Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1361971
28 PCB007 MAGAZINE I APRIL 2021 there. We might not have to release as much product. at's another thing we've been also looking into. Our lot sizes are very, very big, and now that the board shop is probably the fastest in the plant, the rest of the plant runs three shis, the board shop and safety stock can come down a little bit. If we can get au- tomation where we can change part numbers on the fly, then that would ease that pain, too. at's where I'd start. In order to change part numbers on the fly, automation needs to be thought about. We pan- el plate right now, too. So as far as plating, it's one size fits all as we currently have it. I've also thought about different drill machines with a stack system where you can load up the ma- chine and walk away. Right now, we drill about 24—six stacks of four up—in our two machines. Drill is a bottleneck, too, and usually is at most places. But aer the DES, you could follow up with inkjet solder mask and then you've got half of your shop fully automated. Johnson: It sounds to me like you've got an en- tire roadmap set up for what to work on, what's next and so forth. Mack: Yes. I'm a data-driven guy, so data will drive those decisions. Johnson: Given the upgrade plan that you've just laid out for us, how long do you think that will take? Mack: If it was a full-time thing, if I put all my en- ergy into it, it would probably take a year. Shut- ting down production is going to be rough. It's pushing me to start bringing in an inkjet solder mask, having to qualify thousands of part num- bers. Some of our customers might say, "We trust you, go do it and qualify," while others might not. We could have the capex into the building within a few months, but it's the qualifying that would take probably the longest. If everybody was onboard, I could see it within a year. Matties: You're going to run parallel processes, obviously, so you have to allow for that. Mack: When Scott designed the [ICM] facto- ry he had something in mind like inkjet solder mask for upgrading. I know we have some slots in our cleanroom that will allow for conveyor- ized systems. He had that in mind when we de- signed the factory. Matties: You're a data guy, so when you look at the effect of the package of automation that you're talking about—imaging, DES, and sol- der mask inkjet—what's the impact of the sav- ings that you're going to find in your produc- tion costs? Mack: ere's quite a bit, actually. I also am a waste treatment guy, so the impact down- stream would be much less than what we're producing now. I also look at that. When we start producing more automated equipment, getting more panels out, what is the impact on the waste treatment system? With inkjet sol- der mask, for instance, we would reduce our waste in that process by 90%. e impact of not having to wash the screens, the debris on the screen, the chemical on the screen having to get waste treated, etc., then it would be just inkjet solder mask and there is no waste com- ing out of inkjet solder mask. Matties: My thought is, if the savings are signif- icant enough and the technology is available, why not make this a top priority action in your organization? If we can get automation where we can change part numbers on the fly, then that would ease that pain.