Home / Statistical Tools / MSA / Create MSA Template / Options

Options¶

Every control on the Create MSA Template dialog. The dialog holds a list of templates to be written, and the settings below apply to the template selected in that list.

Managing the list¶

Each template in the list is its own tab, named Template 1, Template 2 and so on.

Control	What it does
Add Template	Adds another tab, starting from a copy of the selected tab's settings. Each template is written as its own block, below the previous block
Remove	Removes the selected tab before anything is written. It is disabled while only one tab is left

Data Format¶

Choice	What it collects
Quantitative (Variable)	measured values, for the Crossed, Nested and Extended analyses. This is the default
Qualitative (Attribute)	ratings, for the attribute MSA tools

An attribute template is laid out for ratings rather than measurements. Which of the two attribute templates you get depends on the reference value format you choose alongside it (see Reference Values Format), and the template for Attribute MSA: Crosstabulations carries a Data type: dropdown offering Binomial, Nominal and Ordinal. It has no accept and reject cells: the levels are the values you type, and the conforming one is chosen in the analysis dialog. The full layout is on Create MSA Template.

Reference Values¶

Choice	Effect
I have reference values for the parts	the template includes a Ref column for the known true value of each part
I do not have reference values	no reference column is written. This is the default

When a quantitative template's reference column holds values, the analysis report adds the bias and linearity tables. A reference column left entirely blank is treated as no reference column, and the study runs without one.

Reference Values Format¶

Shown only when Qualitative (Attribute) and I have reference values for the parts are both chosen. A quantitative template's reference column always holds numbers, so the choice is hidden there.

Choice	The template built
Quantitative (Variable)	the template for Attribute MSA - Analytic Method
Qualitative (Attribute)	the template for Attribute MSA: Crosstabulations. This is the default. Its reference entries use the same labels as the ratings

Template Size¶

Control	What it sets	Default
Number of operators (appraisers):	how many operator column groups the table gets	3
Number of trials (reps):	how many times each operator measures each part, so how many trial columns per operator	3
Number of parts:	how many part rows the table gets	10

The table the template writes is the product of the three, so a study with 3 operators, 10 parts and 2 trials gives 60 measurement cells.

Finish checks every tab before anything is written. Each value must be a whole number:

Control	Smallest value accepted
Number of operators (appraisers):	1
Number of trials (reps):	1
Number of parts:	2, or 8 for the Analytic method

A value below that stops Finish with a message naming the tab, for example Template 1: Number of parts must be an integer equal to or greater than 2., and selects that tab.

The Analytic method fixes the layout. When Qualitative (Attribute), I have reference values for the parts and a Quantitative (Variable) reference format are chosen together, the operators box is set to 1 and the trials box to 20, both are disabled, and each is marked fixed for the Analytic method. Number of parts: is then marked minimum 8. Neither note appears for any other template. Changing away from the Analytic method puts back the operator and trial counts you had before.

Analysis method¶

Below the size controls, an Analysis method: line shows which analysis the template is being built for. The same wording is written into the template's title cell.

Settings	Analysis method
Quantitative (Variable)	Gage R&R: XbarR, EMS, and REML
Qualitative (Attribute), no reference values or a qualitative reference format	Attribute MSA: Crosstabulations Method
Qualitative (Attribute) with a quantitative reference format	Attribute MSA: Analytic Method