South Dakota
School of Mines & Technology
Deming’s Funnel Exp.
Industrial Engineering
Funnel Experiment
 The
Funnel Experiment is a famous
experiment first developed by Dr. Deming. It
was designed to show primarily two things:
1. All processes have statistical variation
2. Improving processes to reduce variation is
infinitely better than trying to control process
variation
Funnel Experiment
Funnel Experiment
Funnel Experiment
Rule 1: Do nothing
Funnel Experiment
Rule 2: Move the funnel in an equal
but opposite direction
Rule 3: Move the funnel in an equal
but opposite direction from (0,0)
Rule 4: Move the funnel to the last
position where the last hit.
Funnel Experiment
Funnel Experiment
Funnel Experiment
 The
Funnel Experiment is a famous
experiment first developed by Dr. Deming. It
was designed to show primarily two things:
1. All processes have statistical variation
2. Improving processes to reduce variation is
infinitely better than trying to control process
variation
The Funnel Experiment
Rule 1: (LTDTA) Set the funnel over the target
at (0,0) and leave the funnel fixed through all 50 drops.
Funnel Experiment; Rule 1
4
3
2
Yk
1
0
-4
-3
-2
-1
-1 0
-2
-3
-4
Xk
1
2
3
4
The Funnel Experiment
Rule 2: Move the funnel in an equal but opposite
direction from where the last marbel hit. The funnel
should be moved the distance (-xk,-yk) from its last
resting point.
Yk
Funnel Experiment; Rule 2
-4
-3
-2
-1
4
3
2
1
0
-1 0
-2
-3
-4
Xk
1
2
3
4
The Funnel Experiment
Rule 2: Move the funnel in an equal but
opposite direction from where the last marbel
hit. The funnel should be moved the distance
(-xk,-yk) from its last resting point.
Machine/Process adjustment rules using control
chart limits.
Automatic compensating machinery
The Funnel Experiment
Rule 3: Move the funnel in an equal but opposite
direction from target (0,0) to where the last marble hit.
Rule 3 states that the funnel should be moved a distance
(-xk,-yk) from the target (0,0).
Funnel Experiment; Rule 3
4
3
2
Yk
1
0
-4
-3
-2
-1
-1 0
-2
-3
-4
Xk
1
2
3
4
The Funnel Experiment
Rule 3: Move the funnel in an equal but
opposite direction from target (0,0) to where the
last marble hit. Rule 3 states that the funnel
should be moved a distance (-xk,-yk) from the
target (0,0).
Management by Objectives
Committees
The Funnel Experiment
Rule 4: Move the funnel to the last position where the
last marble hit. Rule 4 states that the funnel should be
moved to the resting point, (xk,yk).
Funnel Experiment; Rule 4
4
3
2
Yk
1
0
-4
-3
-2
-1
-1 0
-2
-3
-4
Xk
1
2
3
4
The Funnel Experiment
Rule 4: Move the funnel to the last position
where the last marble hit. Rule 4 states that the
funnel should be moved to the resting point,
(xk,yk).
Operator matches color from batch to batch
without reference to original swatch.
Operator attempts to make every piece like the
last one.
On the job training.