Table of contents
Full Guide To Six Sigma Control Charts
Six SigmaSix Sigma Definition: Six Sigma is a set of techniques and t... Learn More... Control Charts are known as processThere are many ways to organize your lean six sigma processe... behavior charts. This allows us to see how the process behaves over time. In Six Sigma studies, we read Control charts in the Control phase, like the statistical process controlWhat Is Process Control? Process control systems refer to th... Learn More...control chartControl charts, also known as Shewhart charts (aft... Learn More... (SPC chart). A control chartA control limit chart definition is made up of many parts.&n... Learn More... is used in the initial stage to observe the process behavior and to determine the Voice of ProcessLean Six Sigma Voice of the Process (VOP). Lean Six Sigma VO... Learn More... (VoPLean Six Sigma Voice of the Process (VOP). Lean Six Sigma VO... Learn More...). Only when the process is stable can we then start to run the project. Otherwise, it is essential to make the process work first. It is one of the seven most effective quality tools.
If the process is stable, it means all data points are within the control limitsA control limit chart definition is made up of many parts.&n... Learn More.... There is no other reason that makes the process unstable.
What is a Control Chart?
We have variations everywhere. No process is the same. This means there cannot be any common cause variationIn Lean Six Sigma, a control chart can display two types of ... Learn More.... These control charts show how the variations affect our process over time. They also indicate whether or not our process will remain within control. This variation can be visualized using control charts. The control charts have a central line, or the mean line (averageA synonym for “mean”: the sum of a set of values divided... Learn More...), then there is the Upper Control LimitWhat is the upper control limit (UCL) of a vehicle? The cont... Learn More... and Lower Control LimitA control limit chart definition is made up of many parts.&n... Learn More... (UCLWhat is the upper control limit (UCL) of a vehicle? The cont... Learn More...), respectively. The center line on both the upper and lower control limits is three standard deviations. You can also have the lower warning limit and the upper warning limit. The question now is: Which standard deviationCumulative probability of a normal distribution with expecte... Learn More... is greater than the central line? This is the one that alarms us when data points exceed this limit. It can cause the process to become unstable.
Significance and Objective of Six Sigma Control Chart
To see any special cause variationSix Sigma special cause variation is intermittent variation ... Learn More..., we use a control chart. The negative side of a process does not always show up in special causeSix Sigma special cause variation is intermittent variation ... Learn More... variation. Sometimes it is a positive indicator. We can take preventive measures to avoid process variation if there is a special reason. We could also take preventive measures to avoid situations like a flat tire making us late. Because the special cause can be avoided, the assignable causeIf your control chart has plotted points that are not within... Learn More... is unavoidable.
A control chart can be used to determine whether the process is stable. If it is unstable, then we should work to improve the process. The control chart can also help you distinguish between assignable and unassignable reasons for variations. The control chart is designed to simplify the process while omitting assignable causes.
This allows you to determine the average process and estimate the variation (the histogram’s spread). It is important to realize that the process under control is more important. You must also understand what the process means. All data points should be within the Upper and the Lower Control Limits. This will allow us to determine if our process is capable enough and what we want to do.
How can we verify the Process CapabilityProcess capability is a statistical measure that measures th... Learn More... using CpCpk and Cp are short-term capability measures for a particul... Learn More... and K?
The control chart can be used to see process improvements, and the average process. We can also compare the results with the previous process mean. This will give us information about the control of our process. As a control chart, the rules are the same as for a normal chart. 68% should be under the first standard deviation. 95% should be within 2nd standard deviation. 99.7 percent data should be within 3rd.

How to make and use a Control Chart
Minitab can be used to create control charts. To do this, enter the data into Minitab and then use the control chart according to data types.
Minitabs are not required to make this calculation in Excel. We need to enter all data points in Excel and subtract the average. Then we can calculate the standard deviation using the standard deviation formula. Then we continue until we reach the third standard deviation. Finally, we can use the graph.
This is a simple IMR chartWhat is the I-MR Chart? Walter Shewart introduced the IMR ch... Learn More... that we can create and use for continuous dataContinuous data is a type of data that can take on any value... Learn More... types.
When is a Control Chart appropriate?
- A Control Chart can be used at the beginning of a project, or anytime we need to see the VoPLean Six Sigma Voice of the Process (VOP). Lean Six Sigma VO... Learn More.... You can also see the VoP to determine the purpose of the project.
- A Control Chart at the end of a project can help us see improvements in the process controlWhat Is Process Control? Process control systems refer to th... Learn More... chart (SPC chart). This could also be used to determine if the project is a success.
- The Control Chart is also useful in checking process stability, verifying that the statistical process control chart (SPC chart) can be improved, and making necessary improvements where needed.
Four Process States within a Control Chart
Below are the 4 process states of a Control Chart.
- The Ideal State: This is the state where all data points are within the control limits. Non-conformance is not possible.
- The Threshold status: While data points are under control or the process is stable at all times, there may be some non-conformance over time.
- The Brink Of Chaos state is where the process is under control, but it is also at the edge of making mistakes.
- The fourth stage is when we are out of control and have unpredicted non-conformance.
Types of control charts
Control charts can be of seven types depending on the data type. Three types of Control Charts can be used if we have continuous data. IMR Chart, XBar R Chart, and Bar S Chart.
We can use 4 types of Control charts if we have a distinct data type: C, Np, and U ChartsC & U charts are control charts for defects in quality c... Learn More.... These types are listed below:
- I- MR Chart
The I-MR charts are used when subgrouping is not possible.
- XBar R Chart
Continuous data is when there are more than two subgroup sizes. Standard charts for variables data, X bar and R charts are used to help determine whether a process is predictable and stable. The X-bar chart shows X as the mean of all subgroups, while R is the rangeIn statistics, the range of a set of data is the differenc... Learn More....
- X Bar ChartBar charts are stacked to allow you to show data values as v... Learn More...
The X Bar S chart is used to determine the mean and variation of subgroups. It can be used to determine the size of more than two subgroups and it can also be used to determine the number of subgroups.
These charts can be used to display continuous data. Let’s now discuss discrete dataMany businesses use quantitative data to assess the performa... Learn More.... We have four types of charts for discrete dataMany businesses use quantitative data to assess the performa... Learn More.... This is because discrete data can be divided into two parts (i) defectsMuda (無駄, on'yomi reading) is a ... Learn More... or (ii), and the size of each subgroup will determine how it changes.
- P and Np ChartsP AND NP CONTROL CHARTS With data of type attributes, np and... Learn More...
The Np and P charts are used to identify defectiveDefective definition in Six Sigma: A defective unit is one t... Learn More... data. They can be used to verify statistical process control chart (SPC chart) stability and see the data points. The difference between Np and P charts is that P is used for sample sizes that vary, while Np chartWhat is an NP chart? Attribute Chart (np chart) is the contr... Learn More... is used for constant samples.
- U Control Charts
The C and U charts can be used to determine the stability of a single unit that might have multiple defects. The number of defects found in a pen, for example. We can also see the defects in the same sample, or on different samples.
C Control Chart can be used when more than one defectA defect is a physical, functional, or aesthetic attrib... Learn More... is present and the sample sizeThe sample size is an important feature of any empirical stu... Learn More... has been fixed. U Control Chart can be used to fix more than one defectDefective definition in Six Sigma: A defective unit is one t... Learn More..., and for smaller samples.

How is a Control Chart used as a Tool for Analysis?
The Six Sigma Control Chart can be used to monitor, control, and improve process performance over time. It examines variation and its source.
Control charts are used to monitor and detect process variations over time. This helps us keep track of the process variation over time. It shows the quantity and variation of the statistical process control chart (SPC chart), as well as the current capabilities of the process. It also allows us to identify particular events that might disrupt normal operations. Control Charts can be used in the Improve phase to monitor the process improvement.
Control Charts and Run Charts are able to show the progress made during the project’s execution. They are one of the most useful tools for analysis.
It helps monitor the progress of the process, and allows you to quantify its capabilityCapability analysis is a method used to evaluate the perform... Learn More... and identify the causes that are causing it. It is usually part of the process management system.
It can also be used to distinguish between common and special causes. We’ve already covered in detail the use and limitations of control charts. Below are some tips that can be helpful when using Control Charts.
Have you used a Control Chart for one of your projects?
Tell us your experience in the comments below.