Question 1 [22]

1.1. Determine the trial central line and control limits for a p chart using the
following data in table 1, which is for the payment of dental insurance claims.
(7)
1.2. Plot the values on the graph and determine if the process is stable.
(8)
1.3. If there are any out-of-control points, assume an assignable cause and
determine the revised central line and control limits.
(7)

Table 1 Nonconforming dental insurance claims

Subgroup Number Number Subgroup Number Number

number Inspected Nonconforming number Inspected Nonconforming
1 300 3 14 300 6
2 300 6 15 300 7
3 300 4 16 300 4
4 300 6 17 300 5
5 300 20 18 300 7
6 300 2 19 300 5
7 300 6 20 300 0
8 300 7 21 300 18
9 300 3 22 300 3
10 300 0 23 300 6
11 300 6 24 300 1
12 300 9 25 300 8
13 300 5

p=
∑ np = 147 =0.019 √√√
∑ n 7500
UCL= p+ 3 √ p ¿ ¿ ¿√√

LCL= p−3 √ p ¿ ¿ ¿√√

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 P Chart
0.08
0.07
0.06
0.05
Proportion

0.04
0.03
0.02
0.01
0
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

p UCL LCL p

p=
∑ np−np d = 147−20−18 =0.0158 √√√
∑ n−n d 7500−300−300
UCL= p+ 3 √ p ¿ ¿ ¿√√

LCL= p−3 √ p ¿ ¿ ¿√√

Question 2 [14]
An inspector takes samples of 20 painted panels from a painting line at random
intervals. She records the number of minor defects in each sample.
Use the following data to construct a c-chart. Does the process appear to be in
control?
(14)
Sample Number of Minor
Defects in Sample
1 2
2 0
3 0
4 3
5 1
6 2
7 2
8 1
9 0
10 3
Total 14

c=
Total Defects
=
∑ c = 14 =1.4 √√√
No . of samples g 10

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 UCLC =c+3 √ c=1.4 +3 √ 1.4=4.95√√

LCLC =c−3 √ c=1.4−3 √ 1.4=−2.15 ≈ 00√√

C Chart
6
5
4
No. of defects

3
2
1
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

c UCL LCL np

Yes, the chart appears to be in control. All points are within the control limits. √√

Question 3 [20]
A clerk examines each shift production of wooden board sheets. The number of
sheets produced and the number of defects in each sheet are recorded.
Determine the trial central line and control limits for the production shifts.
(20)
Shift Number of sheets Total Number of Number of
Defects Defects Per
Sheet
A 250 300 1.20
B 270 310 1.15
C 220 290 1.26
D 235 300 1.27

Sample size is variable

u=
∑ c = 1200 =1.2308 √√√
∑ n 975
Shift No.
inspected
units
UCL=u+3
√ u
n
LCL=u−3
√ u
n

Page 3 of 13
 1.231+3 √ 1.231−3 √
A 250 1.231 1.231
=1.44 √√ =1.02√√
250 250
B 270 1.43 √√ 1.03 √√
C 220 1.45 √√ 1.00 √√
D 235 1.45 √√ 1.01 √√

Question 4 [12]
4.1. Differentiate between the p-chart and the np-chart. (6)
4.2. Differentiate between the c-chart and the u-chart. (6)

p-chart
- Charts the fraction or percentage defective in a product, quality
characteristic, or group of quality characteristics.
- Subgroups can be either variable or constant.
- Can control group of quality characteristics of the same type or of the same
product. Can also control an entire product.
np-chart
- Charts the number of defectives in a sample of constant size.
- Easier for personnel to understand that the p chart
- Allows actual number of defective units to be plotted
c-chart (poisson)
- controls the count of nonconformities within the product or service
- Controls average number of defects per inspection unit in samples of fixed
sizes.
- Inspection unit may be one item or multiple items.
u-chart (poisson)
- Controls average number of defects per sample.
- Sample size varies and the inspection unit is one unit.
- Limitation – location of nonconformity unknown.

Question 5 [20]
Page 4 of 13
A production manager for a tire company has inspected the number of defective tires
in five random samples with 20 tires in each sample. Table 3 below shows the
number of defective tires in each sample of 20 tires.

Sample Number of Number of Proportion

defective tires in each defective
tires sample

1 3 20 0.15

2 2 20 0.10

3 1 20 0.05

4 2 20 0.10

5 1 20 0.05

Total 0.9

5.1. Calculate the total proportion. (3)

5.2. Calculate the control limits. (8)
5.3. Plot the proportion control chart. (5)

Page 5 of 13
5.4. What is the difference between a chance cause and an assignable cause? (4)

Change cause (random causes)

-when only chance causes are present in a process, the process is considered to
be in a state of control √

-results in natural variation √

Assignable cause

-causes of variation that are large in magnitude, and therefore readily identified √

-when assignable causes are present in a process, the variation is excessive, and
the process is classified as out of control or beyond expected natural variation √

-Results in an unnatural variation

Question 6 [16]

6.1. During the shift, 450 inspections are made of book-of-the-month shipments
and 5 nonconforming units are found. Production during the shift was 15000
units. What is the proportion nonconforming? (2)

6.2. A bicycle manufacturer randomly selects 10 frames each day and tests for
defects. The number of defective frames found over the last 14 days is 3, 2, 1,
3, 2, 2, 8, 2, 0, 3, 5, 2, 0, and 4.

6.2.1. Calculate the control limits for a proportion control chart. (7)
6.2.2. Plot the proportion chart for this process. (5)

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 6.2.3. Comment on whether the process is ‘in control’. (2)

P=np/n =5/450 = 0.011 √ √

P = 37/140 = 0.26

Control limits = 0.26± 0.42

The control limits are from 0 to 0.68. The process is out of control on the seventh
day. √ √

More Questions on Attributes

Question 1 [40]

1.1. What are the advantages of using variables rather than attributes in control
charts? Discuss. (5)
1.2. What are the disadvantages of using variables rather than attributes in control
charts? Discuss. (4)
1.3. Define the following, and give clear examples of each
1.3.1. Attribute (4)
1.3.2. Nonconformity (4)
1.3.3. Nonconforming unit (4)
Advantage - Variables provides more information than attributes. Attributes deal
qualitative information such as whether an item is nonconforming or what the
number of nonconformities in an item. Thus attributes do not show the degree to
which a quality characteristic is nonconforming. √√

E.g. if the specifications on the length of a part are 40±0.5 mm and a part has
length 40.6 mm, attribute information would indicate as nonconforming both this
part and a part of length 42 mm. The degree to which these two lengths deviate
from the specifications is lost in attribute information. √√

This is not so with variables, however, because the numerical value of the quality
characteristic (length in this case) is used in the control chart. √

Disadvantage – the cost of obtaining variable data is usually higher than for
attributes because attribute data are collected by means such as go/no go gages,
which are easier to use and therefore less costly. The total cost of data collection
is the sum of two components; the fixed cost and the variable cost. √√

Fixed costs include the cost of the inspection equipment; variable costs include the
cost of inspecting units. The more units inspected, the higher the variable cost,
whereas the fixed costs are unaffected. √√

Page 7 of 13
 As the use of automated devises for measuring quality characteristics values
spreads, the difference in the variable unit cost between variables and attributes
may not be much. However the fixed costs, such as investment costs, may
increase.

Attribute

A quality characteristic for which numerical value is not specified. It is measured in

nominal scale; that is, it does or does not meet certain guidelines, or it is
categorised according to a scheme of labels. √√

For instance a taste of a certain dish is labelled as acceptable or unacceptable, or

is characterised as exceptional, good, fair, or poor. √√

Nonconformity

A quality characteristic that does not meet certain prescribed standards (or
specifications). √√

E.g. if the length of steel bars is expected to be 50± 1.0 cm, a length of 51.5 cm is
not acceptable. √√

Nonconforming unit

A product with one or more nonconformities, such that it is unable to meet the
intended standards and is unable to function as required. √√

It is possible for a product to have several nonconformities without being classified

as a nonconforming item√√

1.4. The following are some of the decisions that must be made before we can
construct variables control charts. Discuss each, and use examples where
necessary.
1.4.1. Selection of rational sample (5)
1.4.2. Sample size (3)
1.4.3. Frequency of sampling (3)
1.4.4. Choice of measuring instrument (5)
1.4.5. Design of data recording forms (3)
Selection of rational sample

The sampling method should maximise differences between samples and

minimise differences within samples. This means separate control charts may
have to be kept for different operators, machines, or vendors. √√√

Lots from which samples are chosen should be homogeneous. For example, if our

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 objective is to determine …√√

Sample size

Sample sizes are normally between 4 and 10, and it is quite common in industry to
have sample sizes of 4 or 5…. √√√

Frequency of sampling

The sampling frequency depends on the cost of obtaining … √√√

Choice of measuring instrument

The accuracy of measuring instrument directly influences the quality of the data
collected. Measuring instruments should be …√√√√√

Design of data recording forms

Recording forms should be designed in accordance with the control chart to be

used …. √√√

Question 2

A major automobile company is interested in reducing the time the customer have to
wait while having their car serviced with one of the dealers. They select four
customers randomly each day and find the total time that each customer has to wait
(in minutes) while his or her car is serviced. From these four observations, the
sample average and range are found. This process is repeated for 25 days. The
summary data for these observations are:

2.1. Find the and the R control limits. (10)

√ √

√√ √√

Page 9 of 13
 √√ √√

Question 3

The number of customers who are not satisfied with the service provided in a retail
store is found for 20 samples of size 300 and is shown in the table below.

Construct an np-chart for the number of dissatisfied customers. Revise the control
limits, assuming special/assignable causes for points out of control. (20)

Sample Number of Dissatisfied Sample Number of Dissatisfied

Customers Customers

1 10 11 6

2 12 12 19

3 8 13 10

4 9 14 7

5 6 15 8

6 11 16 4

7 13 17 11

8 10 18 10

9 8 19 6

10 9 20 7

Trial Revised

CL =184/20 =9.2√√√ CL = (184-19)/19 = 8.684 √√

Pbar =184/6000= 0.0306√√ Pnew =0.029√√

Page 10 of 13
 √√ √√

√√ √√

Graph √√√

Question 4 [10]

An analyst examines five plywood sheets taken at random times during a production
shift and records the number of defects in each sheet.

Calculate the trial control limits for the u-chart using data as provided below.

Hint: Sample size = 1 unit

Sample Number of Defects

1 1

2 4

3 5

4 3

5 6

√√√

√√√ √√√

Question 5 [20]

Page 11 of 13
An analyst examines each shift’s production of plywood sheets and records the
number sheets plywood produced and the number of defects in each sheet. The
inspection unit is one sheet of plywood.

Calculate the control limits and construct a labelled u-chart for the plywood
production process.

Hint: Sample Size is Variable

Shift Number of Total Number of Number of Defects per

Sheets Defects Sheet

A 250 300 1.20

B 270 310 1.15

C 230 290 1.26

D 245 310 1.27

√√√√ 1210/995=1.216

√√ √√

√√ √√

√√ √√

Page 12 of 13
 √√ √√

Shift Number of UCL LCL

Sheets

A 250 1.425 1.007

B 270 1.417 1.015

C 230 1.434 0.998

D 245 1.427 1.005

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