Special Control Charts Using Intelligent Techniques: EWMA Control Charts

Abstract

In this chapter we consider the economical design of EWMA zone control charts for set of machines operating under JPS (Jidoka Production System). We provide an extensive literature review of intelligent systems in quality control deductively to fit our purposes. It starts with an overview of quality control charts; then, reviews charts designed for special purposes such as EWMA, CUSUM and zone control charts. Finally, as particularly related to this study, reviews of economical design and intelligent applications of EWMA are provided. We discuss and review Jidoka Production System and motivation of operating such a system. We suggest an intelligent control and repair system such that in a production system, machines are individually controlled and repaired when an out-of-control signal is triggered in the zone with the tight control limits, however a system-wide shut down and repair is conducted when the out-of-control signal is from beyond the inner (tight) control limits which is considered as an opportunity for repair and calibration of all machines. We illustrate and investigate the behaviour of control parameters, namely sample size, sampling interval and control limits, via a numerical study of a three-machine system through simulation. We also provide insights for implementation of several metaheuristics for the system setting discussed in this chapter.