3. Elements of Design of
Experiments
1. Conjecture or hypothesis
2. Response variable
3. Factors, levels and ranges
4. Treatments of factors
5. Blockings
6. Tools and methods for experiments and
measurements
7. Effect models (independent or interaction factors)
8. Replication, randomization and local factor
3
6. Blocking Principles and Nuisance
Factors
Blocking is a technique for dealing with nuisance factors
A nuisance factor is a factor that probably has some
effect on the response, but it’s of no interest to the
experimenter…however, the variability it transmits to the
response needs to be minimized
Typical nuisance factors include batches of raw material,
operators, pieces of test equipment, time (shifts, days,
etc.), different experimental units
Many industrial experiments involve blocking (or should)
Failure to block is a common flaw in designing an
experiment (consequences?)
6
7. Blocking Principles and Nuisance
Factors
If the nuisance variable is known and controllable, we
use blocking
If the nuisance factor is known and uncontrollable,
sometimes we can use the analysis of covariance to
remove the effect of the nuisance factor from the analysis
If the nuisance factor is unknown and uncontrollable (a
“lurking” variable), we hope that randomization
balances out its impact across the experiment
Sometimes several sources of variability are combined in
a block, so the block becomes an aggregate variable
7
9. Randomized Complete Block
Design (RCBD)
Randomized Complete Block Design is a
type of experimental design to remove the
variability between blocks from experimental
errors by testing each experimental units on
each blocks. Each block contains all
treatments. The blocks form a more
homogeneous experimental unit on which to
compare the treatments. Within a block, the
order in which the treatments are tested is
randomly determined.
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18. Model Adequacy Checking
Normal Probability Plot of the Residuals
Plot of Residuals in Time Sequence
Plot of Residuals versus Fitted Values
Plot of Residuals versus Other Variables
18
22. an Example: The Hardness
Testing Experiment
We wish to determine whether 4 different tips produce
different (mean) hardness reading on a Rockwell
hardness tester
Assignment of the tips to an experimental unit; that is, a
test coupon. The machine operates by pressing the tip
into a metal test coupon, and from the depth of the
resulting depression, the hardness of the coupon can be
determined
The test coupons are a source of nuisance variability.
The metal coupons may differ slightly in their hardness,
since they are taken from ingots that may be produced in
different heats.
The test coupons will contribute to the variability
observed in the hardness data.
22
23. an Example: The Hardness
Testing Experiment
To conduct this experiment as a RCBD, assign all 4 tips to
each coupon
Each coupon is called a “block”; that is, it’s a more
homogenous experimental unit on which to test the tips
Variability between blocks can be large, variability within
a block should be relatively small
In general, a block is a specific level of the nuisance factor
A complete replicate of the basic experiment is conducted
in each block
A block represents a restriction on randomization
All runs within a block are randomized
23
24. an Example: The Hardness
Testing Experiment
24
Test Coupon
1 2 3 4
tip 1 tip 2 tip 3 tip 4
tip 1 tip 2 tip 3 tip 4
tip 1 tip 2 tip 3 tip 4
tip 1 tip 2 tip 3 tip 4
Test Coupon
1 2 3 4
tip 1 tip 1 tip 1 tip 1
tip 2 tip 2 tip 2 tip 2
tip 3 tip 3 tip 3 tip 3
tip 4 tip 4 tip 4 tip 4
NO RANDOMIZATION
25. an Example: The Hardness
Testing Experiment
25
Random Order Experimental Units on Blocks
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
tip 1 tip 1 tip 1 tip 1 tip 1 tip 1 tip 2 tip 2 tip 2 tip 2 tip 2 tip 2
tip 2 tip 2 tip 3 tip 3 tip 4 tip 4 tip 1 tip 1 tip 3 tip 3 tip 4 tip 4
tip 3 tip 4 tip 2 tip 4 tip 2 tip 3 tip 3 tip 4 tip 1 tip 4 tip 1 tip 3
tip 4 tip 3 tip 4 tip 2 tip 3 tip 2 tip 4 tip 3 tip 4 tip 1 tip 3 tip 1
Randomization Alternatives of four Experimental Units (tips) on Blocks (coupon)
24
!
4
4
4
P
Random Order Experimental Units on Blocks
13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
tip 3 tip 3 tip 3 tip 3 tip 3 tip 3 tip 4 tip 4 tip 4 tip 4 tip 4 tip 4
tip 1 tip 1 tip 2 tip 2 tip 4 tip 4 tip 1 tip 1 tip 2 tip 2 tip 3 tip 3
tip 2 tip 4 tip 1 tip 4 tip 1 tip 2 tip 2 tip 3 tip 1 tip 3 tip 1 tip 2
tip 4 tip 2 tip 4 tip 1 tip 2 tip 1 tip 3 tip 2 tip 3 tip 1 tip 2 tip 1
26. an Example: The Hardness
Testing Experiment
Test Coupon
1 2 3 4
tip 3 tip 3 tip 2 tip 1
tip 1 tip 4 tip 1 tip 4
tip 4 tip 2 tip 3 tip 2
tip 2 tip 1 tip 4 tip 3
26
Test Coupon
1 2 3 4
9.2 9.4 9.8 10.0
9.3 9.6 9.6 10.2
9.7 9.3 9.5 9.9
9,4 9.4 10.0 9.7
27. an Example: The Hardness
Testing Experiment
Test Coupon
1 2 3 4
9.3 9.4 9.6 10.0
9.4 9.3 9.8 9.9
9.2 9.4 9.5 9.7
9.7 9.6 10.0 10.2
27