Economic design of variable sampling intervals control charts using genetic algorithms

Abstract

Control charting is a graphical expression and operation of statistical hypothesis testing. In this paper, we develop the economic design of the variable sampling intervals (VSI) T2 control chart to determine the values of the five test parameters of the chart (i.e. the sample size, the long sampling interval, the short sampling interval, the warning limit, and the control limit) such that the expected total cost, associated with the test procedure, is minimized. The genetic algorithm (GA) is employed to search for the optimal values of the five test parameters of the VSI T2 chart, and an example is provided to illustrate the solution procedure. Sensitivity analysis is then carried out to investigate the effects of model parameters on the solution of the economic design.