ENIN440 Lab 3

Summary:
The main objective for this experiment is to plot control charts and interpret them to
determine of a process is whether or not in control for two variables. Two control
charts were plotted for each variable, an R chart and an X-bar chart .

Introduction:

The main purpose for this lab assignment was to determine whether a slug
production was in control or not, by measuring the length and the diameter of the
slugs. Hundred samples were taken, in intervals of five samples each hour, for 20
hours. With this information two control charts were plotted for the length and
diameter, an R chart, to monitor and compare the variability inside each sample set
of the process over time, and an X-bar chart, to monitor the mean of the process.

Results and Discussion:

A. Diameter
Data collected (the data in the table is sorted starting form the most recent sample
(20th)), data is in centimeters
Hou Sample Sample Sample Sample Sample Mean Rang
r 1 2 3 4 5 e
20 12.72 12.61 12.75 12.71 12.63 12.68 0.14
4
19 12.74 12.66 12.69 12.69 12.74 12.70 0.08
4
18 12.8 12.59 12.69 12.76 12.69 12.70 0.21
6
17 12.66 12.64 12.76 12.73 12.74 12.70 0.12
6
16 12.64 12.74 12.64 12.61 12.71 12.66 0.13
8
15 12.64 12.81 12.69 12.79 12.59 12.70 0.22
4
14 12.61 12.67 12.71 12.79 12.71 12.69 0.18
8
13 12.71 12.61 12.61 12.71 12.69 12.66 0.1
6
12 12.75 12.76 12.67 12.69 12.59 12.69 0.17
2
11 12.57 12.73 12.69 12.66 12.7 12.67 0.16
10 12.66 12.73 12.68 12.69 12.71 12.69 0.07
4
9 12.73 12.75 12.73 12.69 12.66 12.71 0.09
2
8 12.84 12.71 12.64 12.71 12.78 12.73 0.2
6
ENIN440 Lab 3

7 12.64 12.63 12.54 12.69 12.61 12.62 0.15

2
6 12.64 12.66 12.66 12.57 12.69 12.64 0.12
4
5 12.64 12.76 12.64 12.74 12.64 12.68 0.12
4
4 12.66 12.69 12.7 12.69 12.61 12.67 0.09
3 12.73 12.78 12.75 12.64 12.71 12.72 0.14
2
2 12.76 12.71 12.76 12.76 12.73 12.74 0.05
4
1 12.56 12.54 12.73 12.73 12.64 12.64 0.19
Calculations for the sample mean and sample range, for hour 1 sample:
n
12.56+12.54+12.73+12.73+12.64
Sample Mean: x= x i= =12.64 cm
i=1 5

Sample Range: R=maxmin=12.7312.54=0.19 cm

R bar:
n
0.14+0.08+ 0.21+ 0.12+ 0.13++ 0.12+ 0.09+ 0.14+0.05+ 0.19
R= R i= =0.1 4 cm
i=1 20

X double bar:

12.68+12.70+12.71+12.71++ 12.67+12.72+12.74+12.64
x i= =12.6 9 cm
20
n
x =
i=1
ENIN440 Lab 3

R Chart of Samples for Diameter

0,30
UCL=0,2886

0,25

0,20
Sample Range

0,15 _
R=0,1365

0,10

0,05

0,00 LCL=0

1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19
Sample set

Figure 1: R Chart of samples for diameter (Last point is first sample set)

In the above R-bar chart, the variation of the ranges for the samples seems
random and relatively stable; there is no identifiable pattern in the data.
There is no point above the Upper Control Limit or below the Lower Control
Limit. In addition, none of the tests for special causes failed for this process.
Therefore, the variation within the samples is in control.
ENIN440 Lab 3

Xbar Chart of Samples for Diameter

12,78
UCL=12,7670
12,76

12,74

12,72
Sample Mean

12,70 _
_
X=12,6883
12,68

12,66

12,64

12,62
LCL=12,6096
12,60
1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19
Sample set

Figure 2: Xbar chart of samples for diameter (Last point is first sample set)

In the above X-bar chart, the variation of the sample mean is higher for the
samples taken in the first hours (last ones in the graph due to data
registration order), but with time the variation decreases and stabilizes. Even
though there are some points that seemed to be unusually high, none of the
tests for special cases failed. This high variation might have been caused by
some temporal condition that affected the proper operation of the machine,
for example:
- The temperature of the first parts to be machined was lower or higher
than needed
- The initial temperature of the CNC machine was not the required and it
adjusted as time progressed
- The environmental temperature was higher than required, but became
lower with time.
When any of these changes occurred as time progressed, the parts
measurements became more stable.
All the points are between the control limits. In consequence, the variation of
the mean is in control. It is important to point out that the mean of the
sample means (12.69 cm) is not equal to the desired diameter (12.70 cm),
but approximately the same.

Conclusion:
In terms of the diameter of the slugs, the machining process is in control as
both the variation within the samples and the variation of the means across
ENIN440 Lab 3

time, are in control. The means presented some unusual variation for the
initial samples but stabilized in time, but did not represented any significant
behavior as none of the tests for special cases failed.

References:
Minitab, Inc. (2015). Minitab 17. Retrieved February 11, 2016