Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1526666
72 PCB007 MAGAZINE I SEPTEMBER 2024 neering team releases a BOM to production. e BOM has a list of parts that go into the assem- bly bays. Every assembly bay has its own tools, and each one spe- cializes in what is needed for that subassembly. Each subassembly is automatically assigned a barcode and goes into the queue for each bay as needed. At every machine bay, we can scan the barcode and, at any time, know every part we need, where things are in the pro- curement cycle, and where everything is in the shop. e new facility has made production much faster. Have you expanded or contracted your workforce due to the increased automation and efficiency? Faraci: DIS has gotten bigger. We increased our head count in administration and IT, and added key people who monitor the process and the system. We tie purchasing into the subassemblies so we can schedule everything, allowing us to build and ship the machines on time. We've also added more tech support. As sales have increased, we need this additional tech support to be in the field, install the equip- ment, and provide application support. We have also increased our online application support. We can dial into the machines and talk to our customers anytime. Our guys are used to dialing into the machine at different times of the day to answer questions or help with an application. In addi- tion to the new facility, these stra- tegic staff additions are a signifi- cant investment for DIS. Provid- ing superior technical service to our customers is one of our highest values. Jesse Ziomek: Our equipment is in 23 countries, so it's very important that we can extend criti- cal and timely support to our customers every- where that we do business. It must inspire a lot of confidence in your customers. Have any customers visited your new shop yet? Faraci: We've only been in the new place for two months, but today is our first official cus- tomer visit. ey recently purchased a fully automated system and want to see the equip- ment they purchased running on our shop floor. Congratulations. Can you quantify how much you've gained in efficiency? Faraci: Since the move, we have built two units at this facility, and our records show that the produc- tion time from the release of the BOM to the system being ready for final testing has decreased by 22% and 25%, respectively, for those two systems. Our new setup has added a lot of value because it takes certain administrative tasks off the plate of our tech workers, free- ing up their time to do more of the work they should be doing. Before Tony Faraci