The term "U CHART" is often used in statistical process control to track the number of defects in a sample of items over time. It is spelled as /juː tʃɑːrt/, phonetically written as "yoo chart." The "U" represents the number of defects per item, while the chart displays the data over time. The U chart is used when the number of defects varies in each sample, unlike the X bar chart which tracks the average number of defects per sample.
A U chart is a statistical process control chart used to monitor the variability and stability of data collected over time for discrete measurements. It is primarily used to track defects or nonconformities within a process and determine if the process is in a state of control or if there are any significant changes or trends occurring.
The U chart is based on the concept of the Poisson distribution, which is commonly used to model the occurrence of rare events. It is particularly useful when the number of occurrences per unit of measurement can vary significantly.
The chart consists of a horizontal axis representing time or consecutive samples and a vertical axis representing the number of defects or nonconforming items. The central line on the chart depicts the average number of defects per unit, known as the process mean. Upper and lower control limits are calculated based on the variability of the process data.
To create a U chart, data is collected and recorded at regular intervals, and the number of defects or nonconformities in each sample or subgroup is counted. The data is then plotted on the chart, and any points falling outside the control limits signal the presence of special causes of variation that may require investigation and corrective action.
The U chart helps organizations maintain process control, improve quality, identify areas for improvement, and prevent defects or nonconforming outputs. It is commonly used in manufacturing, healthcare, and other industries requiring defect tracking and analysis.