Match Data to Designs

It is unlikely that you will get the tolerances right immediately. Open the Tolerance Editor using the context menu and try different values for different variables. These values determine the size of clusters centered on each design point. Data points that lie within tolerance of any design point in a cluster are matched to that cluster. See The Tolerance Editor for cluster definitions.

For matching data to designs, you might want to clear the check box in the Design Match for green clusters (with equal data and design points). These clusters are matched; you are more likely to be interested in unmatched points and clusters with uneven numbers of data and design points. Removing the green clusters allows you to focus on these points of interest. If you want your new Actual Design to accurately reflect your current data, your aim is to get as many data points matched to design points as possible, that is, as few red clusters as possible. See Red Clusters.

You can see the values of variables at different points by clicking and holding. Selected points have a pink border. Once points are selected, you can change the plot variables using the X- and Y-axis factor drop-down menus to track those points through the different dimensions.

This can give you a good idea of which tolerances to change in order to match points. Remember that points that do not form a cluster can appear to be perfectly matched when viewed in one pair of dimensions; you must view them in other dimensions to find out where they are separated beyond the tolerance value. Use this tracking process to decide whether you want particular pairs of points to be matched, and then change the tolerances until they form part of a cluster.

Remember that points you select in the design match view are selected across the Data Editor, so if you have other data plots or a table view open you can investigate the same points in different views.

Once you have found useful values for the tolerances by trial and error, you can make selections of points within clusters that have uneven numbers of data and design points. These clusters are blue (more data than design) or red (more design than data). Select any cluster by clicking it. The details of every data and design point contained in the selected cluster appear in the Cluster Information list. Choose the points you want to keep or discard by selecting or clearing the check boxes next to each point. Notice that your selections can cause clusters to change color as you adjust the numbers of data and design points within them.

You can also select unmatched points by right-clicking and selecting Select Unmatched Data. All unmatched points then appear in the list view. You can decide whether to include or exclude them in the same way as points within clusters, by using the check boxes in the list. If you decide to exclude data points (within clusters or not) they appear on the plot as black crosses (if the Excluded Data check box is selected for display).

Note that it is a single fast operation to multiple-select points before selecting or clearing a check box, rather than selecting points individually. To do this, use Shift+click to select multiple points and hold the Shift key when clicking one of the check boxes.

You can right-click and select Show Labels to see design and data point numbers on the plot (also in the View menu).