R help - Feb 2007 - Sampling distribution of the range statistic

R-helpers:

In the construction of control charts for statistical quality control
objectives, one might choose to estimate the control limits for the mean
using the mean range of the samples.  This requires multiplying the mean
range by a correction factor, often called "d2", that is tabulated in
many books. The origin of "d2" seems to be table 2 of the following
paper:

Harter, HL.  Ann Math Stat (1960) 31: 1122.

In Table 2 of this paper, the mean of the sampling distribution of the
range statistic is calculated for various sample sizes.  Does anyone
know whether R has a function that can reproduce the sampling
distribution of the range represented in the Harter paper so that I
don't have to look at tables in old books?

Brant

On Thu, 2007-02-15 at 18:44 -0600, Inman, Brant A. M.D.
wrote:
> R-helpers:
> 
> In the construction of control charts for statistical quality control
> objectives, one might choose to estimate the control limits for the mean
> using the mean range of the samples.  This requires multiplying the mean
> range by a correction factor, often called "d2", that is
tabulated in
> many books. The origin of "d2" seems to be table 2 of the
following
> paper:
> 
> Harter, HL.  Ann Math Stat (1960) 31: 1122.
> 
> In Table 2 of this paper, the mean of the sampling distribution of the
> range statistic is calculated for various sample sizes.  Does anyone
> know whether R has a function that can reproduce the sampling
> distribution of the range represented in the Harter paper so that I
> don't have to look at tables in old books?
> 
> Brant
Brant,

You might want to look at the 'qcc' package on CRAN.  Brief info here:

  http://cran.us.r-project.org/src/contrib/Descriptions/qcc.html

Also, take a look at the Qtoolbox at:

  http://www.cmis.csiro.au/S-PLUS/qtoolbox/R.html

HTH,

Marc Schwartz