Applying Real-Time Statistical Process Control to Manufacturing Processes Exhibiting Between and Within Part Size Variability in the Wood Products Industry

In this paper, we develop a control charting procedure to monitor average part size, as well as between and within part size variation for sawn lumber in an automated lumbermill. We present a review of the sawing process followed by a discussion of sampling methods for a real-time noncontact laser measuring device. A statistical model based on the components of variation analysis of variance model is proposed both for the analysis of the data and the construction of control charts that can be used to monitor the process. The details of the resulting statistical process control system are developed and an example from the lumber industry is provided and compared to other possible approaches. The resulting techniques may have applicability in many other industries where within and between variation in processes occurs.