Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/374650
10 The PCB Magazine • September 2014 out about 200–250 quick-turn, prototype PCB orders each day to meet the needs of custom- ers, predominately in the U.S. Like clockwork, orders flow into their highly automated website and frontend systems, and 24–72 hours later (mostly, depending on board configurations) flow out the back door of the shipping depart- ment. Although a small manufacturing footprint, it's really easy to get turned around as you walk from room to room following a somewhat logi- cal manufacturing flow. It's also easy to under- estimate their capabilities. They do a lot with what they have to work with. The factory has had to grow up inside a less-than-desirable, seri- ously constrained environment. If asked, Sun- stone managers will tell you that the company occupies 40,000 square feet, but that includes a brand new 8,000 square-foot office building which houses most of the management, cus- tomer service, inside sales, marketing and most admin functions. The rest is where they make PCBs, 24/7, almost 365 days of the year. It's not necessarily an elegant dance, but there is style, form, function and friendliness to it. The Dance Years ago I had the chance to visit high-tech proto maker DDi. At DDi, there wasn't any fi - nesse. They muscled out high-tech protos to all comers at astronomical prices. It was a model that really worked for them. DDi had lots of technical capabilities and the people with the expertise to push the boards through the factory to capture the ridiculous amounts that Silicon Valley engineers were willing to pay to prove out a product design. As was pointed out to me, they were selling time, not just PCBs. I suggest - ed to the management that some systems work might really help them lessen the chaos, accel- erate the manufacturing flow and make more money. You had to admire what they did back then, but they could have done so much more and been so much better. Sunstone is better. They don't tackle the technology the way DDi did, but they have cer- tainly embraced systems thinking. Boards flow through the factory at lightning speed, but it's more of a dance as opposed to a monster truck rally. It's not a rushed or hectic environment, but a nice, smooth flow. How often do you see harmony in a board shop? The Family Here's where I came up with the article title. During my span of 25 years covering the indus - try, I've heard lots of companies talk about their people in glowing terms: "we're like family," or "our people come first," or "it's all about the people." The majority of the time, those state- ments don't have much substance. You'll hear comments like that when a company embarks down some type of continuous improvement path. It's one of the first things managers start talking about, but it's also the first thing they drop when the going gets tough. With Sun- stone, although they, too, have embarked on a continuous improvement path, the family (the people) genuinely does seem to come first. And I literally mean family: sons and daughters work- ing with their parents who've been with the company for decades or spouses with long, col- lective histories with the company. Still, there is a company-wide esprit de corps fostered by the leadership. I'm sure it's not all roses, but there seems to be a genuine, top-down commitment to the well-being of the entire Sunstone family. That commitment to the employees ulti- mately takes care of the customer. It's W. Ed- wards Deming's teachings without the Dem- ing. Heilman and Catt say it just makes sense. It makes for a great place to work, builds em- ployee loyalty and translates into a better expe- THE FAMILy (SuN)STONE continues