Taguchi Design of Experiments

Many factors/inputs/variables must be taken into

consideration when making a product especially a
brand new one
The Taguchi method is a structured approach for
determining the best combination of inputs to
produce a product or service
Based on a Design of Experiments (DOE) methodology
for determining parameter levels

DOE is an important tool for designing processes

and products
A method for quantitatively identifying the right inputs
and parameter levels for making a high quality product
or service

Taguchi approaches design from a robust design

perspective

Taguchi method
Traditional Design of Experiments focused on
how different design factors affect the
average result level
In Taguchis DOE (robust design), variation is
more interesting to study than the average
Robust design: An experimental method to
achieve product and process quality through
designing in an insensitivity to noise based
on statistical principles.

Robust Design
A statistical / engineering methodology
that aim at reducing the performance
variation of a system.
The input variables are divided into two
board categories.
Control factor: the design parameters in
product or process design.
Noise factor: factors whoes values are hard-tocontrol during normal process or use
conditions

The Taguchi Quality Loss

Function
The traditional model for quality losses
No losses within the specification limits!
Cost

Scrap Cost
LSL

Target

USL

The Taguchi loss function

the quality loss is zero only if we are on
target

Example (heat treatment

process for steel)
Heat treatment process used to harden steel
components

Parameter Parameters
Level Level unit
number
1
2
O
1
Temperature
760
900
C
O
2
Quenching rate
35
140
C/s
3
Cooling time
1
300
s
4
Carbon
1
6
Wt%
contents
c
5
Co 2
5
20
%
concentration
Determine which
process parameters have the

greatest impact on the hardness of the steel

components

Taguchi method
To investigate how different parameters
affect the mean and variance of a
process performance characteristic.
The Taguchi method is best used when
there are an intermediate number of
variables (3 to 50), few interactions
between variables, and when only a few
variables contribute significantly.

Two Level Fractional

Factorial Designs

As the number of factors in a two level factorial design

increases, the number of runs for even a single replicate
of the 2k design becomes very large.
For example, a single replicate of an 8 factor two level
experiment would require 256 runs.

Fractional factorial designs can be used in these cases to

draw out valuable conclusions from fewer runs.

The principle states that, most of the time, responses are

affected by a small number of main effects and lower
order interactions, while higher order interactions are
relatively unimportant.

Half-Fraction Designs
A half-fraction of the 2k design involves running only
half of the treatments of the full factorial design. For
example, consider a 23 design that requires 8 runs in
all.
A half-fraction is the design in which only four of the
eight treatments are run. The fraction is denoted as 2
3-1with the -1 " in the index denoting a half-fraction.
In the next figure: Assume that the treatments
chosen for the half-fraction design are the ones
where the interaction ABC is at the high level (1). The
resulting 23-1 design has a design matrix as shown in
Figure (b).

Half-Fraction Designs
No. of runs = 8

No. of runs = 4

No. of runs = 4

23

2
I=
ABC

3-1

2
I=
-ABC

3-1

Half-Fraction Designs
The effect, ABC , is called the generator
or word for this design
The column corresponding to the
identity, I , and column corresponding
to the interaction , ABC are identical.
The identical columns are written as I=
ABC and this equation is called the
defining relation for the design.

Quarter and Smaller

Fraction Designs
A quarter-fraction design, denoted as 2 k-2 , consists
of a fourth of the runs of the full factorial design.
Quarter-fraction designs require two defining
relations.
The first defining relation returns the half-fraction
or the 2 k-1design. The second defining relation
selects half of the runs of the 2 k-1 design to give
the quarter-fraction.
Figure a, I= ABCD 2k-1. Figure b, I=AD 2k-2

Quarter and Smaller

Fraction Designs
I=
ABCD

24-1

I=A
D

24-2

Taguchi's Orthogonal Arrays

Taguchi's orthogonal arrays are highly fractional
orthogonal designs. These designs can be used to
estimate main effects using only a few experimental
runs.

Consider the L4 array shown in the next Figure. The

L4 array is denoted as L4(2^3).

L4 means the array requires 4 runs. 2^3 indicates

that the design estimates up to three main effects
at 2 levels each. The L4 array can be used to
estimate three main effects using four runs
provided that the two factor and three factor
interactions can be ignored.

Taguchi's Orthogonal Arrays

L4(2^3)

2III3-1
I = -ABC

Taguchi's Orthogonal Arrays

Figure (b) shows the 2III3-1 design (I = -ABC,
defining relation ) which also requires four
runs and can be used to estimate three main
effects, assuming that all two factor and
three factor interactions are unimportant.
A comparison between the two designs
shows that the columns in the two designs
are the same except for the arrangement of
the columns.

Taguchis Two Level

Designs-Examples
L4
(2^3)

L8
(2^7)

Taguchis Three Level DesignsExample

L9 (3^4)

Analyzing Experimental
Data
To determine the effect each variable has
on the output, the signal-to-noise ratio,
or the SN number, needs to be calculated
for each experiment conducted.
yi is the mean value and si is the
variance. yi is the value of the
performance characteristic for a given
experiment.

signal-to-noise ratio

Worked out Example

A microprocessor company is having difficulty
with its current yields. Silicon processors are
made on a large die, cut into pieces, and each
one is tested to match specifications.
The company has requested that you run
experiments to increase processor yield. The
factors that affect processor yields are
temperature, pressure, doping amount, and
deposition rate.
a) Question: Determine the Taguchi
experimental design orthogonal array.

Worked out Example

The operating conditions for each
parameter and level are listed below:

A: Temperature
A1 = 100C
A2 = 150C (current)
A3 = 200C
B: Pressure
B1 = 2 psi
B2 = 5 psi (current)
B3 = 8 psi
C: Doping Amount
C1 = 4%
C2 = 6% (current)
C3 = 8%
D: Deposition Rate
D1 = 0.1 mg/s
D2 = 0.2 mg/s (current)
D3 = 0.3 mg/s

Selecting the proper orthogonal

array by Minitab Software

Example: select the

appropriate design

Example: select the

appropriate design

Example: enter factors names

and levels

Worked out Example

a) Solution: The L9 orthogonal array should be

used.
The filled in orthogonal array should look like this:

This setup allows the testing of all four variables without having to ru

Selecting the proper orthogonal

array by Minitab Software

Worked out Example

b) Question: Conducting three trials
for each experiment, the data below
was collected. Compute the SN ratio
for each experiment for the target
value case, create a response chart,
and determine the parameters that
have the highest and lowest effect on
the processor yield.

Worked out Example

Experi
ment
Numbe
r

Temper
ature

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

100
100
100
150
150
150
200
200
200

Doping
Pressur Amoun
e
t

2
5
8
2
5
8
2
5
8

4
6
8
6
8
4
8
4
6

Deposit
ion
Rate
Trial 1

0.1
0.2
0.3
0.3
0.1
0.2
0.2
0.3
0.1

87.3
74.8
56.5
79.8
77.3
89
64.8
99
75.7

Trial 2

Trial 3

Mean

82.3
70.7
54.9
78.2
76.5
87.3
62.3
93.2
74

70.7
63.2
45.7
62.3
54.9
83.2
55.7
87.3
63.2

80.1
69.6
52.4
73.4
69.6
86.5
60.9
93.2
71

Standar
d
deviatio
n

8.5
5.9
5.8
9.7
12.7
3
4.7
5.9
6.8

Enter data to Minitab

Worked out Example

b) Solution:
,For the first treatment
Experiment
Number
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

A
(temp)
1
1
1
2
2
2
3
3
3

80.12
SN i 10 log 8.5 2 19.5

B
(pres)
1
2
3
1
2
3
1
2
3

C
(dop)
1
2
3
2
3
1
1
2
1

D
(dep)
1
2
3
3
1
2
2
3
1

T1
87.3
74.8
56.5
79.8
77.3
89
64.8
99
75.7

T2
82.3
70.7
54.9
78.2
76.5
87.3
62.3
93.2
74

T3
70.7
63.2
45.7
62.3
54.9
83.2
55.7
87.3
63.2

SNi
19.5
21.5
19.1
17.6
14.8
29.3
22.3
24.0
20.4

Worked out Example

Shown below is the response table. calculating an
average SN value for each factor. A sample
calculation is shown for Factor B (pressure):
Experiment
Number
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

A
B
(temp) (pres)
1
1
1
2
1
3
2
1
2
2
2
3
3
1
3
2
3
3

C
(dop)
1
2
3
2
3
1
1
2
1

D
(dep)
1
2
3
3
1
2
2
3
1

SNi
19.5
21.5
19.1
17.6
14.8
29.3
22.3
24.0
20.4

Worked out Example

SN B1 19.5 17.6 22.3 19.8
3

SN B3 19.1 29.3 20.4 22.9

3

Level
1
2
3

Rank

SN B2 21.5 14.8 24.0 20.1

3

A (temp) B (pres) C (dop)

20
19.8
24.3
20.6
20.1
19.8
22.2
22.9
18.7
2.2
3.1
5.5
4
3
2

The effect of this factor is then calculated by

determining
Max Min the
22.range:
9 19.8 3.1

D (dep)
18.2
24.4
20.2
6.1
1

Deposition rate has the largest effect on the processor yield

and the temperature has the smallest effect on the process

Example solution by Minitab

Example: determine response

columns

Example Solution

Example: Main Effect Plot

for SN ratios

Differences between SN and

Means response table

Main effect plot for means

Mixed level designs

Example: A reactor's behavior is dependent upon
impeller model, mixer speed, the control
algorithm employed, and the cooling water valve
type. The possible values for each are as follows:
Impeller model: A, B, or C
Mixer speed: 300, 350, or 400 RPM
Control algorithm: PID, PI, or P
Valve type: butterfly or globe
There are 4 parameters, and each one has 3
levels with the exception of valve type.

Mixed level designs

Available designs

Select the appropriate

design

Factors and levels

Enter factors and levels

names

Design matrix