Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1512467
64 SMT007 MAGAZINE I DECEMBER 2023 We decided to partner with Koh Young and have them stop the PCB before the post-AOI to inspect and capture the validation of the exception in the Koh Young database. Now, a post-AOI good call needs nothing else but to have the job moved on to the next manu- facturing step. Go/no-go makes the calls the same across all AOIs. I joke that something is wrong if you have a chair in front of an AOI. To fix this problem, we deployed KSMART Solutions. We now have one person monitor all 15 AOIs in the war room, and they make all the calls. If it needs further review, an alert is sent out to the process technician or QA to expedite the call. How do you approach balancing the need for process efficiency with the requirement for maintaining high-quality standards in electronics assembly? Ask these two questions oen: "Why?" and "Does this process add value that we get paid for?" A good rule is to never be confused for a nonprofit. Process efficiencies always start with fundamentals; this should be monitored with any safety-associated costs recognized or, worse, the unrecognized hidden costs. Quality (QMS) is next, with a foundation that uses the voice of the customer program or, as we call it, "escapes." Listen to what the CAR and SCAR tell you; this should match the MRR logs used by production. New production review (NPR) should demand engineering design for full-functional testing that includes sign-of-life testing and uses this testing to produce a COC that reduces in-field risk. e third and final approach is reliability. e guardrail here: If safety or quality is not world-class, why talk about going faster? e cost of rework always out- weighs the increase in speed. I always turn the reliability conversation into this: Hold up your promise to internal and external cus- tomers; we will maintain margin if we are safe, build with excellent quality, and keep our promises. In your opinion, what are the most common challenges in optimizing electronics assembly processes, and how do you address them? Waste is the most common challenge. My favorite rule in manufacturing is, "Stop rear- ranging deck chairs on the Titanic. Just fix the problem." How do you stop this from KSMART Screenshot Spy Yield analysis.