Case Studies and White Papers


Augmented Ruggedness Testing to Prevent Failures

Published: May 2003
Author: Mark Anderson

Failures in the processing and use of products can often be prevented by applying a form of DOE called ruggedness testing. Check out this article to see how it's done for machine-made bread.

Publication: Quality Progress

DOE Software Paints Picture of Powder Coating Defects

Published: April 2003
Authors: Julia O'Neill, Glenn Correll, Val deBrunce, Ralph Pereida

How do you react when a defect arises within one of your top powder coating products that defies conventional problem-solving techniques? You look for answers with DOE.

Publication: Powder Coating Magazine

Published: February 2003
Authors: Mark Anderson, Shari Kraber

This article explains why standard factorial designs (one array) offer a cost-effective alternative to parameter designs (two array) made popular by Taguchi. It then discusses advanced tools for robust design that involve application of response surface methods (RSM) and measurement of propagation of error (POE).

Publication: Paint & Coatings Industry

Published: October 2002
Authors: Gary Oehlert, Patrick Whitcomb

This technical paper details a new class of high-resolution (V) minimum-run two-level factorial designs that characterize two-factor interactions with far fewer runs than classical templates. These "MR5" designs serve well as the core for central composite designs that reduce the number of runs needed for response surface methods.

Publication: Fall Technical Conference 2002

Published: October 2002
Author: Mark Anderson

Mix ordinary white glue (Elmer's Glue) and a cross-linking agent: borax (20 MULE TEAM brand from your local grocery store). Eureka! You've made play putty. To make things more interesting, add laundry starch. (STA-FLO concentrated liquid) to the mixture. See how well you can do with this home-made material in comparison to the real thing sold commercially as a toy: Silly Putty.

Published: October 2002
Authors: Mark Anderson, Patrick Whitcomb

This article offers a simple case study that illustrates how to put rubber or plastics formulations to the test by using powerful statistical methods for mixture design and analysis. Rubber & Plastics News.

Publication: Rubber & Plastics News

Published: March 2002
Author: Stephen Lapin

Design of experiments (DOE) was used to examine the effects of adhesive components in electron beam (EB) curable laminating adhesives for flexible packaging. Adhesives Age.

Publication: Adhesives Age

Screening Ingredients Most Efficiently with Two-Level Design of Experiments (DOE)

Published: February 2002
Author: Mark Anderson

A DOE on machine-made bread shows how clever application of statistical methods quickly screens alternative ingredients to see which, if any, impair the desired reaction.

Published: February 2002
Author: Mark Anderson

This kitchen experiment on a bread-baking machine illustrates the power of multifactor testing for unveiling breakthrough interactions. The surprising results from the original two-level fractional factorial were confirmed by an innovative follow-up experiment called a "semi-foldover".

Publication: Today's Chemist at Work

Cost-Effective and Information-Efficient Robust Design for Optimizing Processes and Accomplishing Six Sigma Objectives

Published: January 2002
Authors: Mark Anderson, Shari Kraber

Standard factorial designs (one array) offer a cost-effective and information-efficient robust design alternative to parameter designs (two-array) made popular by Taguchi. This paper compares these two methods (one-array versus two-array) in depth via an industrial case study. It then discusses advanced tools for robust design that involve application of response surface methods (RSM) and measurement of propagation of error (POE).

Publication: Society of Manufacturing Engineers