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Business Process Improvement 281-304-9504
20314 Lakeland Falls www.spcforexcel.com
Cypress, TX 77433
Instruction Manual for SPC for MS Excel V3.0
Capability Analysis
LSL=60 USL=80Nominal=70
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
57 62 67 72 77 82 87
Measurement
Fre
qu
en
cy
Statistics
Cp=1.34
Cpk= 0.59
Cpu= 0.59 (3.84%)
Cpl= 2.09 (0%)
Est. Sigma= 2.49
Pp=1.31
Ppk= 0.57
Ppu= 0.57 (4.36%)
Ppl= 2.04 (0%)
Sigma= 2.55
Average=75.63
Count=96
No. Out of Spec=5 (5.21%)
Kurtosis=0.62
Skewness=0.71
Thank you for selecting our software package. This program was written by Dr. William H. McNeese
and is distributed by Business Process Improvement (Cypress, Texas). This program cannot be copied or
used unless under license with Business Process Improvement. Business Process Improvement is not
liable for any decisions made based on the use of this software package.
Requirements: This program is a Microsoft Excel® add-in. You must Microsoft Excel® for this program
to work. This program supports any version of Excel from 2000 on.
Business Process Improvement
20314 Lakeland Falls
Cypress, TX 77433
281-304-9504
www.spcforexcel.com
http://www.spcforexcel.com/
2 ©2007 Business Process Improvement
SPC for MS Excel V3.0
Table of Contents
Instructions Manual for SPC for MS Excel V3.0 ......................................................................................... 1 Installation..................................................................................................................................................... 4 Pareto Diagrams ............................................................................................................................................ 6 Histograms .................................................................................................................................................. 10 Attribute Control Charts ............................................................................................................................. 13
p Charts ................................................................................................................................................... 13 np Control Charts .................................................................................................................................... 16 c Control Charts ...................................................................................................................................... 18 u Control Charts ...................................................................................................................................... 20
Variable Control Charts .............................................................................................................................. 22
X -R Control Chart ................................................................................................................................. 22 Control Limit Option ............................................................................................................................... 26
X -s Control Charts ................................................................................................................................. 27 X-MR (Individuals) Control Charts ........................................................................................................ 28 Moving Average/Moving Range (MA/MR) Charts ................................................................................ 30 Table X-MR (Individuals) Chart............................................................................................................. 31 Run Charts .............................................................................................................................................. 32 Subgroup Maker: Make Subgroups from Column of Numbers .............................................................. 32
Process Capability ....................................................................................................................................... 33 Advanced Process Capability...................................................................................................................... 38 Scatter Diagram .......................................................................................................................................... 40 Updating Charts .......................................................................................................................................... 43 Changing Chart Options ............................................................................................................................. 43 Single Point Actions ................................................................................................................................... 44 All Points Action......................................................................................................................................... 46 Cause and Effect Diagram .......................................................................................................................... 47 Measurement Systems Analysis.................................................................................................................. 48
ANOVA Method ..................................................................................................................................... 53 Range Method for Gage R&R ................................................................................................................ 55 Bias – Independent Sample Method ....................................................................................................... 57 Bias – Control Chart Method .................................................................................................................. 59 Linearity .................................................................................................................................................. 61 Attribute Gage R&R ............................................................................................................................... 62
Transfer Charts to PowerPoint or Word ..................................................................................................... 65 Regression ................................................................................................................................................... 66
Changing the Variables in the Regression .............................................................................................. 69 Miscellaneous ............................................................................................................................................. 70
Descriptive Statistics ............................................................................................................................... 70 Confidence Interval Around a Mean ....................................................................................................... 71 Confidence Interval Around a Variance ................................................................................................. 73 Confidence Interval for the Difference in Two Means ........................................................................... 74 Confidence Interval for Multiple Processes ............................................................................................ 76 Paired Sample Comparison ..................................................................................................................... 78 Analysis of Means ................................................................................................................................... 79 Correlation Coefficients .......................................................................................................................... 81 Failure Mode and Effect Analysis .......................................................................................................... 82
3 ©2007 Business Process Improvement
Box and Whisker Plots ............................................................................................................................ 83 Sample Size Calculator ........................................................................................................................... 85 Side by Side Histogram .......................................................................................................................... 86 Plot Multiple Y Variables Against One X Variable................................................................................ 88
Select Cells.................................................................................................................................................. 89 Frequently Asked Questions ....................................................................................................................... 90
What out of control tests does the program use? .................................................................................... 90 Do all out of control tests apply to all the charts? ................................................................................... 90 How do I know if the chart has any out of control points? ..................................................................... 90 Can I remove the out of control points from the calculations? ............................................................... 90 Can I change the name of the worksheet tab containing the chart? ........................................................ 90 How come I can’t see the name of one of my charts in the list of charts to be updated? ....................... 90 How can I change the title or the x and y labels on an existing chart? ................................................... 91
4 ©2007 Business Process Improvement
Installation
The necessary files to run the program are installed when you run the installation program. The
installation file is the .exe program you downloaded or received on the CD. Running the setup.exe file
creates the following directory (there are slight differences for Excel 2007):
C:\Documents and Settings\{username}\Application Data\SPC_for_MS_Excel
The following program files are installed into this directory:
spcforexcelv3.xla
spcfor2007excelv3.xlam
installspcforexcelv3.exe
The installation process may leave uninstallation files such as unins001.exe and unins001.dat in this
directory. During operation, the program may save user preferences and other settings in one or more text
or binary files in this directory. The user is discouraged from altering any of these files and from storing
any work files in this directory.
The program also creates the following directory:
C:\Documents and Settings\{username}\My Documents\SPC for MS Excel
The following sample data files and instruction manual are installed into this directory:
Gage R&R Example Workbook.xls
SPC Example Data V3.xls
SPC for MS Excel V3.0 Instructions.pdf
The user is encouraged to use these files to learn how SPC for MS Excel works. If you also purchased the
PowerPoint training modules, they will be installed this directory as well.
The program is installed as an add-in. It will open whenever Excel is opened. In Excel 2000 to Excel
2003, SPC for Excel will appear on the Worksheet and Chart Menus next to Window. There is also a free
standing toolbar that can be placed anywhere in the window. Both are shown below.
5 ©2007 Business Process Improvement
In Excel 2007, SPC for Excel appears on the ribbon next to Home as shown below. The SPC Menu to the
right lists all the buttons.
The menu and toolbar allows you to access the various components of the program:
The data entry requirements to run each component of this program are given below. All the examples
are in the workbook SPC Example Data V3.0.xls and Gage R&R V3 Example Workbook.xls. This
instruction manual is intended to demonstrate how the program is used.
To learn more about SPC, please refer to one of the many books on the subject. The best reference is
probably Understanding Statistical Process Control by D. Wheeler and D. Chambers, SPC Inc., 1986 or
any of the later books by Dr. Wheeler.
You can also visit our website where many of these SPC tools are described in our past free e-zines. Go
to www.spcforexcel.com.
http://www.spcforexcel.com/
6 ©2007 Business Process Improvement
Pareto Diagrams
A Pareto diagram is a special type of bar chart that is used to separate the "vital few" from the "trivial
many." It is based on the 80/20 rule; e.g., 20% of our customers buy 80% of our products. The
horizontal (x) axis most often represents problems or causes of problems (the “categories”). The vertical
(y) axis most often represents frequency or cost. The problem or cause that occurs most frequently (or
costs the most) is listed first on the x axis. The second most frequently occurring problem or cause is
listed second and so on. A bar is generated for each cause or problem. The height of the bar is the
frequency with which that problem or cause occurred. A cumulative percentage line is sometimes added
to the Pareto diagram.
An example of a Pareto
diagram is shown to the
right. In this Pareto
diagram, the number of
return goods by product is
analyzed. The x axis is
the different types of
products. The y axis is
how often each product
has been returned. The
bars are arranged so the
first bar (for Product B)
has the largest frequency.
The other bars are then
arranged in decreasing
frequency.
The above Pareto diagram
indicates that product B has been returned more times (25) than any other product. To reduce the number
of returned goods, one would probably want to investigate why product B is returned so often. The
highest bars represent the “vital few.” The smaller bars represent the “trivial many,” such as for products
C and D.
This program will construct Pareto diagrams with or without a cumulative percentage line. If selected,
the calculations for the cumulative percentage line are completed and added to the Pareto diagram. The
program will not alter your worksheet. The data are copied from your worksheet to a hidden sheet.
Data Entry
The data entry requirements for the Pareto diagram are shown below. In all cases, it is recommended you
select a range in the worksheet. This helps save time when the input dialog box appears. The data is in
columns in the examples below but can also be in rows.
Option 1: Basic Pareto Diagram
For this option, the frequencies have already been totaled by category. For
example, suppose you are tracking returns by product name for four products: A,
B, C, and D. You collect data for a two-month period. You then total the number
of returns and enter the data into an Excel spreadsheet. To start the Pareto
program, highlight the product names as shown to the right (shaded area) and
Products Number of Returns
A 15
B 25
C 8
D 2
Pareto Diagram
25
15
8
2
50%
80%
96%
100%
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
B A C D
Products
Nu
mb
er
of
Re
turn
s
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Pe
rcen
t
7 ©2007 Business Process Improvement
select the Pareto Diagram option from the toolbar. You could also highlight both the product and number
of returns information. The data does not have to in adjacent columns. In this case, you would select the
category range, then hold down the Control key and select the frequency range. Then select the Pareto
Diagram option on the SPC toolbar. You will get the Pareto Diagram dialog which is described below
(after the data entry requirements for option 3). Once you fill the information in the dialog box and select
OK, you will get the Pareto diagram shown above (with the cumulative line option selected).
Option 2: Basic Pareto Diagram but Program Calculates the Totals
For this option, the frequencies have been totaled over some time period
but not overall. For example, suppose you are tracking the returns and
total the returns for each product by week. In this case, you would enter
the following data into an Excel spreadsheet. You would select the
products (shaded area) and then select the Pareto diagram option from
the toolbar. The program will automatically calculate the overall totals.
Option 3: Pareto Diagram Based on Data in One
Column Only
For this option, none of the frequencies have been
totaled. For example, you might be tracking each
individual returned product to discover the reason for
returns. In this case, you would enter data similar to the
data shown below into an Excel spreadsheet. To make a
Pareto diagram based on data in one column only, select
the range in the column to include in the Pareto. Then
select the Pareto diagram option on the toolbar.
Pareto Dialog Box
When you select the Pareto Diagram option (PD) on the SPC toolbar, you will get the form below. This
example is for Option 1: Basic Pareto Diagram above with the product names selected prior to the
selecting the Pareto diagram option from the SPC toolbar. There are two pages on the form: Input
Ranges/Chart Name and Options. The Input Ranges/Chart Name always comes up first. The entries on
both pages are given below. Selecting OK at the bottom of each page will run the program. Selecting
Cancel will cancel the program. The Switch Tabs button can be used to switch between the two pages.
Week Product Number of Returns
1 A 4 1 B 2 1 C 12 1 D 3 2 A 0 2 B 3 2 C 1 2 D 4 3 A 4 3 B 2 3 C 5 3 D 1 4 A 8 4 B 1 4 C 10 4 D 1
Date Product Returned
Reason
2/1/03 A Customer Did Not Need
2/4/03 A Broken
2/6/03 B Wrong Quantity
2/9/03 C Wrong Quantity
2/11/03 A Salesman Ordered Wrong
2/14/03 A Wrong Quantity
2/14/03 D Wrong Quantity
1/2/00 B Broken
2/23/03 A Customer Did Not Need
2/24/03 D Salesman Ordered Wrong
3/1/03 A Wrong Quantity
3/2/03 A Wrong Quantity
8 ©2007 Business Process Improvement
Input Ranges/Chart Name Page
Enter Category Range: This is the range containing the categories (used for Options 1
and 2 above). The default value is what is
selected prior to selecting the Pareto Diagram
option on the toolbar.
Enter Frequency Range: This is the range containing the frequencies for Options 1 and 2
above. The default value is the range next to
the categories (but the categories and
frequencies do not have to be adjacent.
Name of Chart: This is very important. This will be the name of the worksheet tab that
contains the chart in your workbook.
Include Cumulative Line Select “Yes” to include a cumulative line. The default value is
“No.”
Categories On: Selecting X axis puts the categories on the x (horizontal) axis. Select Y axis places the categories on the Y axis. This is
helpful if the categories have long names. You cannot use a cumulative line if the categories are
on the Y axis.
Enter Pareto Diagram Title: The default title is “Pareto Diagram.” Enter the title you want to appear above the chart.
Enter X-Axis (Category) Label: If there is a title in the cell about the first frequency selected, this is the default entry. Otherwise, the label is left blank. Enter the category label you want for the
x-axis.
Enter Y-Axis (Frequency) Label: If there is a title in the cell above the frequency range, this is the default entry. Otherwise, the label is left blank. Enter the frequency label you want for the y-
axis.
Data in: Select columns or rows depending on how the data is entered into the spreadsheet.
The program selects one or the other
depending on the range selected prior to
selecting PD on the SPC toolbar.
Dates of Data Collection: Add the starting date and ending dates of data collection.
These dates are optional. If entered, they will
appear in a dialog box in the lower left-hand
corner of the chart.
Options Page
Calculation Options: This is Option 2: Basic Pareto Diagram but Program Calculates the
Totals. Select “Yes” if you want the program
to total the frequency results for the various
categories. “No” is the default value. Once
you select “Yes”, you must select the option
you want. Most of the time it will be “Sum,”
9 ©2007 Business Process Improvement
but there are other options including count, average, and standard deviation.
Pareto on One Column? This is Option 3: Pareto Diagram Based on One Column. Select “Yes” if the data are in one column. The “Data Range” contains the worksheet range containing the
data. The default value is the range that is selected prior to PD being selected on the toolbar.
“Include Frequencies >= to” is used to determine what frequencies you want to include in the
chart. For example, if you enter 3, only those items that occur three or more times will be
included in the chart.
Examples
Below are the results for Options 2 and 3 using the data given above.
Option 2: Summing the results for each week
Option 3: Reasons for return in one column
Pareto Diagram
28
16
98
46%
72%
87%
100%
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
C Total A Total D Total B Total
Product
Nu
mb
er
of
Re
turn
s
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Pe
rcen
t
Pareto Diagram
6
2 2 2
50.0%
66.7%
83.3%
100.0%
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
Wrong Quantity Broken Customer Did Not Need Salesman Ordered Wrong
Reason
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
70.0%
80.0%
90.0%
100.0%
Pe
rcen
t
10 ©2007 Business Process Improvement
Histograms
A histogram is a bar chart that provides a snapshot in time of the variation in a process. It tells us how
often a value or range of values occurred in a given time frame. A histogram will tell us the most
frequently occurring value (the mode), the overall range, and the shape of the distribution (e.g., bell-
shaped, skewed, bimodal, etc.). It is best to have 50 to 100 data points to construct a histogram, if
possible. This program will construct a histogram from the raw data. It will automatically determine the
number of classes (bars) as well as the class width. You have the opportunity to change the number of
classes. An example of a histogram is shown below.
Data Entry
Enter the data you want to use in the histogram into a worksheet. The data
can be in any number of rows and columns. Select the cells containing the
data for the histogram as shown to the right. Then select the histogram
option (H) from the SPC toolbar.
Histogram Dialog Box
81 77 75 74 77 73 77 74 76 75 79 74 74 79 73 75 75 74 75 80 80 79 72 78 73 74 74 73 75 74 77 75 75 72 75 74 76 75 74 74 78 75 76 76 78 77 78 75 74 76 77 76 72 73 79 82 73 75 74 79 77 73 72 75 73 73 76 76 76 75 74 72 76 76 76 74 79 79 75 81 77 74 77 71 84 74 79 70 77 74 73 77 76 74 81 75
Histogram of Yields
1 (1.0%)
0 (0.0%)
1 (1.0%)
3 (3.1%)
2 (2.1%)
8 (8.3%)
4 (4.2%)
11 (11.5%)
13 (13.5%)
17 (17.7%)
19 (19.8%)
10 (10.4%)
5 (5.2%)
1 (1.0%)1 (1.0%)
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
69.5 to
70.5
70.5 to
71.5
71.5 to
72.5
72.5 to
73.5
73.5 to
74.5
74.5 to
75.5
75.5 to
76.5
76.5 to
77.5
77.5 to
78.5
78.5 to
79.5
79.5 to
80.5
80.5 to
81.5
81.5 to
82.5
82.5 to
83.5
83.5 to
84.5
Measurement
Fre
qu
en
cy
Descriptive Stats
Mean=75.625
Standard Error=0.26
Median=75
Standard Deviation=2.547
Variance=6.489
Sum=7260
Count=96
Maximum=84
Mininum=70
Range=14
Kurtosis=0.6157
Skewness=0.7079
11 ©2007 Business Process Improvement
When you select the histogram option (H) on the SPC toolbar, you will get the dialog box shown to the
left. Each entry is discussed below.
Enter location of Values: This is the range containing the values for the histogram. The default range is the range selected on the worksheet before selecting the histogram option on the toolbar.
Enter Histogram Title: This is the title that goes on the histogram chart. The default value is “Histogram.”
Enter Y-Axis (Vertical Label): This is the vertical axis label. The default is “Frequency.”
Enter X-Axis (Horizontal Label): This is the horizontal axis label. The default is “Measurement.”
Name of Chart: This is very important. This will be the name of the worksheet tab that contains the chart in your workbook.
Enter Number of Integers to Right of Decimal: This is the rounding that is used in the data. For example, if the data contains whole numbers, this value is 0 (the default value). If the data has
one decimal point to the right of the data (as shown in the data above), this value is 1. It is used
to set the class boundaries.
Dates of Data Collection: Add the starting date and ending dates of data collection. These dates are optional. If entered, they will appear in a dialog box in the lower left-hand corner of the chart.
Include Descriptive Statistics?” If you want the descriptive statistics on the chart, select “Yes.” The descriptive statistics include the average, standard deviation, count, etc. The default value is
“Yes.” There is also the option to “Select Which to Include.” This option allows you to
determine which of the descriptive statistics you want to include. If you select this option, you
will see the dialog box below. Select which statistics you want to include. The statistics you
select will remain the same if you update the histogram. You can “Check All” or “Uncheck All”
if desired.
12 ©2007 Business Process Improvement
The number of classes (bars) on the histogram is determined automatically
by the program. It is set as the square root of the number of data
points in the range. Once the histogram is made, you can change
the number of classes. There is a button in the upper left hand
corner of the histogram chart that is used for this (you will see it
when the histogram is first made).
When you select this button on the chart, you will get the dialog
box to the right. There are essentially two options:
Enter the number of classes you want and select OK. The chart will then be displayed.
Enter the class width and enter the lower bound. This lets you set the starting point for the histogram (the lower
bound) and the width of each class. The number of
classes is set by these two values.
You also have the option to view the frequency distribution for the
histogram. This is done by selecting the button with the caption
“View/Hide Frequency Distribution.” This button appears the first time the histogram is made. An
example of a histogram with the frequency distribution added is shown below. Selecting the button again
hides the frequency distribution.
Change Number of Classes
View/Hide Frequency Distribution
Histogram of Yields
1 (1.0%)
0 (0.0%)
1 (1.0%)
3 (3.1%)
2 (2.1%)
8 (8.3%)
4 (4.2%)
11 (11.5%)
13 (13.5%)
17 (17.7%)
19 (19.8%)
10 (10.4%)
5 (5.2%)
1 (1.0%)1 (1.0%)
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
69.5 to
70.5
70.5 to
71.5
71.5 to
72.5
72.5 to
73.5
73.5 to
74.5
74.5 to
75.5
75.5 to
76.5
76.5 to
77.5
77.5 to
78.5
78.5 to
79.5
79.5 to
80.5
80.5 to
81.5
81.5 to
82.5
82.5 to
83.5
83.5 to
84.5
Measurement
Fre
qu
en
cy
Descriptive Stats
Mean=75.625
Standard Error=0.26
Median=75
Standard Deviation=2.547
Variance=6.489
Sum=7260
Count=96
Maximum=84
Mininum=70
Range=14
Kurtosis=0.6157
Skewness=0.7079
Classes Freq. Rel. Freq.
69.5 to 70.5 1 1.0%
70.5 to 71.5 1 1.0%
71.5 to 72.5 5 5.2%
72.5 to 73.5 10 10.4%
73.5 to 74.5 19 19.8%
74.5 to 75.5 17 17.7%
75.5 to 76.5 13 13.5%
76.5 to 77.5 11 11.5%
77.5 to 78.5 4 4.2%
78.5 to 79.5 8 8.3%
79.5 to 80.5 2 2.1%
80.5 to 81.5 3 3.1%
81.5 to 82.5 1 1.0%
82.5 to 83.5 0 0.0%
83.5 to 84.5 1 1.0%
13 ©2007 Business Process Improvement
Attribute Control Charts
This program handles p, np; c and u attribute control charts. The data
entry depends on the type of chart you are using. You access this
feature by selecting the attribute control chart option (ATT) on the SPC
toolbar. You will see the dialog box to the right. Select the type of
chart you want to make.
p Charts
A p control chart is used to examine the variation in the proportion (or percentage) of defective items in a
group of items. An item is defective if it fails to conform to some preset specification (operational
definition). The p control chart is used with "yes/no" attributes data. This means that there are only two
possible outcomes: either the item is defective or it is not defective. For example: either the phone is
answered or it is not answered.
An example of a p chart generated by this program is given below. In this example, the percentage of
telemarketing calls that result in an order each day is being examined. "n" is the subgroup size (the
number of telemarketing calls made each day). "np" is the number of "defective" items -- in this case, the
number of calls that result in an order. "p" is the proportion defective and is determined by p = np/n. For
example, on the first day there were 40 telemarketing calls made (n = 40). Of these, 5 resulted in an order
(np = 5). Thus, p = np/n = 5/40 = 0.125 or 12.5%. In the chart below, 12.5% is the point plotted on
2/1/2003.
The values of p are plotted
over time. The average
( p ), the upper control limit
(UCL) and the lower control
limit (LCL) are calculated
using the equations below.
The average is plotted as a
green solid line and the
control limits are plotted as
red dashed lines. The
control limits in this
example vary because the
subgroup size varies. The
values for the average and
control limits (based on the
average subgroup size, n ) are also printed on the chart
or in the title depending on
the option selected.
n
npp
n
)p1(p3pUCL
n
)p1(p3pLCL
p Control Chart
Avg=19.47
UCL=36.16
LCL=2.780%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
2/1/
2003
2/2/
2003
2/3/
2003
2/4/
2003
2/5/
2003
2/6/
2003
2/7/
2003
2/8/
2003
2/9/
2003
2/10
/200
3
2/11
/200
3
2/12
/200
3
2/13
/200
3
2/14
/200
3
2/15
/200
3
Subgroup Number
% D
efe
cti
ve
14 ©2007 Business Process Improvement
The above control limits are not valid for the “small np case.” This occurs when n p < 5 or n(1- p )< 5.
In this case, the program automatically calculates the control limits using the binomial distribution.
Data Entry
The p chart monitors the fraction or percentage of defective
items in a group of items. Subgroup number (like the date
shown to the right), subgroup size (n) and number
nonconforming (np) are required as shown in the example
below. After entering the data, highlight the subgroup
numbers (in the example these are the dates). Then select the
attribute control chart option (Att) from the SPC toolbar and
select the p control chart option.
p Chart Dialog Box
Once you select the p control chart option, you will get the
dialog box shown to the right. There are two pages for this
dialog box. Each page is discussed below. Selecting OK
at the bottom of each page will run the program. Selecting
Cancel will cancel the program. The Switch Tabs button
can be used to switch between the two pages.
Input Ranges/Chart Name/Labels Page
Range containing the subgroup identifiers: This is the range containing the subgroup numbers (dates
in the above example). The default value is the
range selected on the worksheet prior to selecting
the attribute control option on the toolbar.
Range containing the n values: This is the range containing the subgroup size (n). The default
value is the range next to the subgroups unless you selected multiple ranges using the control key.
Range containing the np values: This is the range containing the number non-conforming (np). The default value is the range next to the n values unless you selected multiple ranges using the
control key.
Name of Chart: This is very important. Decide what you want to call the chart. This will be the name of the sheet that contains the chart in your workbook.
Control Chart Title: This is the title that goes on the control chart. The default value is “p Control Chart.”
Y-Axis Label: This is the vertical axis label. The default value is “% Defective.”
X-Axis Label: This is the horizontal axis label. The default value is “Subgroup Number”
Date Number of Telemarketing Calls (n)
Number that Result in an Order (np)
2/1/2003 40 5 2/2/2003 63 10 2/3/2003 47 12 2/4/2003 52 7 2/5/2003 34 3 2/6/2003 59 21 2/7/2003 36 12 2/8/2003 71 7 2/9/2003 53 11 2/10/2003 50 3 2/11/2003 41 12 2/12/2003 48 10 2/13/2003 67 5 2/14/2003 45 12 2/15/2003 54 18
15 ©2007 Business Process Improvement
Data in: Select columns or rows depending on how the data is entered into the spreadsheet. The program selects one or the other depending on the range selected prior to selecting Att on the SPC
toolbar.
Control Limits/Other Options Page
Test for Control: There are two options: points beyond the limits and the rules of
seven (seven in a row above or below the
average, or seven in a row trending up or
trending down).
Automatic Update of Limits?: This determines if the control limits are
automatically updated when you add
additional data to the chart. Select “Yes” if
you want the control limits to automatically
update; no if you don’t want the limits to
automatically update. The default is yes.
Based Limits on Average n? Select no to change the limits each time the subgroup size
changes. Select Yes to base the limits on the
average subgroup size. The default value is
No.
Print Average/Limits: Selecting “On Avg. and Limits” will print these on the lines in the chart. Selecting “In Chart Title” will print the values in the chart title.
Target for Average: This is the target value for the variable. It is not required.
Use Percent for Format?: Select yes to format the chart as percent; no to format the chart as a general number.
Dates of Data Collection: Add the starting date and ending dates of data collection. These dates are optional. If entered, they will appear in a dialog box in the lower left-hand corner of the chart.
Rounding to Use in Titles: This the rounding to use for the average and control limits printed in the title. The default value is determined by the program.
16 ©2007 Business Process Improvement
np Control Charts
A np control chart is used to monitor the variation in the number of defective items in a group of items.
With this chart, the subgroup size (n), the number of items in the group, must be the same each time. An
item is defective if it fails to conform to some preset specification (operational definition). The np control
chart is used with "yes/no" attributes data. This means that there are only two possible outcomes: either
the item is defective or it is not defective. For example: either the phone is answered or it is not
answered.
An example of a np chart generated by this program is shown below. In this example, the number of
defective invoices each day is being tracked. The control chart is developed by taking a random sample
of 100 invoices each day and determining the number that are defective. In this case, the subgroup size is
constant (100). np is the number of defective items. For example, on day one, there were 22 defective
invoices.
The values of np are plotted
over time. The average
( pn ), the upper control
limit (UCL), and the lower
control limit (LCL) are
calculated using the
equations below. k is the
number of subgroups used
in the calculations (k = 15 in
this chart). The average is
plotted as a solid green line
and the control limits are
plotted as red dashed lines.
The values for the average
and control limits, along
with the subgroup size, are
printed on the chart or in the
chart title depending on the
option selected.
k
nppn
n
pnp )p1(pn3pnUCL )p1(pn3pnLCL
The above control limits are not valid for the “small np case.” This occurs when n p < 5 or n(1- p )< 5.
In this case, the program automatically calculates the control limits using the binomial distribution.
np Control Chart
Avg=24.87
UCL=37.83
LCL=11.9
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Subgroup Number
Nu
mb
er
De
fec
tiv
e
17 ©2007 Business Process Improvement
Data Entry
A np control chart monitors the number of defective items in a constant
subgroup size. The required data to enter into the spreadsheet are the
subgroup numbers and the number of defective items as shown to the right.
Select the subgroup numbers (shaded area). Then select the attribute control
chart option (Att) from the SPC toolbar and select the np control chart
option.
np Chart Dialog Box
After selecting the np chart option, you will get the two
page dialog box shown here. Only items not described
in the p chart dialog box are explained below. See page
14 for the p chart dialog box.
Input Ranges/Chart Name/Labels Page
Subgroup size for np chart: Enter the constant subgroup size. It is required.
Control Limits/Other Options Page
All entries are explained in the p control chart section. See page 14 for the p chart dialog box.
Day Number
Number of Defective Invoices (np)
1 22 2 33 3 24 4 20 5 18 6 24 7 24 8 29 9 18 10 27 11 31 12 26 13 31 14 24 15 22
18 ©2007 Business Process Improvement
c Control Charts
A c control chart is used to monitor the variation in the number of defects. A defect occurs when
something does not meet a preset specification (operational definition). A c control chart is used with
counting type attributes data (e.g., 0, 1, 2, 3). These are whole numbers. You cannot have 1/2 defect. In
addition, to use a c control chart, two other conditions must be true:
The opportunity for defects to occur must be large.
The actual number that occurs must be small.
With a c control chart, we are often looking at an area, not a group of items. For example, we may use a c
control chart to monitor injuries in a chemical plant. In this case, the subgroup is the plant. The
opportunities for injuries to occur is large; the actual number that occur is small relative to the
opportunity. With a c control chart, the area of opportunity for defects to occur must be constant.
An example of a c control
chart generated using this
program is given to the
right. In this example, the
number of returned goods
to a distributor is being
tracked. “c” is the
number of returned goods
each day. For the first
date, there were 20 goods
returned.
The values of c are plotted
over time. The average
( c ), the upper control limit (UCL), and the
lower control limit (LCL)
are calculated using the
equations below. k is the
number of subgroups used in the calculations (k = 15 in the above chart). The average is plotted as a
solid green line and the control limits are plotted as red dashed lines. The values for the average and
control limits, along with the subgroup size, are printed on the chart or in the chart title depending on the
option selected.
k
cc
c3cUCL c3cLCL
These control limits are valid only if c > 3. The program will automatically use the Poisson Distribution to determine the control limits if the average is less than 3.
c Control Chart
Avg=23.13
UCL=37.56
LCL=8.7
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
2/1/
2003
2/2/
2003
2/3/
2003
2/4/
2003
2/5/
2003
2/6/
2003
2/7/
2003
2/8/
2003
2/9/
2003
2/10
/200
3
2/11
/200
3
2/12
/200
3
2/13
/200
3
2/14
/200
3
2/15
/200
3
Subgroup Number
Nu
mb
er
of
De
fec
ts
19 ©2007 Business Process Improvement
Data Entry
The c control chart is used to monitor the variation in the number of defects in
a constant subgroup size. Require data include the subgroup number and the
number of defects. An example of a c chart data is given to the right. To
make a c chart, select the subgroup numbers in the worksheet (shaded area).
Then select the attribute control chart option (Att) from the SPC toolbar and
select the c control chart option.
c Chart Dialog Box
After selecting the c Chart option in the dialog box, you
will get a two page dialog box shown here. Only items
not described in the p chart dialog box are explained
below. See page 14 for the p chart dialog box.
Input Ranges/Chart Name/Labels Page
Range containing c values: The range containing the number of defects. The default
value is the column next to the subgroup
identifiers unless you selected multiple ranges
using the control key.
Control Limits/Other Options Page
All entries are explained in the p control chart section. See page 14 for the p chart dialog box.
Day Number of
Returned Goods (c)
2/1/2003 20 2/2/2003 24 2/3/2003 14 2/4/2003 32 2/5/2003 28 2/6/2003 16 2/7/2003 19 2/8/2003 32 2/9/2003 27
2/10/2003 25 2/11/2003 24 2/12/2003 12 2/13/2003 17 2/14/2003 44 2/15/2003 13
20 ©2007 Business Process Improvement
u Control Charts
A u control chart is used to monitor the variation in the number of defects. A defect occurs when
something does not meet a preset specification (operational definition). A u control chart is used with
counting type attributes data (e.g., 0, 1, 2, 3). These are whole numbers. You can not have 1/2 defect. In
addition, to use a u control chart, two other conditions must be true:
• The opportunity for defects to occur must be large.
• The actual number that occur must be small.
With a u control chart, we are often looking at an area of opportunity for defects to occur. A u control is
similar to a c control chart, except that the area of opportunity for defects to occur is not constant.
An example of a u chart generated by this program is given below. In this example, radiators are being
checked for leaks. Each day, the number of radiators assembled is counted. This is the area of
opportunity for leaks to occur (n). The number of leaks found when two portions of the radiator were
assembled for the first time is also counted (c). For example, on the first day, 39 radiators were hooked
up. There were 14 leaks detected. In this case, u = c/n = 14/39 = .359
The u values are plotted
over time. The average
( u ), the upper control limit (UCL) and the lower
control limit (LCL) are
calculated using the
equations below. There is
no LCL in this example
(it is negative). The
average is plotted as a
green solid line and the
control limits are plotted
as red dashed lines. The
values for the average and
control limits (based on
the average subgroup size,
n ) are printed on the chart or in the chart title
depending on the option
selected.
n
cu
n
u3uUCL
n
u3uLCL
The control limits will be based on the actual subgroup size for each point. If the subgroup size varies,
the control limits will also vary (as shown in the above example). These control limits are valid only if
c > 3. The program will automatically use the Poisson Distribution to determine the control limits if the average is less than 3.
u Control Chart
Avg=0.15
UCL=0.32
0
0.05
0.1
0.15
0.2
0.25
0.3
0.35
0.4
2-Jun 3-Jun 4-Jun 5-Jun 6-Jun 7-Jun 8-Jun 9-Jun 10-Jun 11-Jun 12-Jun 13-Jun 14-Jun 15-Jun 16-Jun
Subgroup Number
De
fects
pe
r In
sp
ecti
on
Un
it
21 ©2007 Business Process Improvement
Data Entry
A u control chart is used to monitor the number of defects in
a changing subgroup size. The required data to be entered
into the spreadsheet are the subgroup numbers, the subgroup
size, and the number of defects. To make a u chart, select the
subgroup numbers (shaded area), select the attribute control
chart option (Att) from the SPC toolbar, and then select the u
control chart option.
u Chart Dialog Box
Once you select the u chart option on the dialog box, you
will get the two page dialog box shown here. Only items not
described in the p or c chart dialog box are explained below.
See page 14 for the p chart dialog box.
Input Ranges/Chart Name/Labels Page
Range containing n values: The range containing the subgroup size. The default value is the column next
to the subgroup identifiers unless you selected
multiple ranges using the control key.
Range containing c values: The range containing the number of defects. The default value is the column
next to n unless you selected multiple ranges using
the control key.
Inspection Unit: Enter the size of the inspection unit. For example, you can have an inspection unit of 1
radiator, 10 radiators, 20 radiators, etc. This choice
impacts the scaling of the chart.
Control Limits/Other Options Page
All entries are explained in the p control chart section. See page 14 for the p chart dialog box.
Date Number of Radiatiors
Assembled (n)
Number of Leaks (c)
2-Jun 39 14 3-Jun 45 4 4-Jun 46 5 5-Jun 48 13 6-Jun 40 6 7-Jun 58 2 8-Jun 50 4 9-Jun 50 11
10-Jun 50 8 11-Jun 50 10 12-Jun 32 3 13-Jun 50 11 14-Jun 33 1 15-Jun 50 3 16-Jun 50 6
22 ©2007 Business Process Improvement
Variable Control Charts
You access these control charts by selecting the variable control chart
option (Var) on the SPC toolbar. You will then get the dialog box
shown to the right. Select the option you want. The options are:
X -R control charts
X -s control charts
Moving average and moving range control charts
X-MR (individuals) control charts
Table X-MR (for making multiple individuals charts at once)
Run charts
There is also an option to make subgroups from data in a single
column. This option is described latter in this section.
The dialog boxes for all the options are very similar. The X -R control chart is used to show how the
program works.
X -R Control Chart
An X -R control chart is used to examine the variation in variables data. Variables data are “measurements” (e.g., height, weight, time, dollars, density). This control chart is used when you have
lots of data and a method of rationally subgrouping the data. An example of an X -R chart is given on the next page. In this example, sales per day are monitored. A subgroup is made up of the results for one
week. The subgroup size (n) in this case is 5.
The X -R chart is really two charts. The top chart is the X chart. This chart looks at the variation in subgroup averages. The subgroup average is the average of the individual results in the subgroup. The
bottom chart is the range chart. The subgroup range is the largest result minus the smallest result in the
subgroup.
The values of X and the moving range are plotted over time. The average and control limits for both charts are calculated using the equations below. The average is plotted as a green solid line and the
control limits are plotted as red dashed lines on both charts. For the equations below, k is the number of
subgroups. A2, D3, and D4, d2 are constants used in the calculations for charts. See the e-zines on our
website for more information about these constants.
X Chart Equations:
X
X
k UCL X A 2R LCL X A2R
Range Chart Equations:
R
R
k UCL D4R LCL D3R
ˆ R
d2
The values for the average and control limits are printed on the respective charts.
23 ©2007 Business Process Improvement
Xbar Chart
Avg=30.2
UCL=33.8
LCL=26.6
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
2/1/2003 2/8/2003 2/15/2003 2/22/2003 3/1/2003 3/8/2003 3/15/2003 3/22/2003 3/29/2003 4/5/2003 4/12/2003 4/19/2003 4/26/2003 5/3/2003 5/10/2003
Subgroup Number
Su
bg
rou
p A
vera
ge
R Chart
Avg=6.3
UCL=13.3
0.0
2.0
4.0
6.0
8.0
10.0
12.0
14.0
2/1/2003 2/8/2003 2/15/2003 2/22/2003 3/1/2003 3/8/2003 3/15/2003 3/22/2003 3/29/2003 4/5/2003 4/12/2003 4/19/2003 4/26/2003 5/3/2003 5/10/2003
Subgroup Number
Su
bg
rou
p R
an
ge
24 ©2007 Business Process Improvement
Data Entry
The data input for this type of chart is shown
to the right. The subgroup identifiers (week of
in this example) are in the first column. In
this example, data is collected once a day
every weekday. The results for one week are
used to form the subgroup (n = 5). Select the
subgroup identifiers and data (shaded). Then
select the variable control chart option (Var)
from the SPC toolbar. You will get the dialog
box above. Select the X -R chart option and
select OK.
X -R Chart Dialog Box
You will get the three-page dialog box shown
to the right. Each page is discussed below.
Selecting OK at the bottom of each page will
run the program. Selecting Cancel will cancel
the program. The Next Page and Previous
page buttons can be used to switch between the
three pages.
Input Ranges/Chart Name/Labels Page
Range Containing the Subgroup Identifiers: This is the range that
contains the subgroup numbers. The
default value is the first column in the
range you selected prior to selecting
the variable control chart option in the
toolbar.
Range Containing the Data: This is the range containing the data. The default range is the range you selected prior to selecting the
variable control chart option excluding the first column in the range.
Subgroup Size: This is the subgroup size. The default value is the number of columns minus one in the range you selected prior to selecting the variable control chart option in the toolbar. THIS
VALUE DETERMINES WHAT DATA IS INCLUDED.
Name of Chart: This is very important. Decide what you want to call the chart. This will be the name of the sheet that contains the chart in your workbook.
Xbar Chart Title and Labels o Title: This is the title that goes on the control chart. The default title is Xbar Chart. o Y-Axis Label: This is the vertical axis label. The default label is Subgroup Average. o X-Axis Label: This is the horizontal axis label. The default label is Subgroup Number.
R Chart Title and Labels o Title: This is the title that goes on the range chart. The default title is R Chart. o Y-Axis Label: This is the vertical axis label. The default label is Subgroup Range.
Chart Options
Week of Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday 2/1/2003 33.0 33.1 26.4 28.3 28.9 2/8/2003 30.0 30.1 29.2 31.5 28.4
2/15/2003 31.8 29.4 28.0 26.9 32.2 2/22/2003 28.5 34.0 33.6 29.7 33.4 3/1/2003 27.2 27.6 30.6 30.1 27.4 3/8/2003 30.5 30.5 28.1 37.7 28.7
3/15/2003 35.4 31.3 27.8 31.3 33.0 3/22/2003 33.6 33.3 26.4 32.4 34.1 3/29/2003 35.8 34.1 30.1 30.3 26.1 4/5/2003 30.4 32.6 32.5 25.2 32.1
4/12/2003 26.9 32.4 29.0 26.8 29.3 4/19/2003 28.0 28.2 25.5 31.1 34.4 4/26/2003 29.1 31.6 29.0 33.1 30.9 5/3/2003 26.4 30.8 34.0 27.0 31.7
5/10/2003 27.4 26.0 28.2 27.9 27.3
25 ©2007 Business Process Improvement
o Xbar Chart Only: only the X chart is constructed. This is the default option
o Xbar and R Charts – Different Worksheets: Both the X and range charts are constructed but on different worksheets.
o Xbar and R Charts – Same Worksheet: Both the X and range charts are constructed on the same worksheet.
Data in: Select columns or rows depending on how the data is entered into the spreadsheet. The program selects one or the other depending on the range selected prior to selecting the variable
control chart option (Var) on the SPC toolbar.
Options Page
Tests for Control: There are three options for interpreting the charts for
control: points beyond the limits, the
rules of seven (seven in a row above or
below the average or trending up or
down) and the zone tests (zones A, B, C,
stratification, mixtures). The zone tests
are not applied to range or standard
deviation charts. If an out of control
situation is detected, the points on the
chart will be in red.
Target for Average: This is the target value for the variable. It is not required.
Print Average/Limits: There are two options.
o On Avg. and Limits: This option prints the average and control
limits values on the lines. This is the default option.
o In Chart Title: This option prints the values in the control chart title.
Allow values below 0?: Sometimes, it is not possible for the variable to have values below 0. If that is the case, select “No” for this option. The default value is “Yes.”
Generate New/Update Existing Capability Chart? Select Yes to do a process capability analysis. The default option is No. See the Process Capability section in this manual for more information.
Dates of Data Collection: Add the starting date and ending dates of data collection. These dates are optional. If entered, they will appear in a dialog box in the lower left-hand corner of the chart.
Rounding to Use in Titles: This is the rounding to use for the average and control limits printed in the title. If the first cell in the range has been formatted, this format is used. If not, the value
entered here is used for rounding. The program will estimate the rounding in the data.
26 ©2007 Business Process Improvement
Control Limit Option
Automatic Update of Limits?: This determines if the control limits are
automatically updated when you add
additional data to the chart. Select
“Yes” if you want the control limits to
automatically update; No if you don’t
want the limits to automatically
update. The default value is Yes.
The rest of this dialog box is used only if you
want to change the default way the program
calculates the control limits. The program uses
the equations given in this manual for the +/-
three sigma limits. There are two other
options you have:
Base control limits on +/- “x” sigma: You can select the sigma limits you want to use in the control chart. The default value is 3. DO
NOT CHANGE ANYTHING IF YOU WANT THE PROGRAM TO USE THE STANDARD
CONTROL LIMIT EQUATIONS. You can also add two additional lines to the charts (above
and below the average). Any values entered for these additional lines are ignored if the 3 sigma
limits are being used. If you use any other value than 3 sigma for the control limits, the zone tests
for out of control points will not be applied since it is no longer valid.
Enter your own limits: You may also enter your own values for the X chart control limits. An additional two lines can also be added to the chart. The values entered here must be between the
average and the UCL entered. The program will add them automatically to the area between the
average and the LCL.
27 ©2007 Business Process Improvement
X -s Control Charts
A X -s chart is very similar to the X -R chart. Instead of using the subgroup range, the X -s chart uses the subgroup standard deviation to determine process variability. It is usually used when your subgroup
is greater than or equal to 10.
For the equations below, k is the number of subgroups. A3, B3, and B4, C4 are constants used in the
calculations for the charts.
X Chart Equations:
X
X
k UCL X A3s LCL X A3s
s Chart Equation:
s
s
k UCL B4s LCL B3s
ˆ s
c4
The data entry requirements and the dialog boxes for these two charts are the same as the X -R control
chart. Please refer to the instructions above for the X -R control charts (page 22). The X -s charts for the
same data as used above for the X -R charts are shown below.
Xbar Chart
Avg=30.2
UCL=33.9
LCL=26.5
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
2/1/2003 2/8/2003 2/15/2003 2/22/2003 3/1/2003 3/8/2003 3/15/2003 3/22/2003 3/29/2003 4/5/2003 4/12/2003 4/19/2003 4/26/2003 5/3/2003 5/10/2003
Subgroup Number
Su
bg
rou
p A
vera
ge
s Chart
Avg=2.6
UCL=5.4
0.0
1.0
2.0
3.0
4.0
5.0
6.0
2/1/2003 2/8/2003 2/15/2003 2/22/2003 3/1/2003 3/8/2003 3/15/2003 3/22/2003 3/29/2003 4/5/2003 4/12/2003 4/19/2003 4/26/2003 5/3/2003 5/10/2003
Subgroup Number
Su
bg
rou
p S
tan
dard
Devia
tio
n
28 ©2007 Business Process Improvement
X-MR (Individuals) Control Charts
An individuals control chart (with a moving range of two) is used to examine the variation in variables
data. Variables data are “measurements” (e.g., height, weight, time, dollars, density). This chart is used
when you have limited data (for example, one data point per day or per week). It is also useful when data
are difficult to obtain. To use this chart, the individual measurements should be normally distributed, i.e.,
a histogram of the individual measurements is bell-shaped.
An example of an individuals control chart is given below. In this example, the dollar value of accounts
receivable past due 90 days is being monitored. An individuals control chart is really two charts. The top
chart is the X chart where the individual result (accounts receivable past due 90 days for a week) is
plotted. For example, the first point corresponds to $110,000 in past due receivables for the first week
(2/6). The second point corresponds to $104,000 for the second week (2/13).
Individuals Chart
Avg=103.6
UCL=124.3
LCL=82.9
79
84
89
94
99
104
109
114
119
124
129
2/5/
2003
2/12
/200
3
2/19
/200
3
2/26
/200
3
3/5/
2003
3/12
/200
3
3/19
/200
3
3/26
/200
3
4/2/
2003
4/9/
2003
4/16
/200
3
4/23
/200
3
4/30
/200
3
5/7/
2003
5/14
/200
3
5/21
/200
3
5/28
/200
3
6/4/
2003
6/11
/200
3
6/18
/200
3
Sample Number
Resu
lt
Moving Range Chart
Avg=7.8
UCL=25.5
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
2/5/
2003
2/12
/200
3
2/19
/200
3
2/26
/200
3
3/5/
2003
3/12
/200
3
3/19
/200
3
3/26
/200
3
4/2/
2003
4/9/
2003
4/16
/200
3
4/23
/200
3
4/30
/200
3
5/7/
2003
5/14
/200
3
5/21
/200
3
5/28
/200
3
6/4/
2003
6/11
/200
3
6/18
/200
3
Sample Number
Mo
vin
g R
an
ge
The bottom chart is the moving range chart. The moving range between consecutive points is plotted on
this chart. For example, the range between accounts receivable past due for 90 days between the week of
2/6 and 2/13 is $110,000 - $104,000 = $6,000. There is no range corresponding to the first data point on
the X chart.
The values of X and the moving range are plotted over time. The average and control limits for both
charts are calculated using the equations below. The average is plotted as a green solid line and the
control limits are plotted as red dashed lines on both charts. For the equations below, k is the number of
samples (individual X values).
29 ©2007 Business Process Improvement
X Chart Equations:
k
XX
R66.2XUCL R66.2XLCL
Moving Range Chart Equations:
1
k
RR R27.3UCL NoneLCL
128.1
Rˆ
The values for the average and control limits are printed on the respective charts
Data Entry
The only data required for an individuals control chart are the sample number
and the result as shown to the right. Select the sample numbers (shaded area).
Then select the variable control chart option (Var) on the SPC toolbar and
select the X-MR (Individuals) Chart option. Select OK and you will get the
two-page dialog box for the individuals control chart. This dialog box is the
same as for the X -R control chart. Please refer to the instructions above for
the X -R control charts.
Week of Accounts
Receivable 2/5/2003 110
2/12/2003 104 2/19/2003 98 2/26/2003 112 3/5/2003 113
3/12/2003 100 3/19/2003 89 3/26/2003 113 4/2/2003 109 4/9/2003 105
4/16/2003 108 4/23/2003 95 4/30/2003 101 5/7/2003 98
5/14/2003 100 5/21/2003 105 5/28/2003 103 6/4/2003 99
6/11/2003 112 6/18/2003 98
30 ©2007 Business Process Improvement
Moving Average/Moving Range (MA/MR) Charts
A moving average/moving range (MA/MR) chart is very similar to the X -R chart. The data entry requirements are the same. Please refer to the X -R chart directions (page 22). The only major difference in constructing a MA/MR chart is in how the subgroups are formed. The MA/MR chart reuses data. For
example, the data for the X-MR chart above could be regrouped into subgroup sizes of three using a
MA/MR chart. The first subgroup for the MA/MR chart is formed using the first three results (for the
weeks of 2/5, 2/12 and 2/19. The second subgroup for the MA/MR chart uses the weeks of 2/12 and 2/19
and then adds in the week of 2/26. This continues for each of the remaining samples. You use a MA/MR
chart when you have infrequent data that is not normally distributed. For MA/MR Chart
For the X-MR Chart
Subgroup Number
1 2 3
Week of Accounts
Receivable 1 110 104 98 2/5/2003 110 2 104 98 112 2/12/2003 104 3 98 112 113 2/19/2003 98 4 112 113 100 2/26/2003 112 5 113 100 89 3/5/2003 113 6 100 89 113 3/12/2003 100 7 89 113 109 3/19/2003 89 8 113 109 105 3/26/2003 113 9 109 105 108 4/2/2003 109
10 105 108 95 4/9/2003 105 11 108 95 101 4/16/2003 108 12 95 101 98 4/23/2003 95 13 101 98 100 4/30/2003 101 14 98 100 105 5/7/2003 98 15 100 105 103 5/14/2003 100 16 105 103 99 5/21/2003 105 17 103 99 112 5/28/2003 103 18 99 112 98 6/4/2003 99
6/11/2003 112 6/18/2003 98
The charts below are the output from the MA/MR chart for this data.
Moving Averge Chart
Avg=103.4
UCL=115.8
LCL=91
89
94
99
104
109
114
119
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Subgroup Number
Mo
vin
g A
vera
ge
Moving Range Chart
Avg=12.1
UCL=31.2
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Subgroup Number
Mo
vin
g R
an
ge
31 ©2007 Business Process Improvement
Table X-MR (Individuals) Chart
This option is used to generate multiple individual control charts at the same time. You can either
generate the charts one at a time (loops through the dialog box each time) or all at once using chart names
and labels that already are entered on the worksheet.
Generate Charts One at a Time
The data is entered as shown to the right. The sample numbers are in one
column. The results are in the adjacent columns. Select the sample numbers
(shaded area). Then select the variable control chart option (Var) on the SPC
toolbar and select the Table X-MR (Individuals) Chart option. Select OK and
you will get the two-page dialog box for the individuals control chart. Enter the
required information into the dialog box and select OK. The first individuals
chart will be constructed. The program then moves to the adjacent column and
shows the dialog box again. The program runs until it finds a blank cell for
sample 1.
Generate Charts All at Once
The data entry requirements are shown to the right. To use this option, the
unique name of the charts as well as the Y labels and X labels must be
entered into the worksheet as shown to the right. Select the sample numbers
(shaded area). Then select the variable control chart option (Var) on the SPC
toolbar and select the Table X-MR (Individuals) Chart option. Select OK
and you will get the two-page dialog box for the individuals control chart.
Select the second page. In the lower right hand side of the dialog box is
“Base Labels on Cell Locations and Run Automatically.” Select Yes. You
will then get the dialog box below.
Select the row containing the title (name of chart),
the Y labels, and the X labels. Then select OK.
This returns you to the individuals control chart
form. Select OK. This will generate all the charts
automatically.
Sample Result 1 Result 2
1 98.5 93.61
2 101.22 106.38
3 105.99 108.67
4 89.08 98.83
5 105.48 94.57
6 96.55 91.55
7 90.77 95.11
8 96.13 89.41
9 97.16 97.98
10 100.67 98.17
Name Chart 1 Chart 2
Y Label Y Y
X Label X X
Sample Result 1 Result 2
1 98.5 93.61
2 101.22 106.38
3 105.99 108.67
4 89.08 98.83
5 105.48 94.57
6 96.55 91.55
7 90.77 95.11
8 96.13 89.41
9 97.16 97.98
10 100.67 98.17
32 ©2007 Business Process Improvement
Run Charts
The data entry requirements and the dialog box for the run chart are essentially the same as the X-MR
chart. Please review to the information above on the X-MR chart (page 28).
Subgroup Maker: Make Subgroups from Column of Numbers
The program has the option to make subgroups from a single column of numbers. The data
must be in a single column as shown to the right.
Select the data you want to make into subgroups (the data only, not any sample identifier).
Select the variable control chart option on the SPC toolbar
Select the “Make Subgroups from Single Column” option. You will get the dialog box shown below.
The range listed is the range you selected on the worksheet. You may change it here
if it is not correct.
Enter the subgroup size, not to exceed 25.
Select the Output Option you desire: o First cell of output range on a
worksheet: enter the cell location
on the worksheet where you want
the subgroups formed.
o New worksheet: select this option to put the subgroups on a new worksheet.
Select OK: The subgroups will be generated and place based on your output option. You will then get
the Variables Chart dialog box to select the type of
chart you want to make and follow the instructions
for that chart.
Data
97.00
87.22
102.44
112.76
111.98
117.33
78.16
97.66
110.95
89.13
93.10
83.10
81.53
90.22
92.26
78.82
94.32
95.96
101.35
96.35
96.73
96.30
113.43
99.15
98.14
94.87
119.72
108.66
123.76
93.45
33 ©2007 Business Process Improvement
Process Capability
Process capability answers the question: Is the process capable of meeting specifications? Specifications
can be set by customers. Specifications could also be standards set by management for a process. For
example, the standard for days sales outstanding might be set by leadership to be less than 46 days. One
measure of process capability is the Cpk index. Another is Ppk. To determine the process capability, the
individual sample results should be normally distributed (the histogram is a bell shaped curve) and the
process should be in statistical control.
The value of Cpk is the minimum of two process capability indices. One process capability is Cpu, which
is the process capability based on the upper specification limit. The other is Cpl, which is the process
capability based on the lower specification limit. Algebraically, Cpk is defined as:
Cpk = Minimum (Cpu, Cpl)
'ˆ3
XUSLCpu
'ˆ3
LSLXCpl
where USL = upper specification limit and LSL = lower specification limit. Both Cpu and Cpl take into
account where the process is centered. The value of Cpk is the difference between the process average
( X ) and the nearest specification limit divided by three times the standard deviation ( '̂ ). This standard deviation is the standard deviation estimated from a range or s chart. In determining Ppk, the standard
deviation is the actual standard deviation of the measurements.
Cpk values above 1.0 are desired. This means that essentially no product or service is being produced
above USL or below LSL. The figure below shows how the Cpk values are developed. If Cpk is less
than 1.0, this means that there is some product being produced out of specification.
X=
+3̂'X=
+2̂'X=
+1̂'X=
X=
-1̂'X=
-2̂'X=
-3̂'
LSL USL
X=
- LSL USL - X=
3̂' 3̂'
The process capability feature of this program includes Cpk and Ppk. The data used in the analysis can
either be data entered into a spreadsheet for this analysis alone or data that has been used for a control
chart previously.
34 ©2007 Business Process Improvement
An example of the process capability analysis performed by the program is shown below. The histogram
of the data is given along with a normal curve. The specification limits are added. The statistics are
given to the right. The percentages in parentheses give the % out of specification for that metric.
Capability Analysis
LSL=60 USL=80Nominal=70
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
57 62 67 72 77 82 87
Measurement
Fre
qu
en
cy
Statistics
Cp=1.34
Cpk= 0.59
Cpu= 0.59 (3.84%)
Cpl= 2.09 (0%)
Est. Sigma= 2.5
Pp=1.31
Ppk= 0.57
Ppu= 0.57 (4.36%)
Ppl= 2.04 (0%)
Sigma= 2.6
Average=75.6
Min=70
Max=84
Count=96
No. Out of Spec=5 (5.21%)
Kurtosis=0.62
Skewness=0.71
Sigma Level=1.77
DPMO=394117.9
The statistics include the following:
Cp: = (USL-LSL)/6 '̂ where '̂ is the estimated standard deviation from a range or s chart
Cpk: the minium of Cpu or Cpl
Cpu: the capability based on the USL = (USL- X )/3 '̂ where X is the overall average (the number in parentheses is the theoretical % greater than the USL)
Cpl: the capability based on the LSL = ( X -LSL)/3 '̂ (the number in parentheses is the theoretical % less than the LSL)
Est. Sigma = '̂
Pp: = (USL-LSL)/6s where s is the standard deviation of the measurements
Ppk: the minium of Ppu or Ppl
Ppu: the capability based on the USL = (USL- X )/3s where X is the overall average (the number in parentheses is the theoretical % greater than the USL)
Ppl: the capability based on the LSL = ( X -LSL)/3s (the number in parentheses is the theoretical % less than the LSL)
Sigma: = s
Average: = X Count: = number of data points in the analysis
No. Out of Spec: = actual number out of specification (number in parentheses is the % out)
35 ©2007 Business Process Improvement
Kurtosis: a measure of the shape of the distribution. A positive value means that the distribution has longer tails than a normal distribution; a negative value means that the distribution has shorter
tails. The normal distribution has kurtosis of 0.
Skewness: a measure of asymmetry. If skewness is 0, there is perfect symmetry (like the normal distribution). A positive value means that the tail of the distribution is stretched on the side above
the mean. The negative values means it is stretch on the side below the mean.
Sigma Level: A statistical term that measures how much a process varies from perfection, based on the number of defects per million units.
o One Sigma = 690,000 per million units o Two Sigma = 308,000 per million units o Three Sigma = 66,800 per million units o Four Sigma = 6,210 per million units o Five Sigma = 230 per million units o Six Sigma = 3.4 per million units
DPMO: Defects per million opportunities
Data Entry
If you are just using data to determine process capability without using a
control chart, enter the data into the spreadsheet. An example is shown to
the right. Select the data to be used in the analysis and then select the
process capability option (Cpk) on the SPC toolbar. If you want to do a
process capability analysis for an existing chart, you do not have to select
anything on a worksheet prior to selecting the process capability option on
the SPC toolbar.
81 77 75 74 77 73 77 74 76 75 79 74 74 79 73 75 75 74 75 80 80 79 72 78 73 74 74 73 75 74 77 75 75 72 75 74 76 75 74 74 78 75 76 76 78 77 78 75 74 76 77 76 72 73 79 82 73 75 74 79 77 73 72 75 73 73 76 76 76 75 74 72 76 76 76 74 79 79 75 81 77 74 77 71 84 74 79 70 77 74 73 77 76 74 81 75
36 ©2007 Business Process Improvement
Process Capability Dialog Box
Once you select the process capability option,
you will get the two page dialog box shown.
Each page is discussed below. Selecting OK at
the bottom of the page will run the program.
Selecting Cancel will end the program. The
Switch Tabs button can be used to switch
between the two pages.
Input Ranges/Chart Name Page
Data or Existing chart?: Select the option you want. “Data Only” is the
default option. When “Data Only” is
selected, the “Range Containing Values”
is enabled.
o Range Containing Values: This is the range containing the values on which to do the process capability analysis. The
default value is the range selected on the spreadsheet before selecting the process
capability option.
If “Existing Chart” is selected, the “Select Existing Chart” list box is enabled and a list of
available charts is given in the list box. Select the chart you want to do the process capability
analysis on.
Name of Chart: This is very important. Decide what you want to call the chart. This will be the name of the sheet that contains the chart in your workbook. If you select the “Existing Chart”
option, the chart automatically will be the name of the existing chart worksheet with Cpk added.
Data in: Select columns or rows depending on how the data is entered into the spreadsheet. The program selects one or the other depending on the range selected prior to selecting the process
capability option on the SPC toolbar.
Specifications: Enter the upper specification limit (USL), the lower specification limit (LSL) and the nominal, the target (if desired). Only one specification limit is required.
Add +/- 3 Sigma Limits: In addition to the specifications, you can add the +/- three sigma limits to the chart. The default is No. If you select Yes, you can chose sigma to the estimated sigma from
the range chart or the calculated standard deviation of all the data.
Titles/Labels/Dates of Data Collection/Multiple Charts/Outliers Page
Capability Chart Title: This is the title that goes on the chart. The default value
is “Capability Analysis.”
Y-Axis Label: This is the vertical axis label. The default value is “Frequency.”
X-Axis Label: This is the horizontal axis label. The default value is
“Measurement.”
Number of Decimal Places for Rounding: This is the rounding to use for the values
in the titles on the chart.
37 ©2007 Business Process Improvement
Dates of Data Collection: Add the starting date and ending dates of data collection. These dates are optional. If entered, they will appear in a dialog box in the lower left-hand corner of the chart.
More Than One Chart? Select “Yes” if you want to make multiple process capability charts by looping through the dialog box. The program assumes that the next set of data for the process
capability analysis is adjacent to the current set. Use one row or one column of data if you are
selecting this option. “No” is the default value.
Remove Outliers? Select “Yes” if you want to remove outliers from the calculations. Enter the number of standard deviations you want to remove outliers beyond (e.g., beyond +/- 6 sigma).
The default option is “No.”
38 ©2007 Business Process Improvement
Advanced Process Capability
This option is used to automatically generate multiple process capability analysis, to remove outliers,
adjust specification limits, and generate a summary process capability table.
Data Entry
The data entry requirements for this option are shown to
the right. There must be a row containing the unique
“Name of Chart.” This becomes the worksheet tab name.
In addition, there must be a row containing the LSL and/or
USL. The row containing the nominal value is optional.
Select the data in the column containing the data for the
first process capability chart (shaded). Then select the
advanced process capability (ACpk) from the SPC toolbar.
Advanced Process Capability Dialog Box
One you select the Advanced Process
Capability option from the toolbar, you get
the two page dialog box shown to the right.
Each page is discussed below. Selecting
OK at the bottom of the page will run the
program. Selecting Cancel will end the
program. The Switch Tabs button can be
used to switch between the two pages.
Input Page
Capability Results Table: If “Yes” is selected, a table summarizing the
process capability for all charts will
be generated. An example is shown
at the end of this section.
Range Containing Values: This is the range of the data for the first process capability chart. The default value is the selected area on the spreadsheet. The data must be in columns for this feature.
Select Row Containing Name: Select a cell in the row or the row itself that contains the unique name of the chart. This name will be on the worksheet tab containing the process capability
chart.
Select Row Containing USL: Select a cell in the row or the row that contains the USL values.
Select Row Containing Nominal: Select a cell in the row or the row that contains the nominal values.
Select Row Containing LSL: Select a cell in the row or the row that contains the LSL values.
Name of Chart Chart 1 Chart 2 Chart 3 Chart 4 Chart 5
LSL 70 68 75 60 65
Nominal 100 100 97.5 100 95
USL 130 132 120 140 125
90 92 96 109 111
92 112 101 102 99
109 82 117 103 90
89 91 91 116 117
92 109 105 83 95
97 107 112 76 105
112 85 97 108 75
95 99 101 115 94
95 108 105 108 94
102 99 85 112 101
108 97 89 99 107
101 93 111 83 106
116 89 104 105 102
110 118 102 98 99
81 87 117 114 107
94 101 97 116 95
91 103 106 100 99
108 97 106 108 87
95 87 84 116 105
100 96 113 114 112
39 ©2007 Business Process Improvement
Remove Outliers? Select “Yes” if you want to remove outliers from the calculations. Enter the number of standard deviations you want to remove outliers beyond (e.g., beyond +/- 6 sigma).
The default option is “No.”
Reset Specifications Limits? Select “Yes” if you want the program to replace the existing specification limits with new limits set at the value of +/- sigma you enter. This is useful if you
are trying to set specification limits, e.g., for prototype data.
Add +/- 3 Sigma Limits: In addition to the specifications, you can add the +/- three sigma limits to the chart. The default is No. If you select Yes, you can chose sigma to the estimated sigma from
the range chart or the calculated standard deviation of all the data.
Labels and Date Page
Y-Axis Label: This is the vertical axis label. The default value is
“Frequency.”
X-Axis Label: This is the horizontal axis label. The default value is
“Measurement.”
Dates of Data Collection: Add the starting date and ending dates of
data collection. These dates are
optional. If entered, they will
appear in a dialog box in the lower
left-hand corner of the chart.
Example of Process Capability Table Output
An example of the process capability table output is shown below. This is from the data in the example
workbook.
Name Cp Cpk Cpu Cpl Est. Sigma Pp Ppk Ppu Ppl Sigma Average Count Minimum Maximum Kurtosis Skewness LSL USL
Chart 1 1.07 1.03 1.11 1.03 9.33 1.09 1.05 1.13 1.05 9.17 98.85 20 81 116 -0.65 0.19 70 130
Chart 2 0.94 0.87 1.01 0.87 11.38 1.1 1.02 1.18 1.02 9.72 97.6 20 82 118 -0.53 0.37 68 132
Chart 3 0.67 0.54 0.54 0.8 11.24 0.77 0.62 0.62 0.92 9.73 101.95 20 84 117 -0.58 -0.28 75 120
Chart 4 1.29 1.16 1.16 1.43 10.31 1.