CHAPTER 5

METHODS AND PHILOSOPHY OF

STATISTICAL PROCESS CONTROL
5.6 AN APPLICATION OF SPC

MERLINA FITRI ANGGAMAWARTI

196060200015
5.6 AN APPLICATION OF SPC

Figure 5.26 presents a Pareto analysis of only the

concentration variation data. From this diagram we know that
colorimeter drift and problems with reagents are major
causes of concentration variation. This information led the
manufacturing engineer on the team to conclude that
rebuilding the colorimeter would be an important step in
improving the process.
During the time that these process data were collected, the
team decided to set up statistical control charts on the
process. The information collected to this point about process
performance was the basis for constructing the initial OCAPs
(out-of-control-action plans) for these control charts. Control
charts and OCAP would also be useful in the control step of
DMAIC. Copper concentration is measured in this process
manually three times per day
5.6 AN APPLICATION OF SPC

Figure 5.27 presents the control chart for average daily

copper concentration, that is, each point plotted in the
figure is a daily average. The chart shows the center line
and three-sigma statistical control limits. Note that
there are a number of points outside the control limits,
indicating that assignable causes are present in the
process.
5.6 AN APPLICATION OF SPC

Figure 5.28 presents the range or R chart for daily copper

concentration. On this chart, R represents the difference
between the maximum and minimum copper
concentration readings in a day. Note that the R chart also
exhibits a lack of statistical control. In particular, the
second half of the R chart appears much more unstable
than the first half. Examining the dates along the horizontal
axis, the team noted that severe variation in average daily
copper concentration only appeared after January 3. The
last observations on copper concentration had been taken
on November 22. From November 23 until January 3, the
process had been in a shutdown mode because of holidays.
Apparently, when the process was restarted, substantial
deterioration in controller/colorimeter performance had
occurred. This hastened engineering’s decision to rebuild
the colorimeter
5.6 AN APPLICATION OF SPC

Figure 5.29 presents a tolerance diagram of daily copper

concentration readings. In this figure, each day’s copper
concentration readings are plotted, and the extremes are
connected with a vertical line. The center line on this chart is the
process average over the time period studied, and the upper and
lower limits are the specification limits on copper concentration.
Every instance in which a point is outside the specification limits
would correspond to nonscheduled downtime on the process.
1. First, the process average is significantly different from the
nominal specification on copper concentration (the midpoint of
the upper and lower tolerance band). This implies that the
calibration of the colorimeter may be inadequate.
2. Second, there is considerably more variation in the daily copper
concentration readings after January 3 than there was prior to
shutdown.
Finally, if we could reduce variation in the process to a level roughly
consistent with that observed prior to shutdown and correct the
process centering, many of the points outside specifications would
not have occurred, and downtime on the process should be
reduced
5.6 AN APPLICATION OF SPC
To initiate the Improve Step :
1. The team decided to rebuild the colorimeter and controller. This
was done in early February. The result was to restore the
variability in daily copper concentration readings to the pre-
shutdown level. The rebuilt colorimeter was recalibrated and
subsequently was able to hold the correct target. This recentering
and recalibration of the process reduced the downtime on the
controller from approximately 60% to less than 20%. At this point,
the process was capable of meeting the required production rate.
2. The team directed its efforts to reducing the number of defective
units produced by the process. As noted earlier, defects fell into
two major categories: brittle copper and copper voids. The team
decided that, although control charts and statistical process-
control techniques could be applied to this problem, the use of a
designed experiment might lead to a more rapid solution. The
objective of a designed experiment is to generate information
that will allow us to understand and model the relationship
between the process variables and measures of the process
performance.
5.6 AN APPLICATION OF SPC The designed experiment for the plating process is
shown in Table 5.2 and Figure 5.30. The objective of
this experiment was to provide information that
would be useful in minimizing plating defects. The
process variables considered in the experiment
were copper concentration, sodium hydroxide
concentration, formaldehyde concentration,
temperature, and oxygen. A low level and high level,
represented symbolically by the minus and plus
signs in Table 5.2, were chosen for each process
variable. A factorial experiment that is, an
experimental design in which all possible
combinations of these factor levels would be run.
This design would have required 32 runs—that is, a
run at each of the 32 corners of the cubes in Figure
5.30. fractional factorial design that used only 16
runs was ultimately selected. This fractional
factorial design is shown in the bottom half of Table
5.2 and geometrically in Figure 5.30. In this
experimental design, each row of the table is a run
on the process. The combination of minus and plus
signs in each column of that row determines the
low and high levels of the five process variables to
be used during that run.
5.6 AN APPLICATION OF SPC

For example, in run 1 copper concentration, sodium hydroxide concentration, formaldehyde concentration, and
temperature are run at the low level and oxygen is run at the high level. The process would be run at each of the 16 sets
of conditions described by the design and a response variable an observed number of plating defects would be recorded
for each run. Then these data could be analyzed using simple statistical techniques to determine which factors have a
significant influence on plating defects, whether or not any of the factors jointly influence the occurrence of defects, and
whether it is possible to adjust these variables to new levels that will reduce plating defects below their current level.

After the team conducted the experiment shown in Table 5.2 and analyzed the resulting process data, they determined
that several of the process variables that they identified for the study were important and had significant impact on the
occurrence of plating defects. They were able to adjust these factors to new levels, and as a result, plating defects were
reduced by approximately a factor of 10. Therefore, at the conclusion of the team’s initial effort at applying SPC to the
plating process, it had made substantial improvements in product cycle time through the process and had taken a major
step in improving the process capability.
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