A nonparametric adaptive EWMA control chart for monitoring mixed continuous and categorical data using self-starting strategy

Abstract

In the context of big data-driven smart manufacturing, data is often characterized by high dimensionality, numerous variables, and complex associations. As a result, mixed continuous and categorical data are increasingly common. In the case of data that consist of a combination of continuous and categorical variables with unknown distributions, the application of traditional parametric control charts for monitoring purposes becomes challenging. Therefore, a novel nonparametric adaptive exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA) control chart using a self-starting strategy is proposed in this paper. First, the process of converting continuous data into categorical data is conducted using the data categorization method. The log-linear modeling is subsequently employed to investigate the relationships between various variables. Next, a nonparametric adaptive EWMA statistic is constructed to monitor mixed continuous and categorical data, and the self-starting strategy is employed to gradually expand the size of the in-control (IC) dataset and to update the parameters in real time. Then, a numerical simulation is conducted to compare the IC and out-of-control (OC) performance of the proposed chart with other control charts. According to the simulation result, it can be concluded that the proposed chart offers a more effective means of detecting shifts in the production process. Finally, a concrete illustration of an authentic dataset regarding red wine quality is provided to further clarify the effectiveness of the proposed control chart in monitoring mixed continuous and categorical data.