Quality control charts: Attributes

Control charts for attributes

p/np charts
Type II error for the p/np chart
ARL for the p/np
c/u charts
Type II error for the c/u chart
ARL for the c/u chart

Control charts for attributes

The term attribute data is used in the quality control
literature to identify two situations:
Each item produced is either defective or
nondefective (conforms to specifications or does
not). This chart is based on the binomial
distribution
A single item may have one or more defects, and
the number of defects is determined. This chart is
based on the Poisson distribution

Control charts for attributes

The p/np chart based on known parameter
values
Suppose that k samples are available, each containing
n observations (in practice, select a least 20 to 25
xi
samples)

Xi

ni

Let
be the number of nonconforming items in
subgroup i with
random variable
, and let
be the subgroup size
k

i
Then the average proportion
over all the samples is
i 1
p k
obtained through the following equation
x

n
i 1

Control charts for attributes

The p/np chart based on known parameter
values
Xi
If

is a binomially distributed random variable, then

V X i np(1 p )
E X i np

And

Xi
p

p(1 p )
Xi
V

n
n

As it can be shown that

p, then

is an unbiased estimator or

LCL np 3 np 1 p

CL np

UCL np 3 np 1 p

p 1 p
p chart values
n

CL p

UCL p 3

np chart values

LCL p 3

p 1 p
n

Control charts for variables

Example
Frozen orange juice concentrate is packed in 6-oz
cardboard cans. These cans are formed on a machine
by spinning them from cardboard stock and attaching
a metal bottom panel. By inspection of a can, we may
determine whether, when filled, it could possibly leak
either on the side seam or around the bottom joint.
We wish to set up a control chart to improve the
fraction of nonconforming cans produced by this
machine.
To establish the control chart, 30 samples of size n=50
cans each were selected at half hour intervals over a
three shift period in which the machine was in
continuous operation. The data is in the file
orange_juice_data.

Control charts for variables

The (type II) error and ARL for the p/np
chart
p 0.2

Example: Suppose we have a control chart with

and sample size n=50.
a) Construct a p chart
0.ARL
5
b) What is the type II error andp1the
if we want to
detect an out of control process with mean

Control charts for variables

The p/np chart for unequal sample size
Please refer to the handout

Control charts for attributes

The c/u chart based on known parameter
values
Suppose that k samples are available, each containing
n observations (in practice, select a least 20 to 25
xi
samples)

Xi

Let
be the number of nonconformities in
subgroup i with
n
xi
random variable
, and let n be the subgroup size
Note that
can be equal to 1. In here,
is the
number of nonconformites per unit. Note that
can
also be equal to 2, 3,30,200,.... In all these sample
sizes the objective is to measure the total number of
nonconformities per item, where each item can have

Control charts for attributes

The c/u chart based on known parameter
values
Xi
If

is a Poisson distributed random variable, then

V Xi c
E X i c

c
Xi
Xi u

u
V

n n
n n
c
c
u
As it can be shown that
and
are unbiased
estimators of
and
And

LCL c 3 c
c chart values

CL c

UCL c 3 c

u
u values
3
pLCL
chart
n

CL u

u
UCL u 3
n

Control charts for variables

Workshop
A personal computer manufacturer wishes to
establish a control chart for the number of
nonconformities on the final assembly line. The
sample size is selected as five computers. Data
on the number of nonconformities in 20 samples
of 5 computers each is in the file
Computer_data
a) Construct a c and u chart with MINITAB. To verify
your results, you can check the handout titled c and
u charts.
b) What is the type II error of the c chart if the true
mean number of defects (i.e., out of control mean) is