Computer Systems and Software


model are held at user-specified settings. The plot highlights the region (if any) where all responses are within their bounds. This plot makes it easy to find the ranges of the factors


that will give the desired results. Using the overlaid contour plot, Metalor found the feasible settings for ammonium and stir rate, holding temperature at 40 degrees, to optimise both the density and surface area of the silver powder. The white region on the plot is the feasible region, or the area that satisfies the criteria for all responses. When your factors are set at any of the levels shown in the white area of an overlaid contour plot, the predicted responses should fall within the specified ranges.


different causes of variation, you can take action on your process without overreacting to it and making unnecessary adjustments. In any process, some variability is expected. This variability, which is naturally inherent in the process, is called common cause variation. Other times, the variability is different than what is expected due to some influence that is not part of the normal process. That is special cause variation, and indicates that something may be introducing unexpected - and potentially problematic - variability in the process. In Metalor’s case, Minitab control charts demonstrate


the effect of implementing the optimal process conditions determined by the designed experiment. Minitab’s solution


The overlaid contour plot created in Minitab helped Metalor adjust their process to meet customer specifications for both the density and the surface area of their powder. Once the new process settings were implemented,


Minitab’s control charts clearly showed the sustained benefits of the improved process. A control chart plots your process data in time-ordered sequence to help identify common cause versus special cause variation. By identifying the


IDL 8.0 simplifies production of high-quality graphics from numerical data


I


TT Visual Information Solutions (ITT VIS) is releasing IDL 8.0, the latest version of its scientific programming language for creating high-quality, visualisations from complex numerical data. IDL is used by scientists, researchers, engineers and professionals to create a range of data analysis and visualisation ranging from small analysis programs to widely deployed software applications. IDL 8.0 introduces improvements to make it even easier to analyse and visualise data, including a powerful new graphics system,


26 www.engineerlive.com


decreased variation in their process by 50 per cent and improved the quality of their silver powder. Minitab control charts illustrated the decrease in process variation that led to a higher quality powder. These improvements also reduced rejected batches by 75 per cent. l


Enter 26 or ✔ at www.engineerlive.com/asia


Eston Martz is with Minitab Inc, State College, PA, USA. www.minitab.com


an enhanced and expanded programming language, and a streamlined development environment. Beau Legeer, director of product management for ITT VIS, comments: “The goal behind IDL development has always been to provide a powerful, yet easy to use, programming environment that allows users to focus on the work at hand, and not on a complex, time-consuming programming tool to analyse data. IDL 8.0 is focused on this goal more than ever, and makes it easier and faster for users of any experience level to interpret data, but now in a modern, streamlined environment that delivers powerful new programming and graphics features and functionality.” The most notable enhancement in IDL


8.0 is a dynamic new graphics system that enables users to more easily produce meaningful, presentation-quality graphics


- such as 2D and 3D plots, graphs and maps - from virtually any type of numerical data. The system is both interactive and dynamic, and provides the capability to quickly make on-the-fly adjustments to individual graphic elements, which saves significant time and effort. ITT VIS says the new graphics system is powered by an improved language syntax that saves time and effort by requiring fewer lines of code to produce high-quality graphics when compared with other popular programming languages. The streamlined environment makes it easy to access advanced, modern programming tools while creating on-the- fly visualisations, or feature-rich scientific applications to distribute commercially or to colleagues. l


For more information, visit www.ittvis.com/IDL


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36