UNIT 4

(DESIGN OF EXPERIMENTS)
Importance of Experiments, Experimental Strategies, Basic principles of Design, Terminology, ANOVA,
Steps in Experimentation, Sample size, Single Factor experiments - Completely Randomized design,
Randomized Block design, Statistical Analysis, Multifactor experiments - Two and three factor full
Factorial experiments, 2K factorial Experiments, Confounding and Blocking designs, Fractional factorial
design, Taguchis approach - Steps in experimentation, Design using Orthogonal Arrays, Data Analysis,
Robust Design- Control and Noise factors, S/N ratios
Two and three factor full Factorial experiments:
SAMPLE SIZE:

Improve the efficiency of experimentation using blocking strategy

Blocking can be used to minimize experimental results being influenced by variations from shift-to-shift,
day-to-day or machine-to-machine. The blocks can be batches of different shifts, different machines, raw
materials and so on. Shainin's multi-variate charts could be a useful tool for identifying those variables
which cause unwanted sources of variability. For example, a metal- lurgist wishes to improve the strength
of a certain steel component. Four factors at 2-levels each were considered for the experiment. An eight
trial experiment was chosen, but it was possible to run only four experimental trials per day. Hence each
day was treated as a separate block, with the purpose of reducing day-to-day variation. It is important that
the experimental trials within the block must be as homogeneous as possible. In the context of ED, one
usually has to obtain blocking generator(s) prior to applying blocking strategy. In order to obtain the
blocking generators, it is advised to decide the number of blocks needed for the experiment and also the
block size. It is important to ensure that the block generators are not con- founded with the main effects
and also two-factor interaction effects. Box et al. (1978) provide a useful table which illustrates the

number of blocks, block size, recommended block generators, the number of experimental trials and the
resolutions of the blocked design.

Understanding the confounding pattern of factor effects

The confounding pattern is often overlooked by many experimenters who use Taguchi OA designs,
Plackett-Burmann designs or highly fractionated factorial designs. If we study three factors at 2-levels
using four runs, the main effects will be confounded with 2-factor interactions. In other words, the
estimates of main effects cannot be separated out from the interactions. It is always dangerous to run such
a low resolution fractional factorial design. In the above case, we generally assign factor A to column 1,
factor B to column 2 and factor C to column 3. In fact, column 3 can also be obtained due to the
interaction between factors A and B. In other words, main effect C is confounded with interaction AB. If
column 3 is significant from the statistical analysis, then we don't know whether the effect is the result of
C, AB or both.
Confounding can be avoided by carefully choosing high resolution fractional designs, but the cost factor
will go up due to the large size of the experiment. The challenge here is to find the balance between the
size of the experiment and the information gained from the experiment. An under- standing of
confounding structures (also called alias structures) can be a tremendous asset to the experimenter.