Nonparametric control charts for bivariate high-quality processes

For attribute data with (very) low rates of defectives, attractive control charts can be based on the maximum of subsequent groups of r failure times, for some suitable r≥1, like r=5. Such charts combine good performance with often highly needed robustness, as they allow a nonparametric adaptation already for Phase I samples of ordinary size. In the present paper we address the problem of extending this approach to the situation where two characteristics have to be monitored simultaneously. Generalization to the multivariate case is straightforward

Control charts for health care monitoring: the heterogeneous case

Attribute data from high quality processes can be monitored adequately by using negative binomial charts. The optimal choice for the number r of failures involved depends on the expected rate of change in failure rate during Out-of-Control. To begin with, such results have been obtained for the case of homogeneous data. But especially in health care monitoring, (groups of) patients will often show large heterogeneity. In the present paper we will present an overview of how this problem can be dealt with. Two situations occur: the underlying structure is either unknown (the overdispersion case) or known (risk adjustment feasible). An additional complication to be dealt with is the fact that in practice typically all parameters involved are unknown. Hence estimated versions of the new proposals need to be discussed as well

Risk adjusted control charts for health care monitoring

Attribute data from high quality processes can be monitored effectively by deciding on whether or not to stop at each time where $r\geq 1$ failures have occurred. The smaller the degree of change in failure rate during Out-of-Control one wants to be optimally protected against, the larger $r$ should be. Under homogeneity, the distribution involved is negative binomial. However, in health care monitoring, (groups of) patients will often belong to different risk categories. In the present paper we will show how information about category membership can be used to adjust the basic negative binomial charts to the actual risk incurred. Attention is also devoted to comparing such conditional charts to their unconditional counterparts. The latter do take possible heterogeneity into account, but refrain from risk adjustment. Note that in the risk adjusted case several parameters are involved, which will typically all be unknown. Hence the potentially considerable estimation effects of the new charts will be investigated as well

Negative Binomial charts for monitoring high-quality processes

Good control charts for high quality processes are often based on the number of successes between failures. Geometric charts are simplest in this respect, but slow in recognizing moderately increased failure rates p. Improvement can be achieved by waiting until r > 1 failures have occurred, i.e. by using negative binomial charts.In this paper we analyze such charts in some detail. On the basis of a fair comparison, we demonstrate how the optimal r is related to the degree of increase of p. As in practice p will usually be unknown, we also analyze the estimated version of the charts. In particular, simple corrections are derived to control the non-negligible effects of this estimation step

A Binary Control Chart to Detect Small Jumps

The classic N p chart gives a signal if the number of successes in a sequence of inde- pendent binary variables exceeds a control limit. Motivated by engineering applications in industrial image processing and, to some extent, financial statistics, we study a simple modification of this chart, which uses only the most recent observations. Our aim is to construct a control chart for detecting a shift of an unknown size, allowing for an unknown distribution of the error terms. Simulation studies indicate that the proposed chart is su- perior in terms of out-of-control average run length, when one is interest in the detection of very small shifts. We provide a (functional) central limit theorem under a change-point model with local alternatives which explains that unexpected and interesting behavior. Since real observations are often not independent, the question arises whether these re- sults still hold true for the dependent case. Indeed, our asymptotic results work under the fairly general condition that the observations form a martingale difference array. This enlarges the applicability of our results considerably, firstly, to a large class time series models, and, secondly, to locally dependent image data, as we demonstrate by an example

Multivariate Statistical Process Control Charts: An Overview

In this paper we discuss the basic procedures for the implementation of multivariate statistical process control via control charting. Furthermore, we review multivariate extensions for all kinds of univariate control charts, such as multivariate Shewhart-type control charts, multivariate CUSUM control charts and multivariate EWMA control charts. In addition, we review unique procedures for the construction of multivariate control charts, based on multivariate statistical techniques such as principal components analysis (PCA) and partial lest squares (PLS). Finally, we describe the most significant methods for the interpretation of an out-of-control signal.quality control, process control, multivariate statistical process control, Hotelling's T-square, CUSUM, EWMA, PCA, PLS

Economic Design of X-bar control chart using particle swarm optimization

Control chart is the most widely used tools for statistical process control. For detecting shift in process mean, chart is the simplest and most commonly used. Control chart should be designed economically in order to achieve minimum quality control costs. The major function of control chart is to detect the occurrence of assignable causes so that the necessary corrective action can be taken before a large quantity of nonconforming product is manufactured. The control chart dominates the use of any other control chart technique if quality is measured on a continuous scale. The design of a control chart refers to the selection of three parameters i.e., sample size, width of control limit, and interval between samples. Economic design of control chart has gained considerable importance in providing better quality of end products to customer at less cost. In the present work, a computer programme in C language based on a non-traditional optimization technique namely particle swarm optimization has been developed for the economic design of the control chart giving the optimum values of the sample size, sampling interval and width of control limits such that the expected total cost per hour is minimized. The results obtained are found to be better compared to that reported in the literature

Attributing meanings to representations of data: the case of statistical process control

This article is concerned with the meanings that employees in industry attribute to representations of data and the contingencies of these meanings upon context. Our primary concern is to characterise more precisely how the context of the industrial process is constitutive of the meaning of graphs of data derived from this process. We draw on data from a variety of sources including ethnographic studies of workplaces and reflections on the design of prototype learning activities supplemented by insights obtained from trying out these activities with a range of employees. The core of this article addresses how different groups of employees react to graphs used as part of statistical process control, focussing in particular on the meanings they ascribe to mean, variation, target, specification, trend and scale as depicted in the graphs. Using the notion of boundary crossing we try to characterise a method that helps employees to communicate about graphs and come to data-informed decisions