Process Visualization in Medical Device Manufacture: an Adaptation of Short Run SPC Techniques

ABSTRACT

Visualizing and understanding the underlying processes in short production run environments is not possible with standard Shewhart control charts. Administration of multiple charts, frequent setups and changeovers, and the truncated nature of data collection limit the effectiveness of standard statistical process control (SPC) approaches. This article introduces a process visualization approach by adapting short-run SPC and recommends new rules for interpretation.

KEYWORDS:

• average run length (ARL)
• process monitoring
• runs rules
• short-run statistical process control
• statistical process control

Notes

A ₂, D ₃, D ₄, d ₂, and d ₃ are control chart constants (Murdoch and Barnes 1998).