
Maintain
Current
Process

6-1
 Is
Process
Stable
Types of Variation ?

Common Causes
Run Chart
Causes that are inherent in the Quality
process over time, and affect all Characteristic
outcomes of the process.
 Ever-present
 Create small, random fluctuations
in the process
 Lots of them
 The sum of their effects creates Time
the expected variability
 Predictable

6-2
 Is
Types of Variation Process
Stable
?

Special Causes
Causes that are not present in the Run Chart
process all the time, but arise
Quality
because of specific circumstances. Characteristic

 Not always present in the process

 Can create large process
disturbances, or sustained shifts
 Relatively few in number
 Pull the process beyond the
expected level of variability Time

 Unpredictable

Control charts help identify the presence of special causes.

6-3
 Is
Process
Stable
?

Control Chart Components

 Run chart of the data Control Chart

 Center Line (CL)
 A line at the average of the UCL

data or target of the process

 Upper Control Limit (UCL) CL

 A line at the upper limit of

expected variability LCL

 Lower Control Limit (LCL) 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32

Run Order
 A line at the lower limit of
expected variability

The control limits are based on data collected from the process.
6-4
 Is
Process
Stable
?

Rules for Separating Common &

Special Causes
Two commonly used signals of special causes are:

Rule 1: Any point above the Upper Control Limit (UCL)

or below the Lower Control Limit (LCL)

Rule 2: 8 points in a row on the same side of the center

line (CL)

Note: Additional rules do exist.

6-5
Evaluation of Individuals Data Is
Process
Stable
?

s c
R ,n=2
s s • •
•• • • • • ••
c s •
• • • • • • • ••
••• • • • •
• • • • • • • • • Target
T X • • • • • • •
• • •• •
••
••
• • •• • • •

Order of Production

s s Measures Variation in All Data

Used to Estimate 'Spread'
Does Not Reflect 'Capability'
Should Not Be Used for Calculating Control Chart Limits

s c Measures Variation in Successive Values

Used to Estimate the Potential Capability
Should Be Used to Calculate Trial Control Chart Limits
6-6
 Is
Process
Estimating Sigma (Standard Deviation) Stable
?

n
 Xi – X
2

Total s s
ss = i=1

n–1

n
 Xi – Xi–1
sc = i=2
= R Short-Term sc
n–1 1.128 1.128

In existing data, Sigma C is a better estimate of the

common cause variability… Since it eliminates variation
due to cycles, shifts, etc…(Special Causes). Therefore,
Sigma C (from edited moving ranges) is always used to
calculate control limits!
6-7
Problem: Individuals Chart Calculations Is
Process
Stable
?

CO N TR OL C H A R T F O R Line 1 - First 25 Points Only Problem #13

X & MR
F req ue nc y = D ail y

D ate
T im e
O pe rator
Line 1
M e asur e m en t ( X) 87.6 91.2 94.0 91.6 81.6 89.1 90.9 94.0 94.4 91.0 84.2 89.5 86.6 92.9 97.4 94.2 81.6 85.6 88.7 88.8 87.7 79.9 96.6 89.3 93.2
M o v ing R ang e ( MR ) - 3.6 2.8 2.4 10.0 7.5 1.8 3.1 0.4 3.4 6.8 5.3 2.9 6.3 4.5 3.2 12.6 4.0 3.1 0.1 1.1 7.8 16.7 7.3 3.9
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

MR

6-8
 Is
Line 1 - First 25 Points Only
Control Chart for _______________________________ Process
Stable
?
Individuals X & MR CHARTS - Calculation Worksheet
Chart
MR = Current Measurement – Previous Measurement
Calculations
R = Total of MRs = =
Total number MRs
X = Total of Measurements = =
Total number of Measurements

UCL MR = 3.267  R LCL MR = 0

= 3.267 
=

s c = 1.128
R =
1.128
=

UCL X = X + 3 sc LCL X = X – 3 sc

UCL X = + 3( ) LCL X = – 3( )

UCL X = + LCL X = –

UCL X = LCL X =

6-9
 Is
Minitab: Creating Individuals Control Charts Process
Stable
?
• Open Minitab Software and the Line 1.MTW Worksheet.
• Create an Individuals Control Chart following the commands in the notes.
• Your output should look like the charts below:

I-MR Chart of X
U C L=103.03
100
Individual V alue

_
90 X=89.66

80
LC L=76.30
1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25
O bser vation

1
16 U C L=16.42
M oving Range

12

8
__
M R=5.03
4

0 LC L=0
1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25
O bser vation
6-10
 Is
Minitab: Creating Individuals Control Charts Process
Stable
?

•Open Problem 14.MTW located in the

Minitab Datasets folder.

•Use Minitab to create an Individuals and

Moving Range control chart for X in
column C1.

•What do you notice about the X and MR

Charts?

•What should you do to establish control

limits?
6-11
Minitab: Creating Individuals Control Charts With Is
Process
Range Edited Limits Stable
?

•As you noticed the moving range control chart for problem 14 has two ranges that
are above the upper control limit.

•So, a special cause source of variation is included in the limits calculation.

•The special cause needs to be removed and the limits re-calculated.

•Row 24 is the data point causing the moving ranges to be out of the limits.

•Use the brush tool to select and update the control chart or create a new column
without data point #24 (Remember to use the Backspace).

•These were taught in the Introduction to Minitab Course which is a pre-requisite

for the SPC course.
•Brush tool – Page 13 Introduction to Minitab book

6-12
Minitab: Creating Individuals Control Charts With Is
Process
Stable
Range Edited Limits ?

•The chart below shows the updated control charts without point #24.

I-MR Chart of X_1

66 1 1

U C L=65.261
65
Individual V alue

2
2 2
64 2 2 2
_
X=63.528
63

62
LC L=61.796
1
1
1 5 9 13 17 21 25 29 33 37
O bser vation

1
1
2.4 1 1

U C L=2.128
M oving Range

1.8

1.2
__
0.6 M R=0.651
2
2 2
2 2
0.0 2 2 LC L=0
2
1 5 9 13 17 21 25 29 33 37
O bser vation

•The updated moving range chart shows more moving ranges outside of limits.
•These are caused by rows 7 and 29.
•Remove the data points and update the control charts again.
6-13
Minitab: Creating Individuals Control Charts With Is
Process
Range Edited Limits Stable
?

•The second updated Moving Range chart does not have any points outside of limits
I-MR Chart of X_1
65 1

2 U C L=64.579
Individual V alue 2 2
64 2 2 2
2 _
X=63.411
63

LC L=62.242
62 1

1
1
61
1 5 9 13 17 21 25 29 33 37
O bser vation

1.6
U C L=1.436
1.2
M oving Range

0.8

__
0.4 M R=0.439

0.0 LC L=0
1 5 9 13 17 21 25 29 33 37
O bser vation

•The objective is to calculate control limits that represent common cause sources of
variation only.
•However, stop editing data points once 10 to 20% of the data has been edited.
•If the initial data has this many special causes, the limits will identify plenty special
causes in the future for you to work on. 6-14
Minitab: Obtain Statistics to Calculate Limits for Is
Process
Continuous Process Monitoring Stable
?

Select I-MR Options in the I-MR dialog box

Choose Storage and select Means and Standard deviations

6-15
Minitab: Obtain Statistics to Calculate Control Is
Process
Stable
Limits Continued ?

Two new columns are created

Mean1 – Average of your data
STDE1 – Sigma_C

6-16
 Is
Process
Stable
?
Process Stability

Stable Process
A process in which the key measures of the output from
the process show no signs of special causes. Variation is a
result of common causes only.

Unstable Process
A process in which the key measures of the output from
the process show signs of special causes in addition to
common causes. Variation is a result of both common and
special causes.

6-17
 Is
Process
Process Stability Stable
?

STABLE vs. UNSTABLE PROCESSES

STABLE

s Constant
 Constant

UNSTABLE

s Constant
 S ustained Shift

s Constant
 Irregular S hift

s Constant
 Trend

s Increase
 Constant

s Irregular
 Irregular

6-18
A Stable Process Is
Process
Stable
?

UCL
• •
• • • •
• • • • •
• • •• • • • • • • • • •
•• • • • • • • • • • • • •
• •• • • • • • • • • • •• •• •
• • • • • • • • • • •
• • • • • •
• • • • ••
• •
LCL

Common Causes Alone Are At Work:

• Behaves in a Random Manner
• No Cycles
• No Runs
• No Trends
• No Shifts
• No Defined Patterns 6-19
A Stable Process: Sigma S = Sigma C Is
Process
Lower Upper Stable
Spec Spec
?

Centering O.K.
Capability Adequate
No Action Needed
3sc X 3sc
CAPABILITY
SPREAD
Lower Upper
Spec Spec

Centering Off
Capability Adequate
Shift Centering By
Altering Aim of
Process
Lower Upper
Spec Spec

Centering O.K.
Capability Inadequate
Change Process
6-20
Un-Stable Process Is
Process
Stable
?

UCL • • ••
• ••
• • • • • •
• •
•• • •• • • •
• • ••
• • •
•• • • • • • • • • •• • • • •
• • • • •• • • •• • •• • • • • • •
• •• • • • •• •
• • • • •
• •
LCL

Assignable Cause(s) Are Present In Addition To

Common Cause Variation

Look For:
• Points Outside the Control Limits
• Shifts
• Cycles
• Runs
• Trends
6-21
Un-Stable Process: Sigma S Not Equal to Is
Process
Stable
Sigma C Lower
Spec
Upper
Spec
?

Spread Within
Specifications
Determine Cause of
Instability and Correct
If Economically
Feasible
CAPABILITY
SPREAD

Lower Upper
Spec Spec

Spread Outside
Specifications
Capability Adequate
Determine Cause of
Instability and Correct

Lower Upper
Spec Spec Spread Outside
Specifications
Capability Inadequate
Change Process -
Attempt to Achieve
At Least Partial
Improvement 6-22
 Is
Process
Stable
?

Advantages of Stable Processes Are:

6-23
 Is
Process
Stable
?
Polymer Manufacturing Data
Control Chart
5
b*
Histogram 4

LS US 3

UCL=2.2
2
Avg=1.4
1
LCL=0.5
0

0 1 2 3 4 5 20 40 60 80 100 120 140

b* Sample

Note: b* is a measure of yellowness

Histogram does not show whether the process is stable!

6-24
What’s Wrong With Putting Specification Is
Process
Stable
Limits on Control Charts? ?

Case 1: (Specifications wider than Control Limits)

USL
x
UCL
x x
x CL
x
LCL
x
LSL
x

Case 2: (Control Limits wider than Specifications)

UCL
x
USL
x x
x CL
x
LSL
x
LCL

In both cases, specification limits on control charts

cause you to take the wrong action.
6-25
 Is
Process
Stable
?
Histograms & Control Charts

Histograms Control Charts

 Plot past data  Real-time evaluation
 Cannot tell if process  Help identify presence
is stable of special causes
 Only useful for  Assess past and
prediction if the present stability of
process is stable process

6-26
 Is
Process
Stable
?
Pump Maintenance Data

20
18
16
Number 14
of 12 UCL=11.4
Failures 10
8
6
Avg=4.8
4
2
LCL=None
0
2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24
Week

Are there any signals of special causes? Circle them.

6-27
 Is
Process
Stable
Driving to Work Data ?

55

Time UCL=51.6
(Minutes) 50

Avg=45.9
45

40 LCL=40.2

35
5 10 15 20 25 30 35

Day

The next 5 observations are: 47, 46, 43, 52, 45. Plot them.
Are there any signals of special causes? Circle them.
6-28
 Is
Process
Stable
?
Purchase Order Data

14
13
12
11
Time 10
UCL=9.5
(Days) 9
8
7
6
5 Avg=5.0
4
3
2
1 LCL=0.5
0
2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20

Week Sample Taken

Are there any signals of special causes? Circle them.

6-29
 Is
Process
Stable
?
Shipping Data

0.30

0.25 UCL

p 0.20
(fraction
nonconforming) 0.15
Avg=0.123
0.10

0.05

0.00 LCL
2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30
Week

Are there any signals of special causes? Circle them.

6-30
 Is
Process
Stable
Quality Improvement ?

Types of Control Charts

Counting Measures Instrument Measures

p charts x (X-bar) charts
np charts Individuals (x) charts
c charts Range (R) charts
u charts Moving Range (MR) charts
Arithmetic Moving Average charts
Exponentially Weighted Moving
Average charts
Cusum charts

“When you have a problem to solve,

you want to choose the right tool.”
6-31
 Is
Process
Exercises Stable
?

Circle any signals of special causes you find in the

following control charts.

Example 1 Example 2

•
% of • • ••
Customers • • •• • •••
Ranking • • • • Monthly • • • • •
Eastman • • • • Sales • • • • • •
as #1
Supplier •

Time Time

6-32
 Is
Process
Stable
?
Skill Check - Continued

Example 3 Example 4

• • •
• Number
% • • • • •
Defective • • • of Lost-
• • • Time •
Accidents • •
• • •
• • •
•
• ••
• • •
•
•
Time Time

6-33
 Is
Process
Stable
?
Exercises

1.) Your Catapult Team should complete page 9 of the

“Catapult Process” handout.

2.) Be ready to present your results in PowerPoint

Limit yourselves to 10 minutes for this exercise.

6-34