Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1523387
18 SMT007 MAGAZINE I JULY 2024 Over the years, Dave used his skill set in electro-mechanical design to help customers develop their own products. He would lay out the PC boards and/or design a chassis, and then that PCB/mechanical layout would turn into a prototype. Slowly but surely, those onesie-twosies turned into pre-production and production runs. Dave taught Ron and me to build a customer's product just as we would our own. is entails grasping a complete understanding of the customer's goals and expectations and then implementing that into the assembly process. is process has now been coined DFM in our industry. Over the years, we have received many compliments from customers who have appreciated our DFM input, which has resulted in a higher quality product. is approach was shared with Carlos and Miguel who have carried on this process for our new customers. Both have truly excelled in this area. Matties: As I walked through the facility, I noticed all the certification awards on the wall. Where does it start when you first hire an employee? Greg Gonzales: It star ts w ith the application process when hiring. We do a phone interview, and if they pass that, Carlos conducts an onsite interview, followed by a practical test on the manufacturing line. We have the candidates follow some basic instructions on a dummy board so we can assess their skill level. Typically, they fall into two categories: brand new, having never done this before, and want to learn; or currently working at your competitor down the street with 16 certifications. It's amazing how the practical test quickly separates the two groups. We find out who is heavy-handed, who can't read a drawing, and who has difficulty understanding it. ey're given a grade, and Carlos will work with Ron to determine whether they will be offered an opportunity at Revco. Nolan Johnson: Do you have a baseline of certifications that you expect or that you develop in your employees before they're fully qualified? Carlos Salinas: If they will be soldering, we want them certified to IPC-J-STD-001 and IPC-A-610 for soldering and inspection. Johnson: How do you train to those standards? Salinas: Miguel and I are certified IPC trainers. We used to have a third party certify all our solderers and inspectors every two years. But Ron Gonzales, Dave Gonzales, and Greg Gonzales. Carlos Salinas with Mycronic pick-and-place machine.