Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1305670
22 SMT007 MAGAZINE I NOVEMBER 2020 reflow ovens and wave solder machines have to be inspected and cleaned daily to ensure consistency in quality. Each piece of equipment has its own temper- ature profile, which is verified weekly to make sure it remains in compliance. As all boards begin their journey through the assembly process, they are lasered with a barcode for tracking pur- poses. As the boards make their way down the lines, cameras and vision sys- tems capture each pick and/or place- ment of each component. Dashboards are located throughout each assembly line that monitor missed insertions, missed picks, etc., and tabulate an over- all reject rate. Here is where CM work can some- times present a challenge to long-time captive shops that have traditionally standardized the component library to strategically leverage specific equipment to maximize shop efficiencies and con- trol costs. As we migrate toward becom- ing a true CM, however, the company will undoubtedly be forced to expand its component library, thereby requiring additional layers of scrutiny as boards move between operations. The Human Element While modern technology is relied on heav- ily throughout the shop to maintain quality, there is still a human element that also comes into play, particularly in the assembly area. Each time we change out a component reel, we mandate that two operators inspect and verify that the component being selected is correct. This same multiple inspection require- ment carries over to several other areas on the assembly floor—including at the end of the flex line, as well as the solder wave—and requires an operator and supervisor sign-off. Holding multiple people accountable for the quality of a process and product has proven to be an extremely effective and reliable deterrent to making mistakes. While everyone on the shop floor has some responsibility for the quality of the products that leave the factory, the quality team is often placed under a customer's microscope and held accountable to the outside world. For this reason, we invest heavily in personnel to sup- port our quality efforts. We employ more than 20 full-time employ- ees on the quality team, which represents more than 10% of overall first-shift production per- sonnel. From QA auditors and engineers to test technicians and document control, the quality team is a highly visible force throughout the company's shop floor. We typically test products to a Level 3 Pro- duction Part Approval Process (PPAP) stan- dard, which is a modified version of the Auto- motive Industry Action Group (AIAG) format. It conducts and reviews the tests in paral- lel with all necessary agency approvals, with most products subjected to a minimum of 18 elements. Operator Walter Hudson conducts an electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) test.