Output Data Sets

OUTLIMITS= Data Set

The OUTLIMITS= data set saves control limits and control limit parameters. The following variables can be saved:

Table 15.60 OUTLIMITS= Data Set

Variable

Description

_ALPHA_

probability () of exceeding limits

_INDEX_

optional identifier for the control limits specified with the OUTINDEX= option

_LCLU_

lower control limit for number of nonconformities per unit

_LIMITN_

sample size associated with the control limits

_SIGMAS_

multiple () of standard error of

_SUBGRP_

subgroup-variable specified in the UCHART statement

_TYPE_

type (estimate or standard value) of _U_

_U_

value of central line of chart ( or )

_UCLU_

upper control limit for number of nonconformities per unit

_VAR_

process specified in the UCHART statement

Notes:

  1. If the control limits vary with subgroup sample size, the special missing value 'V' is assigned to the variables _LCLU_, _UCLU_, and _LIMITN_.

  2. If the limits are defined in terms of a multiple of the standard error of , the value of _ALPHA_ is computed as , provided that is a constant. Otherwise, _ALPHA_ is assigned the special missing value 'V'.

  3. If the limits are probability limits, the value of _SIGMAS_ is computed as , provided that is a constant. Otherwise, _SIGMAS_ is assigned the special missing value V.

  4. Optional BY variables are saved in the OUTLIMITS= data set.

The OUTLIMITS= data set contains one observation for each process specified in the UCHART statement. For an example, see Saving Control Limits.

OUTHISTORY= Data Set

The OUTHISTORY= data set saves subgroup summary statistics. The following variables are saved:

  • the subgroup-variable

  • a subgroup number of nonconformities per unit variable named by process suffixed with U

  • a subgroup sample size variable named by process suffixed with N

Given a process name that contains 32 characters, the procedure first shortens the name to its first 16 characters and its last 15 characters, and then it adds the suffix.

Subgroup summary variables are created for each process specified in the UCHART statement. For example, consider the following statements:

proc shewhart data=Fabric;
   uchart (Flaws nDefects)*lot / outhistory=Summary
                                 subgroupn = 10;
run;

The data set Summary contains the variables Lot, FlawsU, FlawsN, nDefectsU, and nDefectsN.

Additionally, the following variables, if specified, are included:

  • BY variables

  • block-variables

  • symbol-variable

  • ID variables

  • _PHASE_ (if the OUTPHASE= option is specified)

For an example of an OUTHISTORY= data set, see Saving Nonconformities per Unit. Note that an OUTHISTORY= data set created with the UCHART statement can be used as a HISTORY= data set by either the CCHART statement or the UCHART statement.

OUTTABLE= Data Set

The OUTTABLE= data set saves subgroup summary statistics, control limits, and related information. The following variables are saved:

Variable

Description

_ALPHA_

probability () of exceeding control limits

_EXLIM_

control limit exceeded on chart

_LCLU_

lower control limit for number of nonconformities per unit

_LIMITN_

nominal sample size associated with the control limits

_SIGMAS_

multiple (k) of the standard error associated with the control limits

subgroup

values of the subgroup variable

_SUBU_

subgroup number of nonconformities per unit

_SUBN_

subgroup sample size

_TESTS_

tests for special causes signaled on chart

_U_

average number of nonconformities per unit

_UCLU_

upper control limit for number of nonconformities per unit

_VAR_

process specified in the UCHART statement

In addition, the following variables, if specified, are included:

  • BY variables

  • block-variables

  • symbol-variable

  • ID variables

  • _PHASE_ (if the READPHASES= option is specified)

Notes:

  1. Either the variable _ALPHA_ or the variable _SIGMAS_ is saved, depending on how the control limits are defined (with the ALPHA= or SIGMAS= option, respectively, or with the corresponding variables in a LIMITS= data set).

  2. The variable _TESTS_ is saved if you specify the TESTS= option. The th character of a value of _TESTS_ is if Test is positive at that subgroup. For example, if you request the first four tests (the ones appropriate for charts) and Tests 2 and 4 are positive for a given subgroup, the value of _TESTS_ has a 2 for the second character, a 4 for the fourth character, and blanks for the other six characters.

  3. The variables _EXLIM_ and _TESTS_ are character variables of length 8. The variable _PHASE_ is a character variable of length 48. The variable _VAR_ is a character variable whose length is no greater than 32. All other variables are numeric.

For an example, see Saving Control Limits.