Seattle Concrete Company

Seattle concrete company (SCC) has been in the business of producing concrete mix for many
years. SCC produces bags of standard concrete premix that consumers typically buy at
lumberyards or hardware stores for home improvement projects. The concrete mix is put into
40 pound bags that are shipped in large quantities to wholesale distributors.
A very simple process is used to produce the actual concrete mix, and SCC has absolutely no
problems with its basic production process. However, a critical issue is to make certain that the
correct number of pounds of the mix is placed in each of the bags. SCC would be subjected to
potentially serious fines and penalties if random sampling, after sale showed any significant
shortage below the 40-pound fill that is specified on the bags. The process of filling bags is far
from perfect, so some natural variation in the fill of each bag to be expected. To avoid potential
problems from this natural variability in fill, SCC has targeted fill level of 41 pounds for each
bag, so that even a slight under fill from the target would still meet the 40 pound specification.
SCC uses statistical process control charts to monitor the operations at their facility. They have
been operating on a single eight hour shift basis, until recently, without any significant
problems. A random sample of 10 bags has been taken and weighed once every hour during
shift operations, with the results of the hourly sampling being noted and plotted on X-bar and R
control charts, with the control chart limits being based upon 3-standards. After the hourly
sampling is done, the shift supervisor is supposed to check the equipment that fills the bags, to
verify that the concrete mix is not building up in the series of chutes that deliver the mix to the
bags. If this buildup becomes excessive, there could be lot of variability in the fill weights of the
bags. Having noticed a buildup anywhere in the chutes, it is relatively easy to dislodge and
remove the buildup using a rake-like device to clear the chutes. The regular shift supervisor at
SCC has been on the job for many years and is known to be very diligent worker.
Due to a high increase in demand, SCC has recently added a second shift to the operation in
order to significantly increase output. Totally different employees are used on the second shift.
A high-seniority worker from the first shift was given additional training to become the shift
supervisor for this new second shift operation. SCC management wants to establish procedure
to monitor the operations across both shifts with statistical process control charts to be assured
that there is consistency in output at all times.
Some information is required to get started on this procedure, so some preliminary data has
been collected. Exhibit SCC -1 shows sample weights from 40 different sampling events during
the regular shift operation. These sampling events took place in each of the eight shift hours
Page 1 of 4

over five consecutive workdays in a week, during which the operation was running normally
throughout the entire week. Following the discussion above, Exhibit SCC-1 shows the recorded
weights of the 10 bags that were selected during each specific sampling event. Random
samples of 10 bags each have also been taken and weighed during each operation hour on the
second shift, just like they have in the regular first shift operation. The results of second shift
for five days have been shown in Exhibit SCC-2.
SCC management wants to see a statistical process control analysis performed for each shifts,
showing the resulting X-bar and R control charts with 3-sigma standards, over the 40 sampling
events that took place during each of the shifts. Any information that can be provided about
the consistency of output over the two shifts would be very helpful to the SCC management.

Page 2 of 4

Exhibit SCC-1: Test results from the first shift sampling

Observation
Day
1

Hour S No.
1
1
2
2
3
3
4
4
5
5
6
6
7
7
8
8
1
9
2
10
3
11
4
12
5
13
6
14
7
15
8
16
1
17
2
18
3
19
4
20
5
21
6
22
7
23
8
24
1
25
2
26
3
27
4
28
5
29
6
30
7
31
8
32
1
33
2
34
3
35
4
36
5
37
6
38
7
39
8
40

1
40.94
42.32
39.56
39.89
40.83
39.41
41.29
40.89
40.94
39.74
39.83
40.97
40.46
42.91
40.72
41.67
39.98
41.84
42.69
41.45
40.35
41.28
42.23
40.53
41.48
39.82
40.18
39.83
41.87
42.29
43.23
42.14
41.44
41.41
40.86
40.17
41.26
41.33
40.66
41.19

2
40.21
40.55
42.53
40.20
40.36
41.68
41.13
39.90
41.94
40.50
40.57
40.56
43.17
41.86
42.11
40.77
42.91
41.70
42.21
42.22
40.10
41.43
40.52
42.31
42.03
41.76
41.21
40.56
41.87
40.77
42.84
40.46
41.48
41.01
40.91
41.91
40.45
37.68
41.28
41.37

3
39.89
40.77
41.93
41.33
39.03
40.85
42.20
41.22
38.98
39.45
41.40
42.27
42.43
40.84
41.52
39.42
40.74
40.84
40.19
41.46
41.65
43.75
41.72
42.71
40.80
41.47
42.63
40.07
42.04
40.31
40.14
41.44
41.71
41.97
38.89
41.51
40.73
40.70
40.09
39.55

4
40.25
42.30
39.90
39.31
40.59
41.69
39.58
39.67
41.59
42.01
39.32
42.05
41.72
40.71
40.02
42.18
41.98
40.38
42.27
38.82
39.77
41.74
39.59
42.86
40.81
40.55
42.51
41.25
41.18
40.51
41.49
40.91
41.75
40.35
40.20
40.45
40.98
40.88
41.57
40.97

5
40.64
41.25
41.40
39.46
41.54
40.10
41.33
41.18
42.51
41.97
41.12
41.18
39.99
40.23
41.55
39.65
40.32
41.08
41.06
41.67
43.18
40.61
40.34
43.17
39.67
39.98
39.99
40.54
41.27
40.90
40.51
41.90
39.67
40.16
41.76
43.01
41.07
40.56
40.83
42.22

Page 3 of 4

6
40.37
40.63
42.46
40.31
42.52
42.25
41.90
39.69
41.58
41.40
40.13
41.92
40.98
43.46
40.11
39.79
41.05
42.07
42.33
39.69
41.22
42.02
39.37
41.42
40.53
41.98
39.89
39.03
40.26
39.25
39.51
41.00
39.21
39.45
41.11
40.18
42.18
40.90
39.85
41.03

7
41.97
41.21
42.91
41.56
39.61
40.68
41.67
41.05
39.76
41.96
38.13
41.84
41.24
40.81
40.86
42.37
41.62
42.72
39.90
41.72
40.29
39.34
41.44
42.58
42.05
41.58
40.31
40.25
40.89
40.45
42.32
41.14
41.26
40.55
41.67
40.67
43.42
41.64
40.85
42.42

8
42.10
39.96
41.55
41.16
39.98
41.13
39.82
42.97
41.56
42.17
41.95
39.25
41.39
40.46
40.63
38.84
40.33
38.77
42.11
42.53
39.89
40.14
43.49
40.18
41.27
39.13
41.09
41.04
40.70
41.67
41.96
41.81
39.30
41.16
40.31
41.79
41.66
40.98
40.31
41.26

9
41.90
40.68
41.19
41.37
40.03
38.51
41.26
42.17
38.92
40.80
40.67
39.78
41.52
40.11
40.02
41.05
40.85
41.13
40.10
43.27
40.28
41.12
40.81
40.87
41.40
41.73
39.89
42.14
42.37
40.59
41.38
42.43
40.60
40.29
41.54
39.86
40.26
39.67
42.17
40.50

10
40.82
41.34
41.50
41.57
41.67
41.91
41.17
39.23
41.30
41.24
40.65
40.86
42.17
42.38
41.68
41.30
40.76
40.74
40.30
40.91
41.31
39.20
39.83
40.45
41.98
39.82
40.15
40.65
40.07
40.83
40.56
41.11
42.03
42.49
41.35
40.68
40.62
39.23
40.35
40.35

Exhibit SCC-2: Test results from the second shift sampling

Observation
Day
1

Hour
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

1
40.94
41.82
39.91
39.89
40.83
39.41
41.29
40.89
40.94
40.13
39.83
40.97
40.46
43.16
40.72
41.67
40.73
41.84
42.14
41.45
40.35
41.28
42.23
40.53
41.48
39.82
40.18
39.83
41.87
42.54
43.73
38.41
41.44
41.41
40.86
40.17
41.26
41.33
40.66
41.19

2
40.21
40.55
42.53
40.20
40.36
41.68
41.13
39.90
41.54
40.50
40.57
40.56
43.17
41.86
43.11
40.77
42.16
41.70
42.21
42.22
40.10
41.43
40.52
42.31
42.03
41.76
41.21
40.56
41.87
40.77
42.84
40.46
41.48
41.01
40.91
41.91
40.45
38.83
41.28
41.37

3
40.64
40.77
41.93
41.33
39.03
40.85
42.70
41.22
40.01
39.95
41.40
42.27
42.43
40.84
41.52
39.42
40.74
40.84
40.19
41.46
41.65
42.50
41.72
42.71
40.80
41.47
42.38
40.07
42.04
40.31
40.14
41.44
41.71
41.97
39.34
41.51
40.73
40.70
40.09
38.80

4
40.25
42.40
39.99
39.35
40.59
41.69
39.08
39.67
41.59
42.01
39.32
42.05
41.72
40.71
39.52
42.18
41.98
40.38
42.27
39.32
39.77
41.74
39.59
42.86
40.81
40.55
42.01
41.25
41.18
40.51
41.49
40.91
41.75
40.35
40.20
40.45
40.98
40.88
41.57
40.97

5
40.64
41.25
41.40
39.46
41.54
40.10
41.33
41.18
41.76
41.97
41.12
41.18
39.99
40.23
41.55
39.65
40.32
41.08
41.06
41.67
43.18
40.61
40.34
44.65
40.42
39.98
39.99
40.54
41.27
40.90
40.51
41.90
39.97
40.16
41.51
42.51
41.07
40.56
40.83
42.22

Page 4 of 4

6
40.37
40.63
42.46
40.31
42.52
42.50
41.90
39.69
41.58
41.40
41.13
41.92
40.98
42.46
40.11
39.79
41.05
42.07
42.33
39.69
41.22
42.02
38.87
41.42
40.53
41.48
40.14
39.53
40.26
39.50
39.01
40.50
39.96
39.95
41.11
40.18
41.18
40.90
39.35
41.03

7
42.30
41.21
42.66
41.56
39.61
40.68
41.67
41.05
40.43
41.96
40.21
41.84
41.24
40.81
40.86
43.12
41.62
42.22
39.75
41.72
40.29
39.34
41.44
42.58
41.30
41.58
40.31
40.25
40.89
40.45
42.32
37.65
41.26
40.55
41.67
40.67
43.42
42.02
40.85
44.12

8
41.35
40.06
41.55
41.16
39.98
41.13
39.82
43.72
41.56
41.67
41.70
39.25
41.39
40.46
40.63
38.09
40.33
40.17
42.11
42.53
39.89
40.14
42.65
39.43
41.27
39.63
41.09
41.04
40.70
41.67
41.96
41.81
39.91
41.16
40.31
41.79
41.66
40.98
40.31
41.26

9
41.90
40.68
41.19
41.37
40.03
38.96
41.26
42.17
40.51
40.80
40.67
39.78
41.52
39.86
40.02
41.05
40.85
41.13
39.81
42.27
40.28
41.12
40.81
40.87
41.40
41.73
39.94
42.14
42.37
40.59
41.38
42.98
40.60
40.29
41.54
39.86
40.56
39.67
43.14
40.50

10
40.82
41.34
41.50
42.07
41.67
41.91
41.17
38.48
41.30
41.24
40.65
40.86
42.17
42.38
41.68
41.30
40.76
40.74
40.30
40.91
41.31
38.95
39.83
40.45
41.98
39.82
40.15
40.65
39.57
40.83
40.56
41.11
41.28
41.99
41.35
40.68
40.62
39.23
40.35
40.35