Control charts – general methodology

Control charts, like any other improvement quality tool, are pretty easy to use. Control
charts have 3 basic applications:

 To establish a statistic control state

 To monitories a process and to signalize when the process is out of control
 To determine the process’ capability

The components from a control chart are:

 Central tendency (central line), whose identity depends on the type of graph that
we use. This tendency represents the mean of markers’ graph
 The points that form the graph
 The upper control limit (UCL), which is calculated different depending on the type
of graph that we built
 The lower control limit (LCL), which is calculated different depending on the type
of graph that we built
As a general formula for the control limits we have:

UCL=CT+3 σ

LCL=CT-3 σ

Control charts for variables

Variable data are the ones measured on a continuous scale. Examples of variable data:
lengths, weight, distance, time. The most common graphs for variable data are x-bar
and R-chart (range chart). The first measures the mean of a process, and the second
measures its variability.

The steps for creating a control chart are:

 For every sample we calculate the average (the mean – Xi) and the range Ri
(maximum value – minimum value)
 We calculate the mean of means (Xmed) and the medium range (Rmed). The
values will be copied next to each sample, using the command copy/paste
special/values;
 We calculate the control limits using the formulas:
UCLx=Xmed+A2*Rmed
LCLx= Xmed-A2*Rmed
UCLR=D4*Rmed
LCLR=D3*Rmed
 For the x-bar, we will select the columns that contain the observations’ means,
the mean of means, UCLx and LCLx
 The graph will be created using chart wizard and selecting the Line type. If the
values were already selected, before entering this menu, simply press Finish for
creating the graph.
 For the R-chart graph, we will use the columns that contain the R, Rmed, UCL R
and LCLR.
We will interpret the results. We will consider that the described process is uncontrolled
in any of the following situations:

1. At least 1 point is outside the control limits UCL and LCL. In this case we identify
the source of the special variation, we eliminate it if it’s necessary and then we
calculate again the control chart excluding from the equation the sample that
caused the special variation.
2. At least 8 consecutive points are on the same side of the central tendency. This
thing indicates a possible modification in the elements mean described by the
control chart, uncontrolled modification. Again, we identify the source of the
special variation and if it’s necessary, we eliminate it.
3. At least 2 out of 3 consecutive points are at situated at more than 2 standard
deviations from the central tendency
4. At least 4 out of 5 consecutive points are situated at more than 1 standard
deviation from the central tendency.