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March 2016 • SMT Magazine 81 in each area have been cross-trained and certi- fied to multiple standards to facilitate shifting the workforce among areas as demand varies. Personnel working in the box build area have the greatest level of cross training. An adjunct benefit of this training has been that operators in each area handle the material they are assem- bling much more carefully. For example, opera- tors in box build are more cognizant of the po- tential damage they can do to a cable or PCBA if too much stress is put on that component in the final assembly process because they have detailed understanding of the vulnerabilities of the components they are assembling. With most box build projects, SAI performs an installation qualification (IQ), operations qualification (OQ) and production qualification (PQ) process to ensure that the product and pro- cesses meet customer requirements. When work is transferred from a customer new to outsourc- ing this often involves a very detailed step-by- step process where notes are taken on each step to ensure compliance with less documented portions of the customer's prior in-house pro- cesses. Aegis Manufacturing Operations Soft- ware is a key component. Its iView module cre- ates a paperless factory floor, making it easy to maintain revision control on documentation, create intelligent visual aids and include multi- media work instructions. In terms of customer benefits, the system makes it easy to upload cus- tomer data and then validate the bill of mate- rials against the Gerber and CAD files. It also shortens project launch time as pick and place and AOI programming can be driven through the same data import, and makes engineering change order (ECO) implementation faster. The end result of the combination of vertical integration and investments made in workforce and systems is a responsive, cost competitive and scalable business model. This approach be- gins by eliminating defect opportunities at the project transfer stage. And, because the team has the expertise to identify cable manufactur- ability issues upfront that could impact form, fit or function, relatively small issues which left unaddressed could cause production delays are corrected immediately. There is similar strength in analysis of issues in mechanical assemblies. Customers are able to get the flexibility and re- sponsiveness typically found at a regional EMS provider, along with the commitment to qual- ity and systems more typical of large EMS pro- viders. In short, the business model is a win-win for both parties. SmT adrian Nishimoto is an operations manager at Spectrum Assembly Inc. To contact him, click here. thE bEnEfItS of a vErtICally IntEgratEd aPProaCh to EMS Figure 4: An operator tests a cable. Figure 3: SAI automates portions of its cable as- sembly process.