Summary The NP Chart procedure creates a control chart for data that describes the number of times an event occurs in m samples taken from a product or process. The data might represent the number of defective items in a manufacturing process, the number of customers that return a product, or any other attribute that can be classified as acceptable or unacceptable. Out-of-control signals are highlighted, including both points beyond the control limits and any unusual runs in the data. The chart may be constructed in either Initial Study (Phase 1) mode, where the current data determine the control limits, or in Control to Standard (Phase 2) mode, where the limits come from either a known standard or from prior data.
The data for this analysis consist of m samples from a population detailing:
n j = number of items in sample j
d j = number of nonconforming items in sample j
Many of the options for the NP chart are the same as those of the P chart. This document highlights the differences between the 2 charts. For information on options such as runs test and ARL curves, consult the P Chart documentation.
Sample StatFolio: npchart.sgp
Sample Data: The file nonconforming.sgd contains inspection results from m = 25 samples taken from a manufacturing process. The data is presented by Montgomery (2005). The table below shows a partial list of the data in that file:
The size of the samples varies between 80 and 120.
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Data Input The data required by this procedure is a numeric column containing the number of unacceptable items in the m samples.
Counts: a column containing the number of unacceptable items in each sample.
Sample Sizes: the number of items in each sample. If all sample sizes are equal, you can enter a single value such as “100”. Otherwise, enter a column with the sizes corresponding to each count.
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STATGRAPHICS – Rev. 7/24/2009
NP Chart The NP Chart plots the numbers of nonconforming item dj.
np Chart for nonconforming
20 UCL = 18.09 16 CTR = 9.36 LCL = 0.63 12 np
0 0 5 10 15 20 25 Sample
In Phase 1 (Initial Studies) mode, the centerline and control limits are determined from the data. The centerline is located at:
CL np (1)
where n equals the sample size and
n j 1 j pj p m (2) n j 1 j
equals the weighted average of the proportion of nonconforming items in each sample. The control limits are placed above and below the centerline at:
CL k np (1 p ) (3)
where k is the sigma multiple specified on the Control Charts tab of the Preferences dialog box (k = 3 except in rare cases). If the sample sizes are not equal, then depending on Analysis Options, n is replaced by either:
(1) n , the average sample size. In this case, the centerline and control limits are the same for all samples.
(2) nj , the individual sample sizes. In this case, the centerline and control limits are step functions.
Any points beyond the control limits will be flagged using a special point symbol. Any point excluded from the analysis, usually by clicking on a point on the chart and pressing the
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STATGRAPHICS – Rev. 7/24/2009 Exclude/Include button, will be indicated by an X. If so indicated on the Pane Options dialog box, unusual sequences of points may also be flagged. In the current chart, 1 sample is beyond the upper control limit.
Pane Options
Outer Warning Limits: check this box to add warning limits at the specified multiple of sigma, usually at 2 sigma.
Inner Warning Limits: check this box to add warning limits at the specified multiple of sigma, usually at 1 sigma.
Moving Average: check this box to add a moving average smoother to the chart. In addition to the sample counts, the average of the most recent q points will also be displayed, where q is the order of the moving average. The default value q = 9 since the 1-sigma inner warning limits for the original counts are equivalent to the 3-sigma control limits for that order moving average.
Exponentially Weighted Moving Average: check this box to add an EWMA smoother to the chart. In addition to the sample counts, an exponentially weighted moving average of the sample counts will also be displayed, where is the smoothing parameter of the EWMA. The default value = 0.2 since the 1-sigma inner warning limits for the original counts are equivalent to the 3-sigma control limits for that EWMA.
Decimal Places for Limits: the number of decimal places used to display the control limits.
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STATGRAPHICS – Rev. 7/24/2009 Mark Runs Rules Violations: flags with a special point symbol any unusual sequences or runs. The runs rules applied by default are specified on the Runs Tests tab of the Preferences dialog box.
Color Zones: check this box to display green, yellow and red zones.
Display Specification Limits: whether to add horizontal lines to the chart displaying the location of the specification limits (if any).
NP Chart Report This pane tabulates the values plotted on the control chart:
Sample Information: the number of samples m and the average sample size m
n j 1 j
n (4) m
If any samples have been excluded from the calculations, that number is also displayed.
np Chart: a summary of the centerline and control limits for the p chart. Using Analysis Options, separate limits may be calculated for different periods (sets of samples).
Estimates: estimates of the process mean number of defective items:
̂ n p (5)
and the process sigma
ˆ n p(1 p ) (6)
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STATGRAPHICS – Rev. 7/24/2009 Analysis Options
Type of Study: determines how the control limits are set. For an Initial Study (Phase 1) chart, the limits are estimated from the current data. For a Control to Standard (Phase 2) chart, the control limits are determined from the information in the Control to Standard section of the dialog box.
Normalize: if selected, all statistics will be normalized by calculating Z-scores and the Z- scores plotted on the charts. The centerline on such a chart is always located at 0, and the control limits are always located at k.
Avg. Subgroup Size: if checked, the control limits will be horizontal lines based on the average sample size. If not checked, the individual sample sizes will be used, resulting in step function control limits if the sample sizes are not all equal.
Use Zone Format: if checked, the statistics will be plotted using a zone chart rather than the usual format. See the example in the P Chart documentation..
Recalculate at: the control limits of the chart may be recalculated at up to 4 locations along the X axis by specifying the sample numbers at which new estimates are to be initiated. Separate estimates of the mean number of nonconforming items will be obtained using the data in the different sections. In such cases, the control limits will be adjusted at the start of each new period.
NP Chart Control Limits: specify the multiple k to use in determining the upper and lower control limits on the np chart. To suppress a limit completely, enter 0.
Control to Standard: to perform a Phase 2 analysis, select Control to Standard for the Type of Study and then enter either of the following:
Specify Parameters: specify the established standard mean number of nonconforming
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Specify Control Limits: specify the location of the centerline and control limits exactly where you wish them to be placed.
Exclude: use this button to exclude specific samples from the calculations.
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STATGRAPHICS – Rev. 7/24/2009 Example: Using Individual Sample Sizes The above np chart used the average sample size to position the control limits. When the sample sizes are not equal, a more exact analysis lets the control limits vary according to the actual size of each sample. In STATGRAPHICS, this is done by unchecking Avg. Subgroup Size on the Analysis Options dialog box. The resulting centerline and control limits are step functions:
np Chart for nonconforming
23 UCL = 18.09 19 CTR = 9.36 15 LCL = 0.63 np
11 7 3
-1 0 5 10 15 20 25 Sample
The control limits are tighter for the smaller samples, since the number of nonconforming items in smaller samples is less variable than it is in larger samples. Such a chart can be very difficult to understand. In such cases, a p chart would probably be preferable, or he normalized chart below could be employed.
Example: Using a Normalized Chart
Unequal sample sizes can also be dealt with by normalizing all values on the chart. This is done by checking the Normalize field on the Analysis Options dialog box. If Avg. Sample Size is left unchecked, then Z scores are calculated for each sample according to:
d j nj p Zj (7) n j p 1 p
The Z-scores are plotted on the chart:
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STATGRAPHICS – Rev. 7/24/2009
np Chart for nonconforming
5 UCL = 3.00 CTR = 0.00 3 LCL = -3.00
1 Z
-1
-3 0 5 10 15 20 25 Sample
On all normalized charts, the centerline is located at 0 and the control limits at k. The plotted values represent the number of standard deviations that each count is above or below its expected value.
Save Results The following results can be saved to the datasheet:
1. nps – the sample counts.
2. Sizes – the sample sizes. 3. Labels – the sample labels. 4. Mean np – the estimated mean number of unacceptable items. 5. Sigma – the estimated standard deviation of the counts.
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