Introduction to

Minitab

2012 ASQ. All Rights Reserved.

What We Will Learn

Participants will be able to enter data into Minitab and
perform simple analysis and create graphs.
Understand the different file types Minitab uses.
Use Minitabs help systems.
Understand and use Minitabs different views and
windows.

2012 ASQ
Slide 2

Minitab
Minitab is a very powerful, full feature, statistics
package that integrates seamlessly with Excel,
PowerPoint and iGrafx
Does all the math and graphics for:
Sample size selection
Process capability
Hypothesis testing
Control Charts
Design of Experiments Gage R&R
Confidence intervals
and much more
The primary analytical software for 6

2012 ASQ
Slide 3

Minitab
The de facto software for statistical analysis for Lean Six
Sigma projects
Minitab is not difficult to learn
Learning Minitab will enable you to perform sophisticated
analysis without doing labor intensive manual calculations.
Minitab has two independent excellent context sensitive
help systems
World-class call in and email support for registered users

2012 ASQ
Slide 4

Minitabs Opening Screens

Sessio
n
Windo
w

Columns C1, C2, C3, . . .

Rows 1, 2, . . .

Data
Window

Cells

Multiple worksheets may be open.

However, only one is active at a time.
2012 ASQ
Slide 5

Minitab Accepts Three Types of Data

D suffix
indicates
the column
contains
date/time

T suffix
indicates the
column
contains text

No suffix
indicates the
column
contains
numeric data

Data types cannot be mixed in a column. If the column

contains one cell that has text in it, the entire column is
considered to be text.
2012 ASQ
Slide 6

Minitab Operations
The vast majority of operations effect the entire column.
For example, you can not create a graph for a portion of a column.

Only the columns that can be acted upon appear on the selection
(left) panel. Double clicking on a column name moves it to the action
(right) panel.
2012 ASQ
Slide 7

Minitab Windows
Data - just as the name implies
Session - output of most tests and analysis
Graphs - each graph is created in a new window.
Graphs are linked to the data but updates only occur
when the Window>Update All Graphs Now command is
performed or by right clicking on the graph and selecting
Update Graph Automatically.

Information - column by column summary information about the

data

History - record of actions, useful for creating macros

2012 ASQ
Slide 8

Minitab File Types

Project contains a
complete record of
actions taken (session
window, history window,
graphs and
worksheet(s). Takes
more disk space. Uses
the file suffix .MPJ
Worksheet contains the
data only. Takes very little
disk space. All of the
Minitab files used
training are worksheet
files which use the suffix
.MTW
2012 ASQ
Slide 9

Importing Data

Each variable must be in a single column

Title each column (less than 31 characters)
Blank cells will show as *
Dollar signs and , separators are OK

Note: Minitab can manipulate the data to fix most problems but it is
typically easier in the native program (i.e., Excel or Access)

2012 ASQ
Slide 10

Exporting Data and Graphs

Graphs - click the right mouse button on any graph to open the
graph sub menu.
The most efficient way to copy Minitab graphs into PowerPoint is to
use the copy graph command from the graph submenu, switch to
PowerPoint select the paste special command then paste as a
Picture (enhanced metafile)!
Text - drag across the desired text then right click to open the copy
dialog box or use the standard ctrl-c. Text in the session widow is a
mono-space font, therefore it will not align correctly unless a monospace font is applied to it. Courier New is the most commonly
used.

2012 ASQ
Slide 11

Importing Data
Open the file Excel-Minitab.XLS
Select and copy from A2 though M15
Jan
Defective Electronic Component
Defective Electronic Assembly
Defective Mechanical Component
Incorrect Component Assembled
Wrong Hardware
Soldering Defect
Electrical Connection
Wiring/cable Defect
Finishing Defect
Processing Defect
Damaged Component
Cleanliness Defect
Procedural Defects

2012 ASQ
Slide 12

3
0
103
38
222
188
17
88
64
9
372
204
254

Feb
7
1
169
72
233
359
42
217
121
21
472
139
288

Mar
40
247
58
328
337
49
137
103
24
551
81
254

Apr
13
4
334
90
250
454
38
190
124
31
703
122
235

May
16
1
290
57
185
288
44
131
70
20
505
111
157

Jun
5
2
171
87
119
300
42
91
47
8
436
71
121

Jul
16
5
246
120
137
353
59
95
65
15
464
120
139

Aug
13
0
140
72
109
315
37
95
79
11
449
50
101

Sep
14
2
155
65
99
225
41
79
63
13
427
55
112

Oct
10
0
178
59
131
211
77
76
77
15
428
49
144

Nov
5
103
88
85
176
34
71
42
10
300
68
122

Dec
11
2
158
57
138
193
19
56
76
6
444
36
124

Data in Minitab
Data transferred from Excel. Note the * in row 2 of C4. This is the
result of pasting an empty cell into Minitab. This will be treated as
missing data, not as a zero.

Replace the *s with zeros.

2012 ASQ
Slide 13

Create a Pareto Chart

Stat>Quality Tools>Pareto Chart

2
1
3

2012 ASQ
Slide 14

Pareto Chart for C1

C1

1600
1400
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0

J an
Percent
Cum %

2012 ASQ
Slide 15

100
80
60
40
20
0

372 254 222 204 188 103

88 64
67
23.8 16.3 14.2 13.1 12.0 6.6 5.6 4.1
4.3
23.8 40.1 54.3 67.3 79.4 86.0 91.6 95.7 100.0

Percent

J an

Pareto Chart of C1

Create a Year Column

Calc>Row Statistics

2012 ASQ
Slide 16

Create a Pareto Chart for Year

Stat>Quality Tools>Pareto Chart

2012 ASQ
Slide 17

Pareto Chart for Year

Number or Defects

Pareto Analysis for the Year

6000
5000
4000
3000
2000
1000

C1

Number or Defects
Percent
Cum %

2012 ASQ
Slide 18

5551339922942051203613261106 931 863 852

27.2 16.7 11.2 10.0 10.0 6.5 5.4 4.6 4.2 4.2
27.2 43.9 55.1 65.1 75.1 81.6 87.091.6 95.8100.0

Creating Graphs

Pull down the graph menu then select the

desired graph type and fill in the dialog
boxes.
Note: the dialog boxes are not active until
the cursor is in the box, so the options do
not show in the selection panel until the
cursor is in the box.

2012 ASQ
Slide 19

Plot Units Failed vs. Units Submitted

Copy data from Excel spreadsheet cells A16:M17 into
Minitab rows 16 27.
Transpose the columns in Minitab Data>Transpose Columns

Note the data could also have been transposed in Excel using the
Paste special command.
2012 ASQ
Slide 20

Create a Scatterplot

2012 ASQ
Slide 21

Scatterplot
Scatterplot of Units Submitted I nsp vs Units Failed I nsp

Units Submitted I nsp

50000

40000

30000

20000

10000
600

2012 ASQ
Slide 22

800

1000

1200

1400 1600 1800

Units Failed I nsp

2000

2200

2400

Enhancing the Graph

Scatterplot of Units Submitted Test vs Units Failed Test

Units Submitted Test

10000

Right click on
the Y Axis

9000

8000

7000

6000
500

600

Worksheet: Worksheet 5

2012 ASQ
Slide 23

700

800
900
Units Failed Test

1000

1100

1200

Edit Some Features of the Axis

2012 ASQ
Slide 24

Enhanced Graph
Scatterplot of Units Submitted I nsp vs Units Failed I nsp

Units Submitted I nsp

50000

40000

30000

20000

10000
600

800

1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000 2200 2400

Units Failed I nsp

2012 ASQ
Slide 25

Formulae in Columns
Right Click in the title box of column
15

2012 ASQ
Slide 26

Enter the Formula

Changes in any of the

reference columns causes
the formula to update the
result in the target column.
This does not occur when
the calculator is used unless
the assign as a formula
check box is checked.

2012 ASQ
Slide 27

Using Minitabs Help

Press F1 in a blank Minitab session to start at the
beginning of the help system
Press F1 for context sensitive help
Click on
at the bottom left of any menu

2012 ASQ
Slide 28

Using Minitabs Help

At any dialog box, press F1 for context sensitive help or click on
at the bottom left of any menu

2012 ASQ
Slide 29

Minitabs Help

Minitab has an excellent context sensitive help systems

2012 ASQ
Slide 30

Methods and Formulas are Very

Useful and Informative

2012 ASQ
Slide 31

Create a Capability Analysis to Illustrate

Statguide
Open the worksheet Sample Data.MTW
Quality Tools > Capability Analysis > Normal

Se
le

ct

ct
le
Se

2012 ASQ
Slide 32

Create a Capability Analysis

Quality Tools > Capability Analysis > Normal > Select
Sample Data, Subgroup size: 5, Lower Spec: 4, Upper Spec: 16

2012 ASQ
Slide 33

Using the Statguide

Right click on the graph to bring up the menu on the right.
Process Capability of Sample Data
LSL

USL

Process Data
LSL
4
Target
*
USL
16
Sample Mean
10.0815
Sample N
750
StDev(Within) 1.98534
StDev(Overall) 2.21949

Within
Overall
Potential (Within) Capability
Z.Bench 2.80
Z.LSL
3.06
Z.USL
2.98
Cpk
0.99
Overall Capability
Z.Bench
Z.LSL
Z.USL
Ppk
Cpm

4
Observed Performance
PPM < LSL 4000.00
PPM > USL 5333.33
PPM Total
9333.33

Exp. Within Performance

PPM < LSL 1094.84
PPM > USL 1436.09
PPM Total
2530.93

10

12

14

2.46
2.74
2.67
0.89
*

16

Exp. Overall Performance

PPM < LSL 3071.48
PPM > USL 3831.23
PPM Total
6902.71

Worksheet: Sample Data.MTW

Select
2012 ASQ
Slide 34

Using the Statguide

Click on any
topic in the left
panel to obtain a
non-technical
description in the
right panel.

2012 ASQ
Slide 35

Using the Minitab Report Function

Right click on the graph to bring up the menu on the right, and Select:
Append Graph to Report
This puts the graph into the Report Pad, which is behind the scenes
in Minitab. The report can be saved by: File > Save Report As
[save as Rich Text Format (*.RTF) or Web Page (*htm, *.html)]
Process Capability of Sample Data
LSL

USL

Process Data
LSL
4
Target
*
USL
16
Sample Mean
10.0815
Sample N
750
StDev(Within) 1.98534
StDev(Overall) 2.21949

Within
Overall
Potential (Within) Capability
Z.Bench 2.80
Z.LSL
3.06
Z.USL
2.98
Cpk
0.99
Overall Capability
Z.Bench
Z.LSL
Z.USL
Ppk
Cpm

4
Observed Performance
PPM < LSL 4000.00
PPM > USL 5333.33
PPM Total
9333.33

Exp. Within Performance

PPM < LSL
1094.84
PPM > USL 1436.09
PPM Total
2530.93

Worksheet: Sample Data.MTW

2012 ASQ
Slide 36

10

12

14

Exp. Overall Performance

PPM < LSL
3071.48
PPM > USL 3831.23
PPM Total
6902.71

2.46
2.74
2.67
0.89
*

16

Select

Customizing Minitab (If You Want To)

Drag and
drop from
this panel
to any
menu
Open and
save
project
command
s added to
the edit
menu
2012 ASQ
Slide 37

Add Links to the Tools Menu

Adds a new
link

Click here
then
browse to
find the
desired
application

2012 ASQ
Slide 38

Importing a Profile
A profile sets Minitabs
defaults and preferences.

2012 ASQ
Slide 39

Managing Profiles

Rules:

At least one profile must be active

Multiple profiles can be active

The one on top has highest priority

2012 ASQ
Slide 40

Set the Default Initial Directory

This sets the
folder
Minitab will
use to look
for files first.
Suggest
setting this
to your Black
Belt Data
files folder
for training.

2012 ASQ
Slide 41

You Can Always Get Back

2012 ASQ
Slide 42

Exercise
Create a Pareto and Scatter plot using the Test Data in
the spreadsheet ...

\DataFile\Excel-Minitab.xls

2012 ASQ
Slide 43

Learning More About Minitab

In-class examples as each topic is discussed

Meet Minitab
Minitab tutorials
Actual project work

2012 ASQ
Slide 44