Conference Short Courses

Two short courses will be offered on Wednesday, October 13th, and two on Saturday, October 16th from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The fee for each course includes coffee breaks and lunch. Registration is limited.

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Multivariate Process Monitoring by Christina Mastrangelo ($220) - Wednesday, October 13th. This course introduces students to the basics of multivariate process monitoring. It will cover several multivariate techniques, how to identify out-of-control variables, and provide an overview of more recent developments. This is accomplished through the combination of lecture and examples using commercially available software. It presupposes some background in basic statistics and SPC.

Using Extended Structure Diagrams in the Design and Analysis of Experiments by Joseph Voelkel ($220) - Wednesday, October 13th. How an experiment is designed plays a critical role in the model used to analyze it, yet many experimental-design texts show only a narrow slice of designs. This course offers a powerful method-Extended Structure Diagrams, or ESD's-that allows experimenters to visualize any balanced & complete design and to find the natural corresponding ANOVA model. Course topics include basics of ESD; ESD vs. other diagram methods; the three basic structures of experimental designs; from ESD's to models; math models vs. software models; common designs illustrated by ESD's; variance components, including those of certain fixed effects; more complex designs; illustrative examples with demonstrations using Minitab¨ 14. Participants should have experience designing and analyzing experiments and be familiar with ANOVA. For examples of ESD's, see http://www.rit.edu/~jgvcqa. Bring a laptop with Minitab¨ 14 to do some examples yourself.

Gauge RR Studies using ANOVA Models by Connie Borror ($220) - Saturday, October 16th. Gauge R&R studies are conducted in virtually every type of industry. Traditionally, gauge R&R studies were conducted using a tabular method based on ranges and control charts. However, there are many disadvantages with the tabular approach, such as the range being used as an estimate of gauge variability and the inability to construct confidence intervals on qualities of interest. In this course, the analysis of variance method in gauge R&R studies under several different models and experimental situations will be implemented. Emphasis will be on the construction of confidence intervals for various capability measures. Models to be discussed will include random and mixed, nested and crossed designs involving both balanced and unbalanced data. Gauge capability measures presented and include process variation, measurement system variation, PTR, SNR, and Cp. Procedures for constructing confidence intervals for these measures will be presented. In addition, gauge misclassification rates will be discussed and shown to be preferable measures of system capability. Examples and applications will be presented for each model. The emphasis will be on constructing confidence intervals for all of these quantities using Excel or SAS programs created specifically for each model under study. These programs will be available to the participants at the end of the course at no extra charge.

Using Six Sigma to Improve Business Performance by Ronald Snee ($220) - Saturday, October 16th. Six Sigma is a process-focused, statistically-based approach to business improvement that companies such as Motorola, Honeywell, 3M, DuPont, General Electric and many other companies, large and small, have used to produce billions of dollars in bottom-line improvements. Six Sigma is a strategic approach that works across all processes, products and industries and improves both customer satisfaction and the bottom-line. This presentation provides an overview of Six Sigma and answers questions concerning, what's new and different, its importance and value, how and why it works, roles, etc. The presentation will include a discussion of both the statistical and non-statistical aspects of the methodology.