Technical Library | 2012-11-12 14:06:48.0
With consumers constantly looking for lower prices on their technology products and manufacturers trying to squeak out higher margins from their production lines, the need for process control and lower overhead costs have become even more important. One sector that is often overlooked is the hand soldering area of the factory. Many factories have been struggling with antiquated soldering systems for years. In some cases they are trying to make their investment in stations last much longer than they were designed for, or they are falsely trying to recoup their original investment ‐ all at the cost of higher operating expenses or even worse, reduced operator thru‐put.
Technical Library | 1999-05-06 11:42:16.0
The most reliable and well-designed electronic device can malfunction or fail if it overheats. Considering thermal issues early in the design process results in a thermally conscious system layout and minimizes costs through the use of passive cooling and off-the-shelf components. When thermal issues are left until completion of the design, the only remaining solution may be a costly custom heat sink that requires all the space available. Incorporating a heat sink or a fan into a product after it is fully developed can be expensive, and still may not provide sufficient cooling of the device.
Technical Library | 2011-09-02 18:01:36.0
Too often the manufacturers will implement technology for financial reporting purposes but overlook efficiencies that can generate cash flow and reduce costs on the manufacturing floor. Accurate information that provides a business owner or manager the ability to make immediate decisions about his/her operation resulting in a boost to profitability is crucial during an economic downturn. If revenue is down and the market mood does not permit price increases, then profitability can only be realized by reducing costs. So you must ask yourself "What prevents me from 100% efficiency?"
Technical Library | 2008-02-20 21:42:52.0
Tier 2 and Tier 3 EMS companies face increasing pressure from competition in low-cost manufacturing countries to produce assembled boards at lower cost, with increased complexity and to tighter deadlines. They also face an increasing amount of high-mix, small-to-mediumvolume production runs. Even OEMs find it hard to predict what products they will be manufacturing in three to five years time, driving the need to invest in highly flexible production tools that will cater to their needs over the lifetime of the equipment. This paper examines methodologies for optimising the process, improving stock control and providing greater traceability using lean manufacturing techniques.
Technical Library | 2008-12-18 01:34:49.0
Unless you've been living under a rock the past several years, you are no doubt keenly aware of the global drive toward alternative energy sources. Certainly this initiative is attractive because of the clear environmental benefits of developing fossil fuel substitutes, but also because of potential economic benefit. Although fuel cell technology has been proven viable for various applications, the production costs still remain relatively high, and further process development to promote low-cost, high-volume manufacturing is required to reach a price point that encourages widespread consumer acceptance.
Technical Library | 2010-06-24 21:20:05.0
Cost-effective assembly of custom-designed microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) for medium-caliber fuzes is challenging. In particular, the environment must have a setback acceleration exceeding 60,000g and centripetal acceleration of 9000g/mm out of center in a 30mm#2;173 projectile. In addition, the space available is very limited. The traditional approach is to mount the MEMS chip in a package that is then soldered to the printed circuit board (PCB). However, by mounting the MEMS chip directly to the PCB using conductive adhesive, we can increase the packaging density while reducing manufacturing cost.
Technical Library | 2010-08-26 21:06:17.0
Driven by high-profile regulations compliance like the TREAD Act, warranty management has become a hot topic across industries worldwide. Recalls are costly and time-consuming events that should be avoided entirely. But without adequate process traceability and product genealogy, too many customers will get defective products and too many products will be recalled for repair or replacement even though they are not defective. Both scenarios have enormous implications for the quality-conscious manufacturer that gets rated on the number of recalls it performs - not to mention the enormous direct costs. The core issue is visibility into product quality.
Technical Library | 2013-04-12 08:20:15.0
There is much to read about the shifting sands of electronics manufacturing, including current moves by OEMs to alter their EMS relationships to better mitigate risk and cost, while EMS companies look for additional ways in which to adjust their business models in an attempt to improve their profitability. Electronics outsourcing over time evolved from a means to buffer manufacturing demand fluctuations into a wide scale shift in capabilities, in part in order to deal with vastly shorter product life cycles. Following the global economic crash of 2000, aka “the internet bubble,” more and more EMS providers responded by transferring their manufacturing to low cost labour regions, and in particular China.
Technical Library | 1999-07-20 09:15:30.0
What affects the price of boards? Number of layers: Limit the number of layers as much as possible. If higher quantities are anticipated, spend the extra time and money in engineering to minimize layer count....
Technical Library | 2009-09-30 23:12:29.0
Being involved in the electronics assembly industry for more than 23 years, specifically in the field of defluxing and cleanliness testing, I have seen my share of environmental regulations. Long before the debate over lead-free alloys, there was the Montreal Protocol.
