Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1538999
44 SMT007 MAGAZINE I SEPTEMBER 2025 A RT I C L E by C h i nta n S a n g h a n i , E l e ct ro n i c s C e n te r fo r E xc e l l e n c e How PCBA Excellence Transforms High-mix Operations W ith over 30 years of manufacturing excel- lence, our organization has built deep exper- tise in PCBA contract manufacturing for downhole oilfield tools. Through years of focused operational leadership in this demanding sector, we've learned that in high-mix, low-volume (HMLV) environments, traditional manufacturing approaches can create more bottlenecks than breakthroughs. With the demanding requirements of high- reliability electronics and the unpredictable nature of oil and gas industry demands, operational excel- lence requires a fundamentally different approach than conventional high-volume manufacturing. It is an industry where product mix changes constantly, reliability cannot be compromised, and inefficient flow doesn't just impact delivery schedules. It can mean the difference between a successful down- hole operation and costly field failures thousands of feet underground: • 65% reduction in average lead time • 33% reduction in rework hours The Challenge: When Traditional Lean Hits HMLV Reality In HMLV manufacturing, the challenges aren't abstract, but rather daily operational realities that impact every aspect of production. Unlike high- volume environments where Lean methodologies were originally developed, HMLV operations face unique constraints that make traditional approaches ineffective. While the interest and use of Lean tools in HMLV production has increased, adoption often remains partial and adapted rather than holistic." 1