Product Performance Analysis with Principal Component Mapping

As part of a research programme between the University of Ulster and the industry, the interrelationships and performance attributes of polymeric components used in adhesives manufactured for medical packaging is being studied. A profound understanding about the interactions between raw materials, process parameters and responses is necessary to formulate product formulations with adaptive performance attributes and optimised costs. To facilitate such a system, we have introduced the new multivariate data visualisation method. called Principal Component Mapping (peM). The underlying idea is the interactive selection of colours and shades to specify areas corresponding to different attributes and characteristics within a series of Principal Component plots. Superimpositions of plots allow identifying interactions between different parameters. The intersections of desir1Ible attributes within the plot indicate cases with the best characteristics.