Finding Nemo
Sometimes finding a stable and robust operating window for a process can be like finding Nemo the lost little clown fish in the Pixar / Disney movie. When considering the possible combinations of settings the choices can be overwhelming. For 10 process knobs with a choice of just low, medium or high; there are over 59,000 combinations. If you have to evaluate several responses at each setting, e.g. reliability, scrap, cost and four quality values you now have an even more complex problem to evaluate. Even worse, what if the process does not even run in many of those combinations. How are you going to find the solution to this problem?
The good news is; it can be done. By combining expert engineering and operator knowledge with advanced experimental design techniques we can tackle such a problem in an efficient and cost effective way. The end product will be a model that defines the operational window that delivers the highest reliability, lowest cost and best quality. Even in an ocean of possibilities Nemo can be found.