How inRealTime™ Works

Launching inRealTime

inRealTime adds itself to the MINITAB Tools menu.

Simply select inRealTime from the Tools menu and you're ready to enter data.

Entering data inRealTime

Entering data is easy - inRealTime guides you through the whole process.

  1. Prompt guides you through every step of the process.
  2. Input box makes it very clear where you type. (Of course, if you use gages or files, you don't have to type anything.)
  3. Prior values are displayed so you can track what you're already entered. Green and Red shading lets you know right away if there is a problem.
  4. Real-time control chart automatically updates as data each subgroup is entered.
  5. Tabs provide access to data details, summary descriptive statistics and detailed instructions.
  6. Tag data with notes about special circumstances.

Real-time failures inRealTime

inRealTime automatically detects real-time failures. You can set the program's level of sensitivity to these real-time failures and test for any of the standard Western Electric real-time tests.

When inRealTime identifies a real-time failure, it automatically pops up a large red screen that tells you exactly what the problem is. Thiss way, you'll know immediately if there is a problem or process shift,

  1. Individual data points that are out of specification are identified here.
  2. Subgroup alarms are reported here.
  3. You can log operator notes here.
  4. You can select an Event, Cause or Action Taken from lists that you define. Whatever you select is displayed on the chart and is sent to MINITAB.

Sending data to MINITAB

After entering all of you data inRealTime, close the inRealTime program and it asks you if you want to send the data to MINITAB:

When you say Yes to that message, inRealTime loads the data into a MINITAB worksheet.

From there you can do whatever you want with it!

Frequently asked questions about how inRealTime works

My data entry needs are pretty specialized - I doubt that inRealTime's standard procedure will do what I need. Am I stuck with your predefined process?

Absolutely not! One of inRealTime's greatest strengths is flexibility.

Many data collection problems have already been solved, and you can purchase additional standard solutions for a very low cost from our growing library of solutions.

But even that library may not fully address your unique situation. Because it uses a script or template technology, we can customize inRealTime to solve your special problems. We have customers using this technology to do things like:

  • Collect data from 3 different gages at an inspection station in a specific order.
  • Automatically capture data from complex test equipment (including vision inspection, laser mikes, CMMs, automated fill-weight monitoring systems).
  • Capture process data from machines and in-line sensors.
  • Extract data from business system databases for applications such as a help desk, ERP or CRM.

There is a minor fee for this service. More information.

Which real-time tests does inRealTime perform?

  • Value within Reasonable Limits (to prevent 'Fat Finger" errors)
  • X-bar (or X) above or below the control limit (either dynamic or static/historic limits)
  • Range (or Moving Range) above or below the control limit (either dynamic or static/historic limits)
  • Individual point outside of specification (two levels of specification can be set)
  • Range run above or below the mean
  • X-bar (or X) trend increasing or decreasing
  • Range trend increasing or decreasing
  • 2 of 3 above or below 2 SD
  • 4 of 5 above or below 1 SD
  • CuSum above or below CuSum limits

Can I connect a gage to inRealTime?

Sure! inRealTime comes with a procedure to collect data from a single gage where the gage sends only one reading to the computer. Some gages have more complex data strings, and these can also be accommodated, but they may require a custom template. Check out our template library first, and if you don't find what you're looking for there, contact us for a custom interface.

What happens to the data that I enter in inRealTime?

inRealTime stores your data in a Microsoft Access table. The data is always available in that database. When inRealTime asks if you want to send the data to MINITAB, it has already stored the data in Access, and it is sending the most recent data for this inRealTime control chart to MINITAB. Of course you can save the data again in a MINITAB project, but it isn't necessary to do so since it is already stored in the inRealTime database.

You can purchase a template from the inRealTime template library that lets you extract historical data from the inRealTime database and send it to MINITAB.

Do I need to have MINITAB to use inRealTime?

No, inRealTime works fine as a stand-alone application. Some users like to put inRealTime in the hands of process owners and green belts who don't have a copy of MINITAB. It is easy to email data to MINITAB from within inRealTime.

What are the default procedures that come with inRealTime?

inRealTime comes with three data entry procedures (templates). These templates are designed to cover many of the most common data entry situations that you will encounter:

Title

Documentation

Description

Keyboard Data Entry for MINITAB

instr_kb.html

The Keyboard Data Entry for MINITAB template is the foundation for all inRealTime data entry templates. It accepts data by keyboard for one feature (Critical Y/x) at a time. If you need a new Critical Y, it steps you through a process for creating the new feature. You can also enter identifying information (also called grouping data, 'by variables' or traceability values) with the data.

Simple File Data Entry for MINITAB

instr_f.html

The Simple File Data Entry for MINITAB is designed to read a simple text file containing one column of data values for a Critical Y/x with a subgroup size of one, and without any header rows. This template asks you to specify the path and file name of the text file and the column that contains the data that you wish to analyze.

RS232 Data Entry for MINITAB

instr_rs.html

RS232 Data Entry for MINITAB is designed to read data from one gage on a MicroRidge device connected to the serial (RS-232) port on your workstation. If the device has multiple channels, you may enter a channel ID (A-P).