A neural network-based procedure for the monitoring of exponential mean

Control charts are widely used for both manufacturing and service industries. Cumulative sum (CUSUM) charts are known to be very sensitive in detecting small shifts in the mean. In this paper, we propose a neural network as an alternative approach to CUSUM charts when monitoring exponential mean. The performance of neural network was evaluated by estimating the average run lengths (ARLs) using simulation. The results obtained with simulated data suggest that control scheme based on neural network is significantly more sensitive to process shifts than CUSUM charts. This research also examines the feasibility of using CUSUM chart and neural network together in detecting process mean shifts. The results indicate that using the two methods in combination is more effective than using the methods separately. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.