PkgT 1210- Module 11

Packaging Machine Components and Controls

Packaging machines invariably use a number of standard components to achieve their ends. This module
will discuss some of the more common components used. The components are classified into three
according to their functions- controls, motors, and drives.

TERMINOLOGIES IN SPC

 Special cause- Variation that is not always present on the process and is identifiable (i.e.,
assignable cause)
 Attribute- A characteristic quality that can be directly quantified in numerical units (e.g. number
of rejections)
 Common cause- Those sources of variability in a process that are truly random and inherent in
the process itself (i.e., non assignable cause)
 Control limits- The limits within which a product or process is expected to remain
 Mean, median, mode- Measures of central tendency
 Population- Total of all possible objects of the same kind from which a statistical sample is drawn.
 Sample- Drawn from a specific lot being reasonably representative of the product for the purposes
of testing
 Random- Variations that have no discernable pattern
 Range- The difference between the highest and the lowest value
 Standard Deviation- A measure of the dispersion of a set of values relative to the mean.
 Specimen- An individual unit in the sample
 Variables- Quantities that are subject to change or variability

Why SPC?

By achieving consistent quality and performance, some of the benefits manufacturers can realize are:

Reduced scrap, rework, and warranty claims

 Maximized productivity
 Improved resource utilization
 Increased operational efficiency
 Decreased manual inspections
 Improved client satisfaction
 Reduced costs

These come from understanding the performance variations and its causes (common and special cause)
through statistics.

STANDARD DEVIATION (SD)

Numbers representing average values are a common and useful part of our lives, but in terms of science
and engineering, “average” is often not specific enough for critical calculations and at times can be
completely misleading. Furthermore, average, as a single point, provides little information on the range
or dispersion of values around that point. Median and mode are other terms used to describe data
dispersions, but have limited statistical use.
 PkgT 1210- Module 11
Packaging Machine Components and Controls
In more recent times, standard deviation was found to be more useful for quantifying, controlling, and
improving production processes. Using packaging as an example, closure torques, fill weights, dimensional
variations, and other production attributes can be described with standard deviation bell curves and the
calculation of standard deviations.

Standard deviation is a statistic that measures the amount of variation or dispersion of a set of values. If
the data points are further from the mean, there is a higher deviation within the data set; thus, the more
spread out the data, the higher the standard deviation.

The characteristics of a normal distribution are:

68.25% of all measurements fall between ± 1σ (1 SD);

95.46 % of all measurements fall between ± 2σ (2 SD); and

99.73 % of all measurements fall between ± 3σ (3 SD).

This is also called the empirical rule or the 68-95-99 rule which states that a normal distribution will always
follow above measurements. In graphical form, the normal distribution appears as a "bell curve".

Getting the standard deviation would tell you how much spread apart your values are which wouldn’t be
possible to tell if you only get the measures of central tendency of your data (mean, median, and mode).

Take not however that a normal distribution doesn’t mean everything is good. It only means things are
under control and within usual manufacturing patterns. The goal of any manufacturing system is to reduce
the output variation without compromising quality and cost. However, not all data measurements will
follow a normal distribution. Special cause variations happen from time to time causing a different shape
of dispersion diagram.
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Packaging Machine Components and Controls
DISPERSION DIAGRAMS

Histogram (a bar chart arranged by frequency of an event occurring) is a useful tool to provide a visual
basis for an investigation. Histograms focus attention on the most frequent occurrences.
Normal Distribution

A common pattern is the bell-shaped curve known as the "normal distribution." It refers to the typical
distribution for a particular process.

Skewed Distribution

The skewed distribution is asymmetrical because a natural limit prevents outcomes on one side. The
distribution’s peak is off center toward the limit and a tail stretches away from it. For example, the
distribution of volume output of the piston filler is skewed to the right. The piston was setup with a
longer than usual stroke so the volume it discharges is more than the usual setup. Because of this, the
output distribution is skewed to the right. It could also be skewed to the left given the opposite
situation.

Double-Peaked or Bimodal

The bimodal distribution looks like the back of a two-humped camel. The outcomes of two processes
with different distributions are combined in one set of data. For example, a distribution of production
data from a two-shift operation might be bimodal, if each shift produces a different distribution of
results. Strati
 PkgT 1210- Module 11
Packaging Machine Components and Controls

Plateau or Multimodal Distribution

The plateau might be called a “multimodal distribution.” Several processes with normal distributions are
combined. Because there are many peaks close together, the top of the distribution resembles a
plateau. For example, the measurement of the output of a number of machines with different setting,
running at the same time, producing the same product could produce a plateau distribution.

Edge Peak Distribution

The edge peak distribution looks like the normal distribution except that it has a large peak at one tail.
Usually this is caused by a faulty machine suddenly breaking down producing “greater than” or “lesser
than” outputs.

Comb Distribution

In a comb distribution, the bars are alternately tall and short. This distribution often results from
rounded-off data and/or an incorrectly constructed histogram. For example, temperature data rounded
off to the nearest 0.2 degree would show a comb shape if the bar width for the histogram were 0.1
degree.

Truncated or Heart-Cut Distribution

The truncated distribution looks like a normal distribution with the tails cut off. The supplier might be
producing a normal distribution of material and then relying on inspection to separate what is within
specification limits from what is out of spec. The resulting shipments to the customer from inside the
specifications are the heart cut.
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Packaging Machine Components and Controls

Dog Food Distribution

The dog food distribution is missing something—results near the average. If a customer receives this
kind of distribution, someone else is receiving a heart cut and the customer is left with the “dog food,”
the odds and ends left over after the master’s meal. Even though what the customer receives is within
specifications, the product falls into two clusters: one near the upper specification limit and one near
the lower specification limit. This variation often causes problems in the customer’s process.

SPC and Control Charts

The first step in applying SPC principles is to ensure that the process is capable of producing product within
the required specification. Quality cannot be “inspected in”, quality must be produced. Next step is ensure
that the production process is stable and will reliably produce quality parts. It is steadily producing an
output that falls within the boundaries of established standard deviation.

The main tool associated with SPC is the control chart. Control chart is a plot of a process attributes,
usually through time with statistically determined limits. When used for process monitoring, it helps the
user to determine the appropriate type of action to take on the process. Data are plotted in time order. A
control chart always has a central line for the average, an upper line for the upper control limit, and a
lower line for the lower control limit. These lines are determined from historical data.

To become aware of changes that might be taking place requires keeping a continuous record of the
product characteristics using SPC control charts. Sampling is done at predetermined times based on the
nature of the product and the production speed. Most usually, a group of three or more specimens are
drawn, the measurements made and their average is plotted on the control charts.
 PkgT 1210- Module 11
Packaging Machine Components and Controls
When to use a control chart?

 When controlling ongoing processes by finding and correcting problems as they occur
 When predicting the expected range of outcomes from a process
 When determining whether a process is stable (in statistical control)
 When analyzing patterns of process variation from special causes (non-routine events) or
common causes (built into the process)
 When determining whether your quality improvement project should aim to prevent specific
problems or to make fundamental changes to the process

Characteristics of a Control Chart

The points are the

measurements collected
from the process over time.

Control limit (CL) is the

Measurement points
process limit. It is the
capacity of the process or
the natural variation of the
process.

Specification limit (SL) is

what the customer expects
the process to deliver.
CL should always be tighter
than SL to ensure that the
process is always running
within customer
expectations (SL) .

It is important to understand the principles

of standard deviation to avoid costly errors
due to unnecessary production line
adjustments upon seeing values nearing the
control limits.
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Packaging Machine Components and Controls
IN-CONTROL PROCESS

The points in the control chart tell you whether the process
is running within established controls. An in control process
is where points are randomly scattered, clustered around
the mean within limits and with no obvious patterns. If a
control chart does not look similar to the one above, there
is probably a special cause present. Various tests for
determining if a special cause is present are given below.

OUT-OF CONTROL PROCESS

Points beyond the control limits

A special cause is present in the process if any

points fall above the upper control limit or below
the lower control limit. Action should be taken to
find the special cause and permanently remove it
from the process

Rule of seven

The process is out of control if one of the following

conditions is true:

1.Seven points in a row above the average

2.Seven points in a row below the average
3.Seven points in a row trending up
4.Seven points in a row trending down

These trends are warnings that the machine is

shifting and a special cause exists.

Zone tests

The zone tests are valuable tests for enhancing the ability of control charts to detect small shifts quickly.
The first step in using these tests is to divide the control chart into zones. This is done by dividing the area
between the mean and the upper control limit into three equally spaced areas. This is then repeated for
the area between the average and the lower control limit.
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Packaging Machine Components and Controls

The zones are called zones A, B, and C.

There is a zone A for the top half of the
chart and a zone A for the bottom half of
the chart. The same is true for zones B and
C. Control charts are based on 3 sigma
limits of the variable being plotted. Thus,
each zone is one standard deviation in
width. (Control on the right shows the
mentioned zones.)

A special cause exists or the process is out

of control if four out five consecutive
points fall in zone B (it could be either zone
B above or below mean) or beyond.

A mixture exists when there is more than

one process present but the
measurements are plotted in the same
chart. If different shifts are operating at
different averages, a mixture can occur. A
mixture (a special cause) is present if eight
or more consecutive points lie on both
sides of the mean with none of the points
in zone C. Note the absence of points in
zone C.

The use of SPC is beneficial to understand the process performance and monitor the output real time and
provide adjustments when necessary. Because of this, rejections could be reduced bringing more savings
to the process while increasing customer satisfaction. SPC should be done only in processes that are
capable of producing products within specifications and are reliable and stable enough to produce quality
parts.