ANOVA Applied to the Taguchi Method: A New Interpretation

Abstract

ANOVA is currently employed in association with the Robust Design in order to discover the parameters most influencing a particular performance of a device in the phase of development. Such relation has been studied for many times and literature is abundant. The peculiar nature of the Taguchi Method with the employment of orthogonal arrays introduces new elements in the investigation of the most influencing parameters. Considering that the plan of the experiment is organized on the base of level parameters combination orthogonal and balanced, ANOVA can be applied to each parameter individually and this gives new insight on the occurrence of noises in correspondence of some levels parameter. The paper analyses this kind of relation, reproducing an example from literature and discussing how ANOVA can be employed in such a study. Robust Design is an extraordinary method to be used in product development with the experiments simulated from CAE analyses. In this context, more conscious employment of such methodologies can aid in managing and organizing the study and experimentation on new products or processes. In another section a second example from the authors is re-proposed and some new insights are shown.