Content by Donald J. Wheeler
Are We Getting Better Yet?How is the worldwide pandemic progressing?
Tue, 06/30/2020 - 12:03
The daily Covid-19 pandemic values tell us how things have changed from yesterday, and give us the current totals, but they are difficult to understand simply because they are only a small piece of the puzzle. This article will present a global…
Setting the Process Aim, Part 2Making appropriate adjustments
Mon, 06/01/2020 - 12:03
Setting the process aim is a key element in the short production runs that characterize the lean production of multiple products. Last month in part one we looked at how to use a target-centered XmR chart to reliably set the aim. This column will…
Setting the Process Aim, Part 1Making appropriate adjustments
Mon, 05/11/2020 - 12:03
Lean production of multiple products is built on the assumption that the process aim can be properly set for each short production run. This article will describe how to set the process aim so that your short production runs can be on target. In a…
Waiting for the Covid-19 PeakWhile this worldwide, unintended experiment continues we won’t immediately know if we have passed the peak
Mon, 05/04/2020 - 12:03
Each day we receive data that seek to quantify the Covid-19 pandemic. These daily values tell us how things have changed from yesterday, and give us the current totals, but they are difficult to understand simply because they are only a small piece…
Tracking Covid-19: UpdateNew projections as of April 12, 2020
Mon, 04/13/2020 - 12:03
This article is an update to “Tracking Covid-19” that Al Pfadt, Kathryn Whyte, and I wrote last week. In that article we summarized what is known about Covid-19, what has already happened, and what is to be expected based on the analysis of the data…
Tracking Covid-19How to let the data tell you what lies ahead
Mon, 04/06/2020 - 12:03
Based on the professional literature available, there are some inconvenient truths about Covid-19 that are not always considered in the chorus of confusion that exists today. Here we summarize what is known, what has already happened, and what is to…
Short Run SPC, Part 4Standardized charts for subgrouped data
Mon, 03/02/2020 - 12:03
Lean production is built on the explicit assumption that each step is operated predictably and capably. Predictable operation can only be achieved and maintained by using process behavior charts. But short production runs make it hard to see how to…
Short Run SPC, Part 3The robustness of process behavior charts
Mon, 02/03/2020 - 12:03
Short Run SPC, Part 1 and Part 2 showed how to use zed charts and difference charts to track the underlying process while making different products. This part will illustrate both the robustness of the zed chart and an incorrect way of standardizing…
Short Run SPC, Part 2Tracking the process with a difference chart
Mon, 01/06/2020 - 12:03
Lean production is built on the explicit assumption that each step is operated predictably and capably. Predictable operation can only be achieved and maintained by using process behavior charts. But short production runs make it hard to see how to…
Short Run SPC, Part 1Tracking the process while making different products
Mon, 12/02/2019 - 12:03
Lean production is built on the explicit assumption that each step is operated predictably and capably. Predictable operation can only be achieved and maintained by using process behavior charts. But short production runs and multiple products make…