-
- News
- Books
Featured Books
- smt007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueBox Build
One trend is to add box build and final assembly to your product offering. In this issue, we explore the opportunities and risks of adding system assembly to your service portfolio.
IPC APEX EXPO 2024 Pre-show
This month’s issue devotes its pages to a comprehensive preview of the IPC APEX EXPO 2024 event. Whether your role is technical or business, if you're new-to-the-industry or seasoned veteran, you'll find value throughout this program.
Boost Your Sales
Every part of your business can be evaluated as a process, including your sales funnel. Optimizing your selling process requires a coordinated effort between marketing and sales. In this issue, industry experts in marketing and sales offer their best advice on how to boost your sales efforts.
- Articles
- Columns
Search Console
- Links
- Events
||| MENU - smt007 Magazine
I-Connect Survey: Automation or Reducing Process Steps?
July 13, 2016 | Stephen Las Marias, I-Connect007Estimated reading time: 1 minute
In our recent survey, we asked what is more important: automating a process or eliminating process steps.
Reducing a process step in an assembly line, which may result in a more efficient process—by taking the waste out of the value stream—is a key factor towards lean manufacturing. Automation, meanwhile, takes the manual aspect out of the process and replaces it with a system that works 24/7. Of course, automation requires heavy investment; and a challenge here, as pointed out in one of the responses in the survey, is justifying the need for automation.
Interestingly, the results are 50-50. Half of our respondents say automating a process is more important, while the remaining 50 percent consider eliminating a process step a key strategy.
Source: I-Connect007 Survey
One comment is that both are important—and that they go hand in hand. However, while automation can be done in most process areas, eliminating process steps is not possible in many areas. Also, in the case of smaller manufacturers, their facilities most of the time do not lend themselves well to either: some respondents say they have islands of automation rather than a real, end-to-end process automation.
Reducing handling errors is one of the biggest factors that require the need for automation. This is followed by faster throughput and lower labor costs. Another reason to automate, according to the survey, is to deliver more consistent quality results.
Source: I-Connect007 Survey
Respondents highlighted some of the key processes that they consider important to automate: drilling and routing, installing fasteners, wet process, via fill, image transfer, lamination, and inspection, particularly AOI.
When it comes to eliminating process steps, the following are some of the key processes that respondents consider eliminating: plating, lamination, solder mask, repetitive measurements, and inventory management. Apart from eliminating steps in the process, respondents say reducing takt time is the next best thing.
Eliminating process steps, however, requires several justifications. Survey respondents highlight the ROI, cost, timeframe, and testing considerations when it comes to reducing process steps.
Suggested Items
Taiyo Circuit Automation Installs New DP3500 into Fuba Printed Circuits, Tunisia
04/25/2024 | Taiyo Circuit AutomationTaiyo Circuit Automation is proud to be partnered with Fuba Printed Circuits, Tunisia part of the OneTech Group of companies, a leading printed circuit board manufacturer based out of Bizerte, Tunisia, on their first installation of Taiyo Circuit Automation DP3500 coater.
Vicor Power Orders Hentec Industries/RPS Automation Pulsar Solderability Testing System
04/24/2024 | Hentec Industries/RPS AutomationHentec Industries/RPS Automation, a leading manufacturer of selective soldering, lead tinning and solderability test equipment, is pleased to announce that Vicor Power has finalized the purchase of a Pulsar solderability testing system.
AIM Solder’s Dillon Zhu to Present on Ultraminiature Soldering at SMTA China East
04/22/2024 | AIMAIM Solder, a leading global manufacturer of solder assembly materials for the electronics industry, is pleased to announce that Dillon Zhu will present on the topic: Ultraminiature Soldering: Techniques, Technologies, and Standards at SMTA China East. This event is being held at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Center from April 24-25.
AIM to Highlight NC259FPA Ultrafine No Clean Solder Paste at SMTA Wisconsin Expo & Tech Forum
04/18/2024 | AIMAIM Solder, a leading global manufacturer of solder assembly materials for the electronics industry, is pleased to announce its participation in the upcoming SMTA Wisconsin Expo & Tech Forum taking place on May 7 at the Four Points by Sheraton | Milwaukee Airport, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Hentec/RPS Publishes an Essential Guide to Selective Soldering Processing Tech Paper
04/17/2024 | Hentec Industries/RPS AutomationHentec Industries/RPS Automation, a leading manufacturer of selective soldering, lead tinning and solderability test equipment, announces that it has published a technical paper describing the critical process parameters that need to be optimized to ensure optimal results and guarantee the utmost in end-product quality.