Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1483130
24 SMT007 MAGAZINE I NOVEMBER 2022 something else until the other thing comes in. Having to shuck and jive like that in real time is crazy. Ultimately, all this will end. I can tell you that we are a better company at setup, tear-down, and changeover, which at a low- to medium-volume contract manufac- turer is everything. We're getting better at the changeover process—the shucking and jiving. When things are available, this will be easy. Andy Shaughnessy: Do you have any advice for those facing the same problems that you've come up against? For some of your competitors, they may not have investor capital to draw from, and just may have to do it all out of revenue. How would they move forward to be nimbler? Sciberras: Information is king. If you do not understand what is happening in real time and you don't understand what your prob- lems are, you have no chance. What is the data telling you? Start with an understanding of what is happening and the tools you utilize. Invest if it makes sense. at is absolutely criti- cal. I don't think you can play catch up on a thing like that. We've been working on it for decades, constantly investing into the organization so that we can be as nimble as possible, but if all else fails, go back to the data. Continuous improvement is a journey. It's a real thing. I remember my first cou- ple of weeks on the job, we were just start- ing to go through ISO; our first ISO in 2002 and ISO 9001, I thought I knew what they meant; I didn't fully. Now I can look back and say it is truly a journey. Enjoy the ride. It doesn't end. Johnson: anks so much. Sciberras: It was great to meet you too. SMT007 In the April issue of SMT007 Magazine, we inter- viewed Michael Kottke, president at Rocket EMS. In that interview, titled "The Future is Driven by Data," here was our introduction: "When we visited Rocket EMS in 2013 to observe a DIY 4.0 factory data collection and management system in action, we were very impressed. This was clearly a factory of the future, even back then. We recently followed up with Kottke to discuss how this work has given the company a huge advantage over the competition. The moment he realized he's now in a data collection business that happens to build printed circuit boards, everything changed." While this interview ran as an example of the fac- tory of the future being in the now, Kottke illustrates just how a factory 4.0 data management system can help optimize workflow. This interview plays in nicely with our issue this month on workflow man- agement. To read the full interview, click here. LOOKING BACK: Previous Reporting on Workflow Management Success