The aim of this paper is to propose a combined attribute‐variable control chart, namely Max D − T2, to monitor a vector of process means μ = [μ1,…,μq] in a multivariate process control. The procedure consists of splitting a sample of size n into two sub‐samples of sizes n1 and n2(n = n2 + n2), determined by an optimized process. Units of the first sub‐sample are evaluated by an attribute inspection. Using a device like a gauge ring, each unit of the first sub sample is considered approved related to the quality characteristic i if Xi∈[ ; ]; otherwise, it is disapproved in the characteristic i, where and (obtained by an optimization) are respectively the lower and upper discriminating limits of the quality dimension Xi. If the number of disapproved items in any quality characteristic is higher than a control limit, then the measurement of the q quality characteristics is taken on each unit of the second sub‐sample and the statistic T2 is calculated. If T2 < L(L, the control limit) the process is judged as in control. The process will suffer intervention if both charts signal. The procedure has an advantage to not inspect the units of the second sub‐sample if the first sub‐sample indicates that the process is in control. This proposal shows a better performance than T2 control chart for a large number of scenarios. The two control limits and discriminant limits are optimized to reach a desired value of ARL0 and to minimize ARL1. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.