Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1000349
JULY 2018 I SMT007 MAGAZINE 59 risk. Plex allows search- ing for process and product risk. As part of every new customer transition, the team looks at the top ten product risks for that customer. Plex gives real-time visibility into all aspects of project activity to top manage- ment at all facets of the organization. Supply chain management and new product intro- duction (NPI) are two of the areas that have been most enhanced in terms of additional risk management tools. The CFTs are key drivers of continuous improvement and a process one team iden- tifies as necessary for a specific customer may be replicated with additional custom- ers, if warranted. For example, as compo- nent availability issues started to become mor e frequent in one customer's products last year, the CFT recommended taking a more holistic approach to the problem. In the original model, component availability issues were addressed whenever the lead time on a specific component began to stretch out. The relevant team members would identify alternates and seek approval on those parts from the customer. As component shortages increased, this process was being used more frequently. The team did a complete bill of material (BOM) analysis for the products and gave the customer two to three alternates for every line item, even those without known availability issues. Documentation was provided for all recommendations along with descriptions of whether the alternate parts were drop-in replacements or needed a quali - fication process. The team then worked with the customer to get all feasible alternates added, managing qualification builds for end customer validation efforts. The process has now been replicated with all customers, particularly on new products. CFTs are a front-line resource in ensuring that what is delivered to customers meets their requirements. They provide the rest of the organization clear focus on what resources are needed to support the customer. The broad- based nature of this team structure ensures that each customer has a complete set of subject matter experts focused on project execution and continuous improvement. The teams measure a number of metrics including process and specific product yield relative to key performance indicators (KPIs), customer and product line gross margin, forecast accu- racy, revenue to project budget, on-time deliv- ery performance, customer satisfaction, correc- tive actions and inventory turns. If issues arise in the metrics, the team analyses the root cause and recommends appropriate corrective action. The result is a responsive, coordinated approach that mitigates risk, provides respon- sive solutions to any issues that develop in the project, and ensures lessons learned are propa- gated throughout the organization. SMT007 Sandy Kolp is the director of quality at Firstronic. She can be reached at skolp@firstronic.com. Figure 3: Firstronic's projects often ramp in multiple facilities across the globe simultaneously.