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28 PCB007 MAGAZINE I MAY 2023 in other areas of the manufacturing facility is priceless for everyone. It only takes a couple of people to understand all the steps in the pro- cess for a department to benefit and learn as a team. e best way to maintain cross-training, communication, and team spirit is to have a unified leadership team. e operations and engineer- ing teams should meet with all areas of the depar tment to assist with this. Good leaders encourage all operators within a depar tment (across areas and shis) to learn about other pro- cesses in their area and to discuss oppor tuni- ties for improvement. Leaders set the tone for ever yone to feel part of the group—one unit working together toward a common goal. A company culture that invites all man- ufacturing areas to improve their processes is a winning strategy for everyone. It starts at the top, with leaders who assist both individual departments and the entire facility in achieving long-term goals. Well-trained operators know what is required of their products before they leave their area and go on to the next depart- ment. In a sense, they act as the supplier serv- ing its customer, and thus are important to the success of the business. Internal customers can be equally important. PCB007 Paige Fiet is a process engineer at TTM-Logan and part of the IPC Emerging Engineer Program. To read past columns, click here. vides time to discuss areas of mutual concern so both sides can understand the impact of their actions. ey are a time to brainstorm a plan of action. Promoting a team environment leads to bet- ter communication. Each department should feel part of a team work- ing toward a com- mon goal f or the entire facility, which s h o u l d r e d u c e competition across departments. (If there i s c o m p e t i t i o n , i t s h o u l d b e w i t h i n departments to con- tinuously improve the quality of their own work .) Giv- i n g o u t s m a l l awards, like a gi card from a local busi- ness or a team T-shirt, increases team morale, pro- motes a stronger work cul- ture, and achieves long-term goals. Teams should also participate in activ- ities outside their day-to-day work activities, such as movie days, golf tournaments, and pizza parties. is helps build personal rela- tionships, trust among teams, and better com- munication among colleagues. Another important step is to establish cross- training among multiple departments. For many, it's helpful to talk about how a bent cor- ner on a panel can cause an inkjet machine to flag an error for the wrong thickness, but few will understand it completely unless they see it done. If there's not enough time to fully cross- train an operator, then departmental trainings and presentations are the next best thing. Site tours are a way to quickly show pro- cesses, too. Once an employee has spent a few months learning the business, a tour can show them the critical role their process plays. e tribal knowledge that is learned from working Each department should feel part of a team working toward a common goal for the entire facility, which should reduce competition across departments.