Howto Choose the Right Attribute Control Chart The first big distinction between these four charts is the whale defect v. defective discussion from above. The € chart & u charts analyze defects over time, while the p chart & np chart analyze defectives over time. The second big distinction between these four charts is the sample size associated with the control chart and whether that sample size is constant or variable. When the sample size is constant between subgroups we use the c chart & np chart and the math is much easier. When the sample size varies we use the p chart and the u chart and the math gets a bit more difficutt. ‘Sample Size Constant Variable Defect cc Chart u Chart E 2 Defectives np Chart p Chart p-Chart: Trending of Defectives with a Variable Sample Size np-Chart: Trending of Defectives with a Constant Sample Size u-Chart: Trending of Defects with a Variable Sample Size «Chart: Trending of Defects with a Constant Sample Size np & p Charts trend the number of Defectives and the math is based on the Binomial distribution which operates under the assumption that every unit inspected can only be counted as “bad” one time. u & c Charts utilize the Poisson distrib where it is possible for each item inspected to contain multiple defects. tion because they trend the number of defectsThe p Chart The p chart trends the proportion (9) of defective items across time when the sampling size varies. This chart is the most sensitive of the attribute control charts to any changes in your process. Instead of proportion defective, you'll might see this called the fraction defective. Also, just to confuse you even more, people also interchange the word defective with nonconforming items. So, you might also see fraction nonconforming. The centerline is the average proportion defective, which we calculate by taking the sum total of all defective items and divide that by the total number of units inspected across all subgroups. Enp__ Sum of All Defectives ~ Centerline — En Sumof Subgroup Quantity We can then use that average proportion defective to calculate the control limit UCls =p +3 En _ Lsubgroup quantity E ¥ of subgroups ‘The confusing part about the p chart is that it Is possible to have different control limits based on your different sample sizes. However,a common approach is the create control limits using the average sample size (n-bar) which is what's shown above.p Chart Example Let's work through an example where you've measured 15 Lots (subgroups) where each lot hes a different sample size and you've counted the number of defective units from each lot. You can see that each subgroup (ot) has a different percentage defective. Count of | Percentage Lot | LotSize Defective Units| Defective 1 200 8 40% 2 220 7 3.2% 3 180 5 2.8% 4 240 9 3.8% 5 200 iL 55% 6 180 12 6.7% 7 200 9 45% 8 220 14 6.4% 9 220 7 32% 10 240 1 4.6% iL 160 7 44% 2 200 5 2.5% B. 180 10 5.6% 4 180 10 5.6% 5 240 15. 6.3% 5 3060 140 4.58%Lets calculate the control Limits and compare these percentage defectives against them to see if our process is in control. Lets start by calculating the average proportion defective, which is the total number of rejects (140), divided by the total number of units inspected (8060). 140 B= Centerline = ve 30607 58% We can also calculate the average number of samples per subgroup, n-bar, by taking the total number of samples inspected and dividing by the number of subgroups (k= 15). 5 = 58% +3, ASB IO — 458) = 4.58% + 4.39% = 8.96% \ 4.5% — 3 [ESBMCOO% — 458%) _ 4 so04 4.3005 = 0.19% V 204 p Chart Based on these control Limits, our process appears to be stable and in control. Our process still has an average percentage of defective items of 4.58%, which isn't great, but at least we're in control.The np Chart ‘The NP-Chart is a variant of the P-chart where we have the luxury of a constant sample size, which makes the math easier. When we have a constant sample size the control chart is able to trend the number of defectives units (NP) without having to normalize by the fluctuating sample size. In the equations below, n is the sample size, which will be constant, p-bar is the average fraction defective, and k is the number of sub-groups being analyzed. > Lnp _ Sum of All Defectives np Centerline = FoF subgroups UChyp = np + 3/npa—D) LClnp = np — 3p — ___ Ep __ Sumof All Defectives % Defective = $7. = Sum of Subgroup Quantity np Chart Example Ok, let's use the following data from 15 sub-groups to see how an NP chert would come together. For each lat the sample size is constant at 120 units, and we've counted the number of defective units within each subgroup. a [oa20 20 720 7 The average of the process can be calculated as suc Emp _ Sumof All Defectives 199 np Contertine Gages ie ~ 13.27 defective units per subgroup " um of Ali Defectives 5 % Defective = ZRF. _Sumof All Defectt 196 Sion of Subgroup Quantity — 1800 1.06%The average percentage defective (p-bar = 11.06%) is also equal to the number of defect Units per subgroup (13.27), divided by the number of samples per sub-group (120). Then we can calculate the control Limits using this information: UClyy ~ np + 3npG—p) ~ 13.27 + 3/13270— 1106) ~ 1327 + 1031 = 2358 Lbyy — np — 3p —p) - 1: ~ 313.270 — 1106) ~ 13.27 - 1031 ~ 2.96 Graphically, this Looks Like this: rnp Chart Based on this information our process appears to be in control and stable with no single sub-group having a count of defective items greater than our upper control Umit of 23.58 (23), or less than the lower control limit of 2.96.The c Chart Remember, the p and np charts were monitoring defective items, while the c and u chart monitor defects, and it is possible to have multiple defects per defective unit. ‘The e-chart should be utilized when trending the number of defects per unit when your ‘sample size is constant. The c stands for “Count” as we're simply counting the number of defects per inspection. In this situation the process average (Centerline) is simply the average number of defects er inspection, where each inspection is considered a unique sub-group. Below are the calculations for the centerline and control limits where k is the total number of subgroups being analyzed. ., _ Le_ Sum of All Defects Cent ine eS arcana uct, e+3vé uct, Chart Example Imagine the following situation where you have inspected 1,500 units per sub-group. (lot). and you're counting the number of defects per sub-group (Lot). Because the sample size is constant, and we know Wee counting defects, we should use the e-chart.Let's start by calculating the center (centerline) of our process: t= Centerline = Le _ 1365 Te = “ao 7 08:25 defects per subgroup Then we use this average number of defects per subgroup to calculate the control UCL, = C+ 3VE = 68.25 + 3V68.25 = 93.03 LCL, = ¢ ~ 3VE = 68.25 ~ 368.25 = 43.47 Graphically, this Looks like this: ¢ Chart Again, because the count of defects per sub-group never fall outside of our control Limits. our process appears to be in 2 state of statistical control.uChart Example Let look at an example similar to the p chart, where we've inspected 15 sub-groups (lots), anc the lot size can vary, and we've counted the number of defects observed. We then calculate percentage of defects for each subgroup, ta Jus | Deas | Percentage Observed_| defects a 6 80% 2 | 0 0 aw s a | 6 5 |i00) 10 | 7 [ato0 10 2_| m0 0 |e) 4 a0 |_u0 7 ne) z 576 2_|_1co 5 50% a] © au as | e 200% ase! s oa 1500 7 730%The centerline of the process is the overall average percentage of defects. Ee_ _Sumof Alldefects _ 117 = Contertine = Sq ~ Sum of units inspected ~ 1560 50% defects per subgroup We can also calculate the average number of samples per subgroup, n-bar, in order to calculate our upper and Lower control limit. Leh, =a-3 7.50% . == 7.50% +3 |? = -0.56% = 0% Remember that the u chart has the flexibility to calculate a different control limit for each sub-group, based on that sub-groups sample size. However, oftentimes n-bar is used to simplify this calculation. Ifyou want to calculate the control limits for each sample size. simply use the same formula, but instead of n-bar, us n (units per subgroup) for each unique sub-group. Hf you want to calculate the control limits for each sample size, simply use the same formula, but instead of n-bar, us n (units per subgroup) for each unique sub-group. uChart Similar to other control charts above, this process appears to be in a state of statistical control, as none of our data points fall outside of the calculated control limits.Analyzing & Interpreting Control Charts Ok, so with all of the control charts above, I've been concluding that each of these processes is in control because none of the points fall outside of the calculated control Umits. However, there is more analysis that you can do to your control chart to determine if special cause variation is present. The 8 Rules for statistical control ‘© Zone C is the area between the centerline (process average) and the 1st standard deviation © Zone B is the area between the Ist standard deviation and 2nd standard deviation © Zone A is the area between the 2nd standard deviation and 3rd standard deviation 7 Zone A -30 _ Yo,Alert Zone B - 20 ic Zone C -10 Centerline Zone C -10 Utilizing these Zones, we're able to create rules to identify special causes of variation: * Rule 4 — Any single data point outside of either the upper or Lower control limits (30) - outside Zone A © Rule 2 - Two out of three consecutive data points in Zone A (same side) - greater than 2g, but less than 30. * Rule 3 - Four out of Five consecutive data points ii Zone B (same side) - greater than 1g, but less than 20. © Rule 4 — Eight or more consecutive points on either side of the Centerline -a run ‘Rule 5 — Six points in a row,all increasing or decreasing - a trend ® Rule 6 ~ 14 points in a row, alternating up and down - systematic variation © Rule 7 — 15 points in 2 row within Zone C (<19) - to little variation * Rule 8 ~ 8 points in a row outside of Zone C (710) on either side