STAT8010

Applied Statistical Techniques

Unit 6
Control Charts for Attribute Data
 Today’s Learning Outcomes
Chapter 6
– Attribute Control Charts
• np and p charts
• c and u charts
Decision Tree for Control charts

2 <= n < 10
 Attribute Control Charts
1. Counts of Nonconforming Items
charts:
a) Number of nonconforming charts
(np charts);
b) Fraction or proportion of
nonconforming charts (p Charts);
2. Area of Opportunity Charts:
c) Number of nonconformities per unit
(c charts);
d) Nonconformities per unit charts (u
charts).
Attribute Control Chart Formulas
 Attributes Control Charts
• Use when samples or subgroups of process output are evaluated and:
– the number of nonconforming items in a sample are counted or;
– the number of nonconformities per item are counted
• Number Nonconforming (np ) Chart
– # of nonconforming items in a sample is expected to be the proportion of
nonconforming items, p, times the size of the sample, n
• Proportion Nonconforming (p) Chart
– Proportion of nonconforming items in samples instead of number
– Use in cases where unequal sample sizes are used
 Assumptions for the Use of the np Chart
1. There are only two possible outcomes for the event: An item must be
found to be either conforming or nonconforming. No intermediate
values are possible.
2. The probability, p, of a nonconforming item is constant
3. The quality of successive items are independent
4. All samples contain the same number of items, n.

To obtain a good estimate of p (the probability of the process producing a

nonconforming item), we need to evaluate at least 20 to 25 samples or
subgroups and count the nonconforming items in each.
 Calculating Control Limits for np Charts
𝑘

 ∑
  𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑛𝑜𝑛𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑚𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑠𝑢𝑏𝑔𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑝𝑠
𝑖 =1
𝑋 𝑖

´𝑝 = 𝑘

∑ 𝑛𝑖
𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑚 𝑖𝑛 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑠𝑢𝑏𝑔𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑝𝑠 𝑖=1

  UCL 𝜎 =√ 𝑛𝑝 (1 − 𝑝)
 

  LCL   s
 Creating the np Chart
• The number of nonconforming items is plotted on the chart in the order in
which the samples were collected
• Plot all of the zones to determine if any violations of the rules for out of
control signals are present
– Minitab does not plot the zones but instead lists any of the points that violate zone rules
• If causes of out of control points can be identified and eliminated from the
process, then the data can be removed from the calculation of the limits and
new control limits calculated. Do not remove the data point completely.
• Limits can be used until a change in the process occurs either by design or
by a shift in process level
 Example – np chart
File Sponge.mtw

The example concerns the manufacture of gauze sponges. In 32 samples (k) of 600 sponges
(n=600) , 685 nonconforming sponges are found.
Total number of sponges inspected = n * k = 600 * 32 = 19200

Probability = Total nonconforming sponges / Total number inspected = 685/19200 then p̅ = 0.0357

CL = n * p̅ = 600 * 0.0357 =21.406

3√(n*p*(1-p) = 3√(600*0.0357*0.9643) = 13.628

Let’s try in Excel!

 Example – np chart in Excel
Manual Calculations:
1. Calculation the proportion nonconforming if
this is unknown.
2. Calculate the Centre Line = n * proportion
nonconforming
3. Calculation 3* Standard deviation = 3 *
√n*p*(1-p)
4. Calculate UCL and LCL
5. Copy-Paste Numbers in columns for CL, UCL
and LCL
6. Use Chart feature to generate Line Graph
 Example – np chart
NP Chart of Nonconforming Sponges
45

40

35

30

25

20

15

10

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 26 27 28 29 30 31 32

Nconfrm CL UCL LCL

 np chart - Exercise
• File Transmit.mtw
 p Charts for Equal Subgroup Sizes
  𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑛𝑜𝑛𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑚𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑠𝑢𝑏𝑔𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑝𝑠
´𝑝 =
𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑚 𝑖𝑛 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑠𝑢𝑏𝑔𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑝𝑠
 =

 
UCL
  ´𝑝 (1 − ´𝑝 )
 
LCL
𝑠 𝑝=
√ 𝑛

p chart will be similar to the np chart but the points plotted represent the proportion
nonconforming in the samples and not the number nonconforming
 p Charts for Unequal Subgroup Sizes
• Two
  ways to handle:
• Use different limits for each subgroup
– Most sensitive statistically but requires recalculation of the upper and
lower control limits for each sample
– Approach used by Minitab
• Use , the average value of n, to compute the UCL and LCL
– Computationally simpler
– May result in erroneously accepting or rejecting the hypothesis that the
process is in control
p Charts for Unequal Subgroup Sizes
  ´𝑝 (1 − ´𝑝 )
𝑠𝑝=

 
𝑖
√
𝑛𝑖
𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑚𝑠 𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛
𝑛´ =
𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑢𝑏𝑔𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑝𝑠

 =

 
UCL

 
LCL
 Example – p chart
• File Truck.mtw
• The data represents the number of trucks a recycling
facility and number of trucks overweight on each 20
consecutive business days.
• Generate a p-chart in Excel.
• Generate a p-chart in Minitab using both methods
 Sample Sizes for p Charts and np Charts
• Attribute measures are less sensitive than variable measures
• Samples should be large enough to have a 90% chance of
detecting at least one nonconforming unit in a sample
• Large enough that the average number of nonconformities in a set
of subgroups is at least 2.0
This limits the usefulness of attribute charts! If we improve quality then meeting the above criteria
would imply that we use larger samples – which is contrary to good practice. Why increase inspection if
quality is improving?
Attribute charts tend to have application where organizations are new to SPC techniques and quality is
“low”. However they also have application where the subgroup sizes are naturally large and the analysis
becomes meaningful.
 Area of Opportunity Charts- c and u chart
• Area of Opportunity – unit in which one or more events can
occur
• c chart – use when areas of opportunity are the same size
• u chart – use when dealing with areas of opportunities of varying
sizes
 c Charts

•Centerline
  =
 =

  UCL

  LCL
 Example – c chart
# #
Day Nonconforming Day Nonconforming
The adjacent table represents the 1 1 12 6
number of nonconformances per 2 1 13 9
1000 meters in telephone cable. 3 3 14 11
4 7 15 15
a. Calculate CL, UCL and LCL 5 8 16 8
manually. 6 10 17 3

b. Create a control chart for the data 7 5 18 6

in Minitab 8 13 19 7
9 0 20 4
c. Is the process in statistical control?
10 19 21 9
11 24 22 20
Example – c chart
 Example – c chart
• The process is not in statistical control; three subgroups exceed the UCL. Exclude
subgroups 10, 11 and 22, and re-calculate the control limits. Subgroup 15 will then be out of
control and should also be excluded.
 u Charts
  =

•Centerline
  =
 Example – u chart
A paper mill uses a control chart to monitor the imperfection in
finished rolls of paper. Production output is inspected for 20 days,
and the resulting data are shown. Use these data to set up a control
chart for nonconformities per roll of paper. Does the process appear
to be in statistical control? What center line and control limits would
you recommend for controlling current production?
 Day # Rolls Produced # Imperfections

Example – u chart 1
2
18
18
12
14
3 24 20
4 22 18
5 22 15
6 22 12
7 20 11
8 20 15
9 20 12
10 20 10
11 18 18
12 18 14
13 18 9
14 20 10
15 20 14
16 20 13
17 24 16
18 24 18
19 22 20
20 21 17
Example – u chart
 u Charts
• There is an inverse relationship between the size of the area of
opportunity and the distance between the upper and lower control
limits
– Large subgroups or areas of opportunity will result in narrow limits
– Small subgroups or areas of opportunity will result in more widely spaced limits
– We can deal with this by calculating the exact limits for each subgroup size
which is more statistically sensitive but computationally more complex - Minitab

 
UCL  
LCL
 Attribute vs Variable Control Chart
Type Advantage Disadvantage
Attribute • Several quality characteristics can be considered • Provides little information
jointly. about process performance.
• Relatively simple to implement • Out of control points only
• Does not require complicated gauges and resources after process has changed.
to maintain. • Require larger sample size
• Avoids expensive and time-consuming to detect shift
measurements.
Variable • More useful information about process performance. • Each quality characteristic is
• Directly obtain information about process mean and considered separately.
variation. • More expensive
• Out of control conditions signals potential special • More time-consuming
causes of variation. • Requires resource to
• Signal impending trouble before defectives are maintain measuring system
produced.
• Require smaller sample size to detect process shift.