Output Data Sets :: SAS/QC(R) 12.1 User's Guide

OUTLIMITS= Data Set

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

Variable	Description
`_ALPHA_`	probability ( $\alpha$ ) of exceeding limits
`_INDEX_`	optional identifier for the control limits specified with the OUTINDEX= option
`_LIMITN_`	sample size associated with the control limits
`_MEAN_`	process mean ( $\overline{\overline{X}}$ or $\mu _{0}$ )
`_SIGMAS_`	multiple (k) of standard error of $A_{i}$
`_SPAN_`	number of terms in the moving average
`_STDDEV_`	process standard deviation ( $\hat{\sigma }$ or $\sigma _{0}$ )
`_SUBGRP_`	subgroup-variable specified in the MACHART statement
`_TYPE_`	type (estimate or standard value) of `_MEAN_` and `_STDDEV_`
`_VAR_`	process specified in the MACHART statement

The OUTLIMITS= data set does not contain the control limits; instead, it contains control limit parameters that can be used to recompute the control limits.

Notes:

If the control limits vary with subgroup sample size, the special missing value V is assigned to the variable _LIMITN_.
If the limits are defined in terms of a multiple k of the standard error of $A_{i}$ , the value of _ALPHA_ is computed as $\alpha =2(1-\Phi (k))$ , where $\Phi (\cdot )$ is the standard normal distribution function.
If the limits are probability limits, the value of _SIGMAS_ is computed as $k=\Phi ^{-1}(1-\alpha /2)$ , where $\Phi ^{-1}$ is the inverse standard normal distribution function.
Optional BY variables are saved in the OUTLIMITS= data set.

The OUTLIMITS= data set contains one observation for each process specified in the MACHART statement.

You can use OUTLIMITS= data sets

to keep a permanent record of the control limit parameters
to write reports. You may prefer to use OUTTABLE= data sets for this purpose.
as LIMITS= data sets in subsequent runs of PROC MACONTROL

For an example of an OUTLIMITS= data set, see Saving Control Limit Parameters.

OUTHISTORY= Data Set

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

the subgroup-variable
a subgroup mean variable named by process suffixed with X
a subgroup standard deviation variable named by process suffixed with S
a subgroup moving average variable named by process suffixed with A
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 MACHART statement. For example, consider the following statements:

proc macontrol data=Clips;
   machart (Gap Yieldstrength)*Day / span      =3
                                     outhistory=Cliphist;
run;

The data set Cliphist would contain nine variables named Day, GapX, GapS, GapA, GapN, YieldstrengthX, YieldstrengthS, YieldstrengthA, and YieldstrengthN.

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 Summary Statistics.

OUTTABLE= Data Set

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

Variable	Description
`_ALPHA_`	probability ( $\alpha$ ) of exceeding control limits
`_EXLIM_`	control limit exceeded on moving average chart
`_LCLA_`	lower control limit for moving average
`_LIMITN_`	nominal sample size associated with the control limits
`_MEAN_`	process mean
`_SIGMAS_`	multiple (k) of the standard error associated with control limits
`_SPAN_`	number of terms in the moving average
subgroup	values of the subgroup variable
`_SUBN_`	subgroup sample size
`_SUBS_`	subgroup standard deviation
`_SUBX_`	subgroup mean
`_UCLA_`	upper control limit for moving average
`_UWMA_`	uniformly weighted moving average
`_VAR_`	process specified in MACHART statement

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

BY variables
block-variables
ID variables
_PHASE_ (if the READPHASES= option is specified)
symbol-variable

Notes:

Either the variable _ALPHA_ or the variable _SIGMAS_ is saved depending on how the control limits are defined (with the ALPHA= or SIGMAS= options, respectively; or with the corresponding variables in a LIMITS= data set).
The variables _VAR_ and _EXLIM_ are character variables of length 8. The variable _PHASE_ is a character variable of length 48. All other variables are numeric.

For an example of an OUTTABLE= data set, see Saving Control Limit Parameters.

MACHART Statement: MACONTROL Procedure

Output Data Sets

OUTLIMITS= Data Set

OUTHISTORY= Data Set

OUTTABLE= Data Set