Which software to use for SPC charting?

[Richard Steyn]

This is an interesting question and in reality the answer I suspect depends on how much you want to spend and what your personal preference are.
(important note I have no financial or other interest in any of these software programs).

I know many people use a software macro for excel called BPchart which many of us have obtained free of charge. It works within excel and is versatile at producing run charts and I charts. I use it from time to time. I do not have copyright for this software and hence cannot distribute it through this board.

I have also been using Chartrunner. I have found this exceptionally versatile, can produce almost any chart I want - I suspect if it doesn't produce the chart I want it may be because I haven't read the instructions well enough It works very well from within excel but can also run standalone and get the data it needs from excel, access or sql files. For more details go to http://www.pqsystems.com

Some colleagues have been using minitab .... I have tried this program but have not found it user friendly for me.

And others are enthusiastic about Winchart or QI macros. I did look at QI macros briefly .... it is cheaper than Chartrunner, works as a macro within excel but I prefered the features in chartrunner. I have not used Winchart

regards

richard

[pjkp]

Thanks for this.

In this era of Open Source, I'd prefer to use something non-profit. Is there a plug-in / module for Calc (part of the OpenOffice.org suite)?

Best wishes
Philip

[Richard Steyn]

I have only been using excel so have only looked at software suitable for excel or standalone. Of course if all you want to do is plot the points, mean/median and control lines without automatically testing for special causes a spreadsheet independent of software should be possible.

perhaps some other reader might be able to help?

kind regards

Richard

[pharriman]

I use WinChart and have done for a number of years. At present we have a 7 concurrent user network licence and around 25 people who can access it. It works out at less than £100 per person. I have found it extremely easy to use.

[pjkp]

Two discoveries:
1. http://www.indicators.scot.nhs.uk/ - a site with a free Excel SPC Chart Package, and SPC Tutorial Guide.

2. Open source alternatives: for statistical analysis, R, that can be used with OOo Calc, and downloaded for win; the qcc package for control charts can be used for SPC.

Best wishes
Philip

[kennedg]

Attached is a very simple spredsheet SPC tool which I created which also has capability included. There is the facility to carry out 1 change in the mean and limits. Uses dynamic ranges. Garry

[epidata]

One other option for SPC graphs and basic statistical analysis is the software Suite EpiData, for which I am the initiator.

The software is released for free and follows the statistical strategies of working with records and metadata (variable and value labels, missing values etc) such as Stata, SPSS and SAS.

The software can be downloaded for free from http://www.epidata.dk and there is no license. The principle I attract funding and deliver at no cost. There are examples of spc usage. A conversion to opensource is in proces. CUrrently the following SPC charts are available:
runcharts, Ichart, Pchart, Pareto charts
and in test version:
G-charts (for rare occurences such as death in hospital or infection in surgery)
Xbar-Sigma and Xbar-Range
Ichart with moving range,

For further analysis currently three basic tests are implemented (out of range, sequenctial below centerline, sequential rising or falling).

Development can be followed on the EpiData-list, see front page of http://www.epidata.dk
Comments for further developments are very welcomed.
J.Lauritsen