Memorial Session: Genichi Taguchi

• Activity Number: 112
• Type: Invited
• Date/Time: Monday, August 5, 2013 : 8:30 AM to 10:20 AM
• Sponsor: ASA
• Author(s): Madhav Phadke*+ and Shin Taguchi*+ and Vijay Nair*+ and C. F. J. Wu*+
• Companies: Phadke Associates, Inc. and American Supplier Institute and University of Michigan and Georgia Institute of Technology
• Keywords: Quality engineering ; Industrial statistics ; Design of experiments ; Robust design

Abstract

This is a memorial session for Genichi Taguchi, who passed away on June 2, 2012. Taguchi revolutionized the field of quality and the way in which statistical methods especially design of experiments is practiced in industry. His ideas for reducing product/process variations, now known as robust design, were transformative in nature. He combined engineering with statistics and made a paradigm shift for applying statistical methods for quality improvement. Although his methods have created controversy among some statisticians, there can be no doubt about the lasting impact of his pioneering work and the leadership role he has played in promoting the use of statistical design of experiments in industries. The session will begin with an overview of the contributions made by Taguchi to the field of quality. The session will then review his work on robust design and the impact it has made in industrial statistics. The four talks will be followed by a panel discussion moderated by the session chair.