30 SMT007 MAGAZINE I MARCH 2019
Article by Neil Sharp
JJS MANUFACTURING
Ensuring you're hitting your build times
is always a major priority in surface mount
production. The challenge for many original
equipment manufacturers (OEMs), however, is
that the processes involved with printed circuit
board assembly (PCBA) can be numerous and
complex. And the smallest of details can make
the biggest of differences.
In this article, we explore four core electron-
ic component packaging issues that will help
you streamline production, meet your targets,
and keep your costs down.
Improving the Efficiency
of Your PCBA Production
1. Keep Component Variations to
a Minimum
It's not uncommon to find that a design en-
gineer has listed several similar components
against the same board reference when speci-
fying the bill of materials (BOMs). While this
element of choice might be offered with the
best intentions, it can prove a challenge as
the parts that are supplied by different man-
ufacturers can potentially vary in size and
shape.
Surface mount pick-and-place programs are
often set up against one specific part. Any
deviations outside of the expected toleranc-
es could result in the part being rejected and
the production line coming to a grinding halt.
For consistency, always request that your ma-
terials supplier settles on just one approved
part—or at the very least, they should give you
the heads up about any possible variations so
your pick-and-place programs can be updated
offline and you can avoid any costly
machine downtime.
30 SMT007 MAGAZINE I MARCH 2019
