Variables data is data that is acquired through measurements. This can be length, elapsed time, diameter, strength, weight, temperature, density, thickness, pressure, or height. Accuracy can be measured, for example, to the nearest inch, centimeter, millimeter, or micron. Attributes data is data that can be classified and counted. In attributes data, key concepts are “nonconformities” … Continued

I recently wrote a series of posts on Measurement Studies for the PQ Systems blog: Assuring Measurement Accuracy with Gage R&RMSA – When Should a Measurement System Study be Completed?Setting Up a Measurement System The next step is analyzing the data. To illustrate, we will use an example R&R study conducted on the length of … Continued

Setting up a measurement study involves looking at the measurement system with respect to equipment, technique, environment, and the people involved. I’ll use an example to illustrate the approach. This example is a classic style of study and will examine a measurement study for assessing the system used to collect the pH of a product. For your … Continued

Honey bees, both wild and domestic, perform about 80 percent of all pollination worldwide. A single bee colony can pollinate up to 300 million flowers each day. While grains are primarily pollinated by the wind; fruits, nuts, and vegetables are pollinated by bees. Seventy out of the top 100 human food crops — which supply about 90 percent … Continued

Variation is inherent in any system, however excessive variation in the measurement process can provide misleading analysis. This excessive variation may affect your data and appear on control charts as variation in the process, potentially skewing the results and preventing accurate analysis. Most organizations have a system to calibrate measurement equipment routinely. Just because the … Continued

The perennial answer is, of course, “It depends.” For decades of users, Shewhart control charts have provided information about process stability. Like all Shewhart charts, data is plotted over time and in order from oldest to most current. The traditional control chart, an old standby, is not the only possibility when it comes to garnering … Continued