Case Studies on Strengths and Weaknesses of Taguchi Method

Abstract

Taguchi method is a technique widely used in industries to attain a reliable quality even under existence of various noise variables. Basically, it relies on the interactions between the controllable and the noise factors. Under insignificant interactions between the design parameters and noises, the effectiveness of Taguchi methodology will be doubtful. Furthermore, existence of strong interactions among controllable factors may undermine the power of Taguchi approach. An abundant crop may be expected by a well planned Taguchi approach. A well designed set of experiments is one of the important prerequisites for its successful result. For this, we must have a clear understanding on strengths and weaknesses of Taguchi methodology together with a sound knowledge on the applicable system. This study provides some insights on Taguchi approach based on two case examples of one successful and the other unsuccessful. Eventually, this research aims to facilitate deeper understanding and right application of Taguchi methodology in industries. †