Example 15.22 Applying Tests for Special Causes

[See SHWPEX1 in the SAS/QC Sample Library]This example shows how you can apply tests for special causes to make charts more sensitive to special causes of variation. The following statements create a SAS data set named Circuit3, which contains the number of failing circuits for 20 batches from the circuit manufacturing process introduced in Creating p Charts from Count Data:

data Circuit3;
   input Batch Fail @@;
datalines;
 1 12    2  21    3  16    4  9
 5  3    6   4    7   6    8  9
 9 11   10  13   11  12   12  7
13  2   14  14   15   9   16  8
17 14   18  10   19  11   20  9
;

The following statements create the chart, apply several tests to the chart, and tabulate the results:

ods graphics off;
title1'p Chart for the Proportion of Failing Circuits';
title2 'Tests = 1 to 4';
proc shewhart data=Circuit3;
   pchart Fail*Batch / subgroupn = 500
                       tests     = 1 to 4
                       zones
                       zonelabels
                       ltests    = 20
                       table
                       tabletest
                       tablelegend;
run;

The chart is shown in Output 15.22.1, and the printed output is shown in Output 15.22.2. The TESTS= option requests Tests 1, 2, 3, and 4, which are described in Tests for Special Causes: SHEWHART Procedure. The TABLETESTS option requests a table of proportions of nonconforming items and control limits, with a column indicating which subgroups tested positive for special causes. The TABLELEGEND option adds a legend describing the tests that are positive.

The ZONELABELS option displays zone lines and zone labels on the chart. The zones are used to define the tests. The LTESTS= option specifies the line type used to connect the points in a pattern for a test that is signaled.

Output 15.22.1 and Output 15.22.2 indicate that Test 1 is positive at batch 2 and Test 3 is positive at batch 10.

Output 15.22.1 Tests for Special Causes Displayed on Chart
Tests for Special Causes Displayed on p Chart

Output 15.22.2 Tabular Form of Chart
p Chart for the Proportion of Failing Circuits
Tests = 1 to 4

The SHEWHART Procedure

p Chart Summary for Fail
Batch Subgroup
Sample
Size
3 Sigma Limits with n=500 for Proportion Special
Tests
Signaled
Lower
Limit
Subgroup
Proportion
Upper
Limit
1 500 0.00121703 0.02400000 0.03878297  
2 500 0.00121703 0.04200000 0.03878297 1
3 500 0.00121703 0.03200000 0.03878297  
4 500 0.00121703 0.01800000 0.03878297  
5 500 0.00121703 0.00600000 0.03878297  
6 500 0.00121703 0.00800000 0.03878297  
7 500 0.00121703 0.01200000 0.03878297  
8 500 0.00121703 0.01800000 0.03878297  
9 500 0.00121703 0.02200000 0.03878297  
10 500 0.00121703 0.02600000 0.03878297 3
11 500 0.00121703 0.02400000 0.03878297  
12 500 0.00121703 0.01400000 0.03878297  
13 500 0.00121703 0.00400000 0.03878297  
14 500 0.00121703 0.02800000 0.03878297  
15 500 0.00121703 0.01800000 0.03878297  
16 500 0.00121703 0.01600000 0.03878297  
17 500 0.00121703 0.02800000 0.03878297  
18 500 0.00121703 0.02000000 0.03878297  
19 500 0.00121703 0.02200000 0.03878297  
20 500 0.00121703 0.01800000 0.03878297  

Test Descriptions
Test 1 One point beyond Zone A (outside control limits)
Test 3 Six points in a row steadily increasing or decreasing