Satistical Quality Control

Control Charts for Variables

 When to Use a Control Chart
• When controlling ongoing processes by finding
and correcting problems as they occur.
• When predicting the expected range of
outcomes from a process.
• When determining whether a process is stable
(in statistical control).
• When analyzing patterns of process variation from
special causes (non-routine events) or common
causes (built into the process).
• When determining whether your quality
improvement project should aim to prevent specific
problems or to make fundamental changes to the
process
 Basic Procedure
• Choose the appropriate control chart for your data.
• Determine the appropriate time period for collecting and
plotting data.
• Collect data, construct your chart and analyze the data.
• Look for "out-of-control signals" on the control chart. When one
is identified, mark it on the chart and investigate the cause.
• Document how you investigated, what you learned, the cause
and how it was corrected.
• Continue to plot data as they are generated. As each new data
point is plotted, check for new out-of-control signals.
• When you start a new control chart, the process may be out of
control. If so, the control limits calculated from the first 20
points are conditional limits. When you have at least 20
sequential points from a period when the process is operating
in control, recalculate control limits.
• Out-of-control signals
• A single point outside the control limits. In Figure
1, point sixteen is above the UCL (upper control
limit).
• Two out of three successive points are on the same
side of the centerline and farther than 2 σ from it.
In Figure 1, point 4 sends that signal.
• Four out of five successive points are on the same
side of the centerline and farther than 1 σ from it. In
Figure 1, point 11 sends that signal.
• A run of eight in a row are on the same side of the
centerline. Or 10 out of 11, 12 out of 14, or 16 out
of
20. In Figure 1, point 21 is eighth in a row above the
centerline.
• Obvious consistent or persistent patterns that
suggest something unusual about your data and your
process.
• For each sample, the average value X̅ of all the
measurements and the range R are calculated. The grand
average X̅ (equal to the average value of all the sample
average, X̅ ) and R (X̅ is equal to the average of all the sample
ranges R) are found and from these we can calculate the
control limits for the X̅ and R charts.
Therefore,
LCLR = D3 R̅ & UCLR = D4R
Here the factors A2, D4 and D3 depend on
the number of units per sample.
Larger the number, the close the limits.
The value of the factors A2, D4 and D3 can be
obtained from Statistical Quality Control
tables. However for ready reference these are
given below in tabular form.
As long as X and it values for each sample are
within the control limits, the process is said to be
in statistical control.
• The various reasons for the process being
out of control may be:
(i) Faulty tools,
(ii) Sudden significant change in properties
of new materials in a new consignment,
(iii) Breakdown of lubrication system,
(iv) Faults in timing of speed mechanisms etc.
 X Bar R Control Chart
• X Bar R Control Chart Definitions
• X-bar chart: The mean or average change in process over time from subgroup
values. The control limits on the X-Bar brings the sample’s mean and center
into consideration.
• R-chart: The range of the process over the time from subgroups values.
This monitors the spread of the process over the time.
• Use X Bar R Control Charts When:
• Even very stable process may have some minor variations, which will cause the
process instability. X bar R chart will help to identify the process variation over
the time
• When the data is assumed to be normally distributed.
• X bar R chart is for subgroup size more than one (for I-MR chart the subgroup
size is one only) and generally it is used when rationally collect measurements in
subgroup size is between two and 10 observations.
• The X Bar S Control chart are to be consider when the subgroup size is more than
10.
• When the collected data is in continuous (ie Length, Weight) etc. and captures
in time order
• How to Interpret the X Bar R Control Charts
o To correctly interpret X bar R chart,
always examine the R chart first.
o The X bar chart control limits are derived
from the R bar (average range) values, if the
values are out of control in R chart that
means the X bar chart control limits are not
accurate.
o If the points are out of control in R chart,
then stop the process. Identify the special
cause and address the issue. Remove those
subgroups from the calculations.
o Once the R bar chart is in control, then review X
bar chart and interpret the points against the
control limits.
o All the points to be interpret against the control limits
but not specification limits. As specification limits are
provided by customer or management whereas
control limits are derived from the average and range
values of the subgroups.
o If any point out of control in X bar chat. Identify
the special cause and address the issue.
o Process capability studies can be performed only
after both X bar and R chart values are within the
control limits. There is no meaning to perform
process capability studies of an unstable process.
 Steps to follow for X bar R chart

• Objective of the chart and subgroup size

• Determine the objective of the chart
and choose the important variables
• Choose the appropriate subgroup size (n=3,
4 or 5 etc) and the sampling frequency
• Collect minimum 20 to 25 sets of samples in
the time sequence
• Example: In a manufacturing industry the
plate thickness is one of the important CTQ
factor, during Measure phase, project team
performed the process capability study and
identified that the process is not
capable(less than 2 sigma). In Analyze phase
collected 20 sets of plate thickness samples
with a subgroup size of 4.