Control chart settings for each measure

You can specify the control chart settings for each measure within the process for a product.

Control chart settings

These control chart settings apply to each station of the measure and override the control chart settings for each station.
  1. Go to the Components page and select a product. Then select the process flow step of your product.
  2. Open the process step and go to the Process Summary section.
  3. Select Additional Settings to access the control chart settings for each measure.
Note

These settings apply only to the control charts for this measure. To change the system default preferences, go to Control chart preferences.

Subgroup size

Enter a value to use as the same subgroup size for all samples of the data collections.

Control chart

Select a control chart based on measure type and subgroup size.
Note

The control chart type and subgroup size must be the same at each station of the measure.

Continuous control charts
Continuous control charts plot continuous measurement process data, such as length or pressure, in a time-ordered sequence. The two main types of continuous control charts are charts for data collected in subgroups and charts for individual measurements.
  • Use an I-MR Chart to monitor the mean and variation of your process when you have continuous data that are individual observations not in subgroups.
  • Use an Xbar-R Chart to monitor the mean and variation of a process when you have continuous data and subgroup sizes of 8 or less.
  • Use an Xbar-S Chart to monitor the mean and variation of a process when you have continuous data and subgroup sizes of 9 or more.
  • Use an I-MR-R/S Chart to monitor the mean of your process and the variation between and within subgroups when each subgroup is a different part or batch.
  • Use an EWMA Chart to detect small shifts in the process mean, without influence by low and high values. The EWMA chart monitors exponentially weighted moving averages, which remove the influence of low and high values. The observations can be individual measurements or subgroup means.
Attribute control charts
Attribute control charts plot defects or defectives. Select your attribute control chart based on whether your data represent a count of defectives and follow a binomial distribution, or whether your data represent a count of defects and follow a Poisson distribution.
  • Use an NP chart to monitor the number of defective items where each item can be classified into one of two categories, such as pass or fail.
  • Use a P chart to monitor the proportion of defective items where each item can be classified into one of two categories, such as pass or fail.
  • Use a Laney P' chart (P' is pronounced as P prime) to monitor the proportion of defective items that are produced by your process and to adjust for overdispersion or underdispersion in your data.
  • Use a C chart to monitor the number of defects per unit, where each item can have multiple defects. You should use a C chart only when your subgroups are the same size.
  • Use a U chart to monitor the number of defects per unit, where each item can have multiple defects.
  • Use a Laney U' chart (U' is pronounced as U prime) to monitor the defect rate for your process and to adjust for overdispersion or underdispersion in your data.
Note

If you have a defective type that you want to monitor on its own control chart, you must set it up as a defective measure. If you have multiple defective types that you want to monitor together, aggregated on a single control chart, you must set it up as a grouped defective. For more information, go to Quality attributes.

Control limit calculation method

Control limits are the horizontal lines above and below the center line that are used to judge whether a process is out of control. The upper and lower control limits are based on the random variation in the process. By default, the control limits are displayed 3 standard deviations above and below the center line.

Control limits are calculated from the process parameters. You can choose to use estimated process parameters or enter the known historical values to use to calculate the center line and control limits. For more information on control limit calculations, go to Control limit calculation details.
  • Calculate using recent data
    You can specify how much data to use for the parameter estimates if you do not have known historical values.
    Number of observations / Number of subgroups
    For continuous measures, specify the number of observations; the default is 100 observations. For attribute measures, specify the number of subgroups; the default is 25 subgroups.

    Using more data to estimate process parameters gives more accurate control limits.

  • Provide parameters
    Enter the historical values for the parameters that Real-Time SPC uses to calculate the center line and control limits. If you do not have known parameters, use the Calculate using recent observations or Calculate using recent subgroups option.
  • Do not use control limits
    You can hide the control limits for any control chart. This setting affects the control charts for all the stations. Data are still plotted, but only Test 2, Test 3, and Test 4 are available.

Display on station dashboard

To focus the scope of the station dashboard, Engineers can hide or display control charts for each measure. For each control chart, use Display on station dashboard to display all the charts, only the first chart, or no charts.

This setting affects only the display on the station dashboard. All charts for the selected control chart display on the Process Quality Snapshot.

Example: Display all charts on the station dashboard

Suppose you use the default settings when the subgroup size = 1.
  • Subgroup size = 1
  • Control chart = I-MR Chart
  • Control limit calculation method = Calculate using recent observations
  • Number of observations = 100
  • Display on station dashboard = Individuals and Moving Range Charts
All data are collected and plotted on an I-MR Chart for this measure. Both the Individuals Chart and the Moving Range Chart display on the Process Quality Snapshot and the Station Dashboard.

Example: Hide the variation chart on the station dashboard

Suppose you want to show the Individuals Chart but not the Moving Range Chart on the Station Dashboard.
  • Subgroup size = 1
  • Control chart = I-MR Chart
  • Control limit calculation method = Calculate using recent observations
  • Number of observations = 100
  • Display on station dashboard = Individuals Chart
All data are collected and plotted on an I-MR Chart for this measure. Both the Individuals Chart and the Moving Range Chart display on the Process Quality Snapshot, but only the Individuals Chart displays on the Station Dashboard.

Example: Hide the control limits

Suppose you want to show only the plotted points of the I-MR Chart, but not the control limits, and hide the Moving Range Chart on the Station Dashboard.
  • Subgroup size = 1
  • Control chart = I-MR Chart
  • Control limit calculation method = Do not use control limits
  • Number of observations = 100
  • Display on station dashboard = Individuals Chart
All data are collected and plotted on an I-MR Chart for this measure. Both the Individuals Chart and the Moving Range Chart display on the Process Quality Snapshot, but only the Individuals Chart displays on the Station Dashboard. None of the charts will display control limits.

Tests for control charts

Real-Time SPC provides eight tests for special causes for control charts with continuous data and four tests for special causes for control charts with attribute data. Use the tests to determine which observations to investigate, and to identify the specific patterns and trends in your data. By default, Real-Time SPC uses only Test 1. Select additional tests based on company or industry standards.

Note

To learn about the test options or to change the test preferences for all control charts, go to Control chart preferences.