Alternatives to the multivariate control chart for process dispersion

Abstract In this article, we compare the performances of six new multivariate control chart schemes for process dispersion to the standard multivariate process dispersion control chart. The six new schemes are designed by transforming the standard multivariate control chart statistic for process dispersion into a standard scale so that runs rules can be incorporated into these schemes. This article discusses a simple extension for using runs rules in a multivariate control chart for process dispersion. The extension is deemed important since the use of runs rules is always confined to univariate control charts only. The performances of the six control chart schemes together with the standard control chart are based on the computed average run length (ARL) profiles. Five of the six schemes have shown better ARL performances than the standard multivariate process dispersion control chart.