CCHART Statement: SHEWHART Procedure

Output Data Sets

OUTLIMITS= Data Set

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

Table 17.15: OUTLIMITS= Data Set

Variable

Description

_ALPHA_

probability ($\alpha $) of exceeding limits

_C_

value of central line on c chart ($n_{i}\bar{u}$ or $n_{i}u_{0}$)

_INDEX_

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

_LCLC_

lower control limit for number of nonconformities

_LIMITN_

sample size associated with the control limits

_SIGMAS_

multiple (k) of standard error of $c_{i}$

_SUBGRP_

subgroup-variable specified in the CCHART statement

_TYPE_

type (estimate or standard value) of _U_

_U_

average number of nonconformities per unit ($\bar{u}$ or $u_{0}$)

_UCLC_

upper control limit for number of nonconformities

_VAR_

process specified in the CCHART statement


Notes:

  1. If the control limits vary with subgroup sample size, the special missing value V is assigned to the variables _C_, _LCLC_, _UCLC_, and _LIMITN_.

  2. If the limits are defined in terms of a multiple k of the standard error of $c_{i}$, the value of _ALPHA_ is computed as $P\{ c_ i<\_ \mbox{LCLC}\_ \} + P\{ c_ i>\_ \mbox{UCLC}\_ \} $. If control limits vary with subgroup sample size and are determined in terms of k, _ALPHA_ is assigned the special missing value V.

  3. If the limits are probability limits, the value of _SIGMAS_ is computed as $(\_ \mbox{UCLC}\_ - \_ \mbox{C}\_ )/\sqrt {\_ \mbox{C}\_ }$. If probability limits vary with subgroup sample size, _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 CCHART statement. For an example, see Saving Control Limits.

OUTHISTORY= Data Set

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

  • the subgroup-variable

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

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

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 CCHART statement. For example, consider the following statements: 

proc shewhart data=Fabric;
   cchart (Flaws Ndefects)*lot / outhistory=Summary;
run;

The data set SUMMARY contains variables named lot, FlawsU, FlawsN, NdefctsU, and NdefctsN. 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 that creates an OUTHISTORY= data set, see Saving Nonconformities per Unit. Note that an OUTHISTORY= data set created with the CCHART 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 ($\alpha $) of exceeding control limits

_C_

average number of nonconformities

_EXLIM_

control limit exceeded on c chart

_LCLC_

lower control limit for number of nonconformities

_LIMITN_

nominal sample size associated with the control limits

_SIGMAS_

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

subgroup

values of the subgroup variable

_SUBC_

subgroup number of nonconformities

_SUBN_

subgroup sample size

_TESTS_

tests for special causes signaled on c chart

_UCLC_

upper control limit for number of nonconformities

_VAR_

process specified in the CCHART 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= options, respectively, or with the corresponding variables in a LIMITS= data set).

  2. The variable _TESTS_ is saved if you specify the TESTS= option. The kth character of a value of _TESTS_ is k if Test k is positive at that subgroup. For example, if you request the first four tests (the ones appropriate for c 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.