Statistical Process Control

Part 3

Son Dao, PhD, ISE @ IU 1

Variable control charts
• Variables data consist of numerical measurement such as
weight, length, width…

• Variables data contain more information than attribute data.

Variables control charts (VC) deal with measurement
themselves, so they are more powerful than attribute charts.

• Using variables measurements and charts is the only way to

overcome the need for large and large subgroups.

• Three principal types of VC: (1) the x and R chart; (2) the x and
s chart; (3) the individuals and moving range chart.

Son Dao, PhD, ISE@IU 2

Subgroups size should be large enough …

Individuals and moving range charts: only one

variables measurement.
x and R charts: from 2-3, or 4-9 subgroup sizes.
x and s charts: 10 or more subgroups.

Subgroup frequency depends on the particular

application…

Son Dao, PhD, ISE@IU 3

Xbar and R chart
A pharmaceutical company performs SPC on
nominal specification of vial filled (52g).
Samples of 6 vials are selected every 5 min
during a 105-min period
Rbar = ∑R/k
UCL(R) = D4Rbar
LCL(R) = D3Rbar

Son Dao, PhD, ISE@IU 4

Xbar and R – Construct the charts
1 2 3 4 5 6
1 52.22 52.85 52.41 52.55 53.1 52.47
2 52.25 52.14 51.79 52.18 52.26 51.94
3 52.37 52.69 52.26 52.53 52.34 52.81
4 52.46 52.32 52.34 52.08 52.07 52.07
5 52.06 52.35 51.85 52.02 52.3 52.2
6 52.59 51.79 52.2 51.9 51.88 52.83
7 51.82 52.12 52.47 51.82 52.49 52.6
8 52.51 52.8 52 52.47 51.91 51.74
9 52.13 52.26 52 51.89 52.11 52.27
10 51.18 52.31 51.24 51.59 51.46 51.47
11 51.74 52.23 52.23 51.7 52.12 52.12
12 52.38 52.2 52.06 52.08 52.1 52.01
13 51.68 52.06 51.9 51.78 51.85 51.4
14 51.84 52.15 52.18 52.07 52.22 51.78
15 51.98 52.31 51.71 51.97 52.11 52.1
16 52.32 52.43 53 52.26 52.15 52.36
17 51.92 52.67 52.8 52.89 52.56 52.23
18 51.94 51.96 52.73 52.72 51.94 52.99
19 51.39 51.59 52.44 51.94 51.39 51.67
20 51.55 51.77 52.41 52.32 51.22 52.04
21 51.97 51.52 51.48 52.35 51.45 52.19
22 52.15 51.67 51.67 52.16 52.07 51.81
Son Dao, PhD, ISE@IU 5
Xbar and s chart
Centerline = sbar = ∑s/k

Use similar steps as in Xbar and R-chart

Son Dao, PhD, ISE@IU 6

Notes
Real data usually are multi-variate → grouping
data for analysis is important
Use technical department (with in-depth
knowledge about the process) to know the key
variables

Son Dao, PhD, ISE@IU 7

 Example: Paint filling data
Variations:
Head-to-head
Hour-to-hour
Measurement-to-
-measurement

Son Dao, PhD, ISE@IU 8

Arrangement 1

Son Dao, PhD, ISE@IU 9

Arrangement 2

Son Dao, PhD, ISE@IU

Useful constant

Son Dao, PhD, ISE@IU 11

Summary

Son Dao, PhD, ISE@IU 12

Son Dao, PhD, ISE@IU 13
Son Dao, PhD, ISE@IU 14