Interview
especially those who work closely with non-statisticians who use Minitab.
AE: What kinds of problems are engineers trying to solve with Minitab?
MP: Mining engineers have used Minitab to figure out the most efficient way to retrieve ore from gold mines. City engineers have used Minitab analysis to determine chemical levels needed for treating wastewater to reduce costs. Manufacturing engineers have used Minitab’s capabilities to optimise their processes and create safer and stronger products. Engineers responsible for sourcing materials have used Minitab to assess quality differences between two potential suppliers.
AE: What are some examples of specific results that Minitab customers achieve?
MP: For example, when Ford Motor Company needed to eliminate a carpet defect for a launch of their Ford Fiesta, their quality improvement experts turned to Minitab. Using Minitab’s Design of Experiments tools, they developed a strategy to assess the effects of machine settings on the quality of the automobile carpets. Their Minitab analysis helped them to identify significant variables and optimal settings for those variables. By combining their engineering expertise with their Minitab analysis, they successfully eliminated the defect.
In another instance, packaging engineer Daniel Calvo Camacho of Boston Scientific, a company that manufactures medical devices, led an effort to validate a new packaging process for a product using during various medical procedures. Engineers used Minitab to conduct their DOE analysis to identify the optimum settings for the packaging seal strength.
AE: What return on investment are users looking for?
MP: Data-driven decision-making saves money. The specific return on investment depends on the size of the project, the size of the company, in addition to many other factors. Depending on the size and scope of the project, teams have saved thousands of dollars by improving
processes with Minitab, all the way up to saving millions of dollars through a single project.
AE: Are there specific tools in Minitab that engineers are using and are finding valuable in their day-to-day work?
MP: Minitab includes a
comprehensive toolkit for engineers. The software provides everything from basic statistical tools and graphs, such as Pareto charts, to more sophisticated analyses such as Design of Experiments and Reliability. The most
commonly-used tools for
“Companies in ‘heavy’ industries such as mining, steel production, construction, energy, and forestry have all used Minitab to solve problems and boost quality. But we’re also found in the service sector, including government agencies, retail businesses, financial firms, and even non-profit organisations.”
Michelle Paret
engineers include hypothesis tests, regression, ANOVA, measurement systems analysis, control charts, and process capability.
Product Marketing Manager Minitab
www.engineerlive.com 33
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