Experiment Design and Analysis

Experiment Design and Analysis

Much of our knowledge about products and processes in the engineering and scientific disciplines is derived from experimentation. An experiment is a series of tests conducted in a systematic manner to increase the understanding of an existing process or to explore a new product or process. Design of experiments (DOE), then, is the tool to develop an experimentation strategy that maximizes learning using a minimum of resources. DOE is widely used in many fields with broad application across all the natural and social sciences. It is extensively used by engineers and scientists involved in the improvement of manufacturing processes to maximize yield and decrease variability. Often engineers also work on products or processes where no scientific theories or principles are directly applicable. Experimental design techniques become extremely important in such studies to develop new products and processes in a cost effective and confident manner.