Product category: Electronics Manufacturing Quality Assurance
News Release from: Machine Vision Products | Subject: Ericsson Lynchburg
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial Team on 18 October 2001
Implementing dynamic process control
Engineers at an Ericsson basestation plant have used existing information from AOI systems to achieve greater throughput, lower defect rates and complete closed loop process control.
The history of PCB assembly is highlighted by the continued automation that now drives high-speed electronics manufacturing Step by step, each segment of the process, from screen printing to placement to reflow, test and now into final assembly, has been made faster by what can only be described as mind-blowing advances in machines and software
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 31 Jan 2003 at 8.00am (UK)
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According to one such organisation, the National Electronics Manufacturing Initiative (NEMI), the key to future profitability has shifted from automation to sound business practices.
As quoted in Electronic News (15th January 2001) NEMI's president, Jim McElroy, believes, "The prime source for continuing cost reduction has migrated from manufacturing efficiency to improved supply chain management...Industry has optimised manufacturing efficiencies, and continued productivity gains in materials conversion will only be incremental...".
McElroy's analysis comes as no surprise to high-end manufacturers or international EMS companies.
By themselves, "incremental" increases in profitability are not enough to overcome downward price pressures.
How then do you push profits and reduce costs beyond NEMI's better business practices? For Ericsson in Lynchburg, Virginia (Plant 52 to be exact - and now part of SCI), much of this solution involves taking advantage of digital technologies and the full capabilities of automated systems.
The key word is "full".
Ericsson engineers wanted to use existing information gathered by AOI systems to achieve greater throughput, lower defect rates and complete closed loop process control of their basestation SMT line.
In part, Ericsson's vision of improved line efficiency runs counter to the industry's traditional focus: that is, a narrow vision focused on individual machines.
The reason for this limited focus is understandable: Automation was put in place one process at a time - the concept of total line efficiency, from pre- to post-reflow, has taken a back seat to the simple desire to optimise the line one machine at a time.
But such tunnel vision can no longer be the order of the day.
Along with best management practices, profitability and quality depend upon quantifiable line optimisation, independent of equipment brands or models, increased throughput and real time SPC across the entire line.
With these procedures as standard industry practice, only then can it be claimed that manufacturing efficiency has reached its apex.
Ericsson (now SCI) Lynchbu