Topics in the body text of this DOE FAQ Alert are headlined below (the "Expert" ones, if any, delve into statistical details):

P.S. Quote for the month: Quit talking the talk and try walking the walk.

1: Newsletter alert: New issue of Stat-Teaser provides 8 tips for DOE success and explains how to resolve partial aliasing

Check out the latest issue of our Stat-Teaser newsletter via this link. Shari Kraber shares tips for DOE success she picked up from her consulting colleagues at Stat-Ease. Also, Consultant Wayne Adams sheds light on the repercussions created by partial aliasing. Pay attention!

Thank you for reading our newsletter. We appreciate you passing along the link to the posting of the Stat-Teaser to your colleagues.

2: Software alert: Version 9.0.6 of Design-Expert software released (free update for licensed users of v9)

Newly-released version 9.0.6 of Design-Expert software is posted at this download site for free trial evaluation. To update older licensed versions of 9.0, simply download the update from within the program, or download the full installation and reinstall it. The release primarily provides maintenance of existing features. View the Read Me file for details on this update, installation tips, known ‘bugs,’ change history, and FAQs.

P.S. Reminder: If you want to receive notice when an update becomes available, go to Edit on the main menu of your program, select Preferences and, within the default General tab, turn on (if not already on by default) the “Check for updates on program start” option.

3: FAQ: What is the advantage of a split-plot design over just blocking on a factor in a factorial design?

Answer from Webinar Presenter Pat Whitcomb:
“The biggest difference between a split plot and a blocked design is the purpose. In blocking, the usual assumption is therefore that the block-by-factor interactions are ignored, while in a split plot, we can design to estimate the interactions between hard-to-change (HTC) factors with each other and with the easy-to-change (ETC) factors. Finally, in a split plot we design to test the significance of the HTC factors and their interactions, this is not usually done with blocks.”

(Learn more about blocking and split plots by attending the two-day computer-intensive workshop Experiment Design Made Easy. Click on the title for a description of this class and link from this page to the course outline and schedule. Then, if you like, enroll online.)

4: FAQ: What is your recommended method for DOE confirmation?

Question from a Process Development Engineer:
“I typically run 5 replicates at 3 settings to confirm my DOEs by comparing the individual results against the 95% prediction interval (PI) and the mean of the 5 samples against the 95% confidence interval (CI). While reviewing version 9 of Design-Expert I noticed the 95% PI no longer appears under Point Prediction. Where did it go? What is your recommended method for DOE confirmation?”

Answer from Stat-Ease Consultant Wayne Adams:
“In version 9 we added the confirmation node and moved the PI there. It is the interval to use for the average of a future sample, which the program will calculate from the individual results you enter.

Confirmation node

The PI narrows as the confirmation sample size (n) increases. As shown in the screen shot, Design-Expert alerts you if the result falls out of bounds by printing it in red.”

5: Info alert: Design of experiments improves yield from 20% to 76%

This case study published by Scientific Computing illustrates the effectiveness of multifactor testing for revealing an important interaction. Quantifying the combination of temperature and pH proved to be the key to success for peptide-bond formation, a vital step in production of pharmaceuticals.

6: Book giveaway: Win a free DOE Simplified book

(Sorry, due to the high cost of shipping, this offer applies only to residents of the United States and Canada.)

7: Events alert: Save the date for Euro DOE Meeting in Leuven, Belgium May 18-20

Click here for a list of upcoming appearances by Stat-Ease professionals. We hope to see you sometime in the near future!

Save the date for the Sixth European Design of Experiments (DOE) User Meeting and Workshops in lovely Leuven, Belgium on May 18 through 20. This biannual get-together is co-sponsored by Stat-Ease and the on-site host CQ Consultancy. Watch for more details on this fun and informative conference coming in future Alerts.

P.S. Do you need a speaker on DOE for a learning session within your company or technical society at regional, national, or even international levels?  If so, contact me. It may not cost you anything if Stat-Ease has a consultant close by, or if a web conference will be suitable. However, for presentations involving travel, we appreciate reimbursement for travel expenses.  In any case, it never hurts to ask Stat-Ease for a speaker on this topic.

8: Workshop alert: DOE classes coming up in Minnesota and Norway

All classes listed below will be held at the Stat-Ease training center in Minneapolis unless otherwise noted. If possible, enroll at least 4 weeks prior to the date so your place can be assured. Also, take advantage of a discount when you register for multiple workshops (or when you register yourself and your colleagues).

• Experiment Design Made Easy (EDME)
  
  • November 4-5, Oslo, Norway (register for this class here)
  • December 8-9**
  • March 7-8, 2016*, Edison, New Jersey
    
    
• Response Surface Methods for Process Optimization (RSM)
  • March 9-10, 2016*, Edison, New Jersey

*Take both EDME and RSM to earn $400 off the combined tuition!

• Mixture Design for Optimal Formulations (MIX)
• December 10-11**
• April 4-5, 2016**, Edison, New Jersey
  
  
• Advanced Formulations: Combining Mixture & Process Variables (MIX2)
• April 6-7, 2016**, Edison, New Jersey

** Take both MIX and MIX2, or EDME and MIX, to earn $400 off the combined tuition!

See this web page for complete schedule and site information on all Stat-Ease workshops open to the public. To enroll, scroll down to the workshop of your choice and click on it, or call Rachel Pollack at 612-746-2030. If spots remain available, bring along several colleagues and take advantage of quantity discounts in tuition. Or, consider bringing in an expert from Stat-Ease to teach a private class at your site.***

***Once you achieve a critical mass of about 6 students, it becomes very economical to sponsor a private workshop, which is most convenient and effective for your staff. For a quote, e-mail [email protected].

I hope you learned something from this issue. Address your general questions and comments to me at: [email protected].

Please do not send me requests to subscribe or unsubscribe—follow the instructions at the end of this message. Sincerely,

Mark

Mark J. Anderson, PE, CQE
Principal, Stat-Ease, Inc.
2021 East Hennepin Avenue, Suite 480
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55413 USA

P.S. Quote for the month—Quit talking the talk and try walking the walk:

 
"“One test is worth a thousand expert opinions.”

  —Boeing test pilot Tex Johnston

Trademarks: Stat-Ease, Design-Ease, Design-Expert and Statistics Made Easy are registered trademarks of Stat-Ease, Inc.

Acknowledgements to contributors:
—Students of Stat-Ease training and users of Stat-Ease software
—Stat-Ease consultants Pat Whitcomb, Shari Kraber, Wayne Adams, Brooks Henderson and Martin Bezener
—Statistical advisor to Stat-Ease: Dr. Gary Oehlert
—Stat-Ease programmers led by Neal Vaughn
—Heidi Hansel Wolfe, Stat-Ease sales and marketing director, and all the remaining staff that provide such supreme support!

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