Technical Library | 2019-09-16 09:41:02.0
“What is Virtual Manufacturing?” The simplest answer is a manufacturing simulation using a computer. The more complete answer is that virtual manufacturing is the process of designing a model of a real system and conducting experiments with this model for the purpose of understanding the behavior of the system. In today’s complex manufacturing environment, processes must be completely understood before implementation in order to “get it right the first time.” To achieve this goal, the use of a virtual environment is essential for simulating individual manufacturing processes and the total manufacturing system. By driving compatibility between the product design and the assembly plant process, these virtual tools enable the early optimization of cost, quality, and time to help achieve integrated products, process and resource design, and affordability.
Technical Library | 2018-04-25 15:54:52.0
An automotive wire harness rarely has just a single part number that can be ordered and installed in a vehicle. Typically, there are many different versions of the same harness based on the orderable content in the vehicle. These versions (often called harness levels) will have unique part numbers. The quantity of these levels and their content is what is typically called complexity and it has a significant impact on the cost of the harness.Quantifying these costs is often very difficult especially with manual methods of deriving and costing the complexity solution. Therefore, traditionally, harness costing has focused on the piece cost of each harness level. When these complexity related costs are considered it is typically with overly simplified cost modeling techniques.This paper will focus on the quantification of these complexity related costs so that they can be modeled allowing automated algorithms to optimize for these costs. A number of real world examples will be provided as well. Since no two businesses are alike, it is the aim of this paper to provide the foundational knowledge and methodology so the reader can assess their own business to model how variation complexity costs affect their business.
Technical Library | 2016-09-12 10:16:04.0
It is hard to open an Industry newsletter or visit an equipment manufacturer’s website without coming across a mention of the Internet of Things (IoT), Industry 4.0, SMART Manufacturing or ‘big data’. The accessibility to obtain data will only increase and this information and its real-time processing will become one of the most important resources for companies in the future. Production machinery will no longer simply processes the product, but the product will communicate with the machinery to tell it exactly what to do. Industry 4.0 has the vision to connects embedded system technologies and SMART production processes to drastically transform industry and production giving way to the SMART factory development. Future development in oven technology will allow machines to be controlled more intelligently and remotely resulting in the lowest cost model for manufacturing flow.
Technical Library | 2019-04-24 20:06:51.0
Choosing an outsourced manufacturing partner that is perfect for a new product and close to your design team is quite different to choosing a partner that can manufacture that same product in volume in lower cost locations and fulfill globally. This is where the Gateway model comes into its own. Most large EMS have structured their organizations to leverage proximity to OEM design teams in high cost regions while providing the benefits of low cost regions for volume manufacturing. The "Gateway" facility in higher cost regions provides design engineering, supply chain design, prototype, and NPI services. The goal of the Gateway is to develop an effective build recipe that can then be effectively and seamlessly transferred to one or more volume manufacturing facility that offers lower costs and direct fulfillment to consumers.We will present a case study that highlights the value of this model and that shows some of the key elements that allow for seamless transitions from plant to plant. The Gateway model is an essential element to a successful global manufacturing model and helps ensure that products are made in the right geography.
Technical Library | 2019-05-02 13:47:39.0
Automating electronics assembly is complex because many devices are not manufactured on a scale that justifies the cost of setting up robotic systems, which need frequent readjustments as models change. Moreover, robots are only appropriate for a limited part of assembly because small, intricate devices are particularly difficult for them to assemble. Therefore, assembly line designers must minimize operational and readjustment costs by determining the optimal assignment of tasks and resources for workstations. Several research studies address task assignment issues, most of them dealing with robot costs as fixed amount, ignoring operational costs. In real factories, the cost of human resources is constant, whereas robot costs increase with uptime. Thus, human workload must be as large and robot workload as small as possible for the given number of humans and robots. We propose a new task assignment method that establishes a workload balancing that meet precedence and further constraints.
Technical Library | 2010-02-03 14:50:51.0
This paper will consider the unique characteristics of the renewable energy and clean-tech sectors and explore how a smartly optimized electronics manufacturing outsourcing model can help OEMs accelerate their timeto- market and support their cost-per-kilowatt reduction goals.
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 | 2023-11-14 19:19:10.0
Our core business is selective soldering. With a combined 25 years of experience in electronics manufacturing, Nordson SELECT is the combination of two highly innovative companies, ACE Production Technologies and InterSelect GmbH, dedicated to enabling the success of our global clients. With a reputation for innovation, all our comprehensive process solutions ensure our customers a maximum return on investment and the ability to achieve a low cost of ownership. Nordson SELECT is pleased to offer a full spectrum of award-winning selective soldering solutions, from compact and economical standalone models to multi-station in-line models with uncompromising high performance. From the initial process development, to full-scale production, our family of industry experts supports our worldwide customer base with anything and everything they may need to ensure their continuing success.
Technical Library | 2023-07-16 21:56:12.0
Imagine being able to accurately predict the correct artwork compensations prior to taking on a large quick turn order regardless of the board design, materials, or process. Such predictive power is possible and can be achieved without a lot of cost and complexity. This paper shows how small sets of designed experiments can be used to create a cImagine being able to accurately predict the correct artwork compensations prior to taking on a large quick turn order regardless of the board design, materials, or process. Such predictive power is possible and can be achieved without a lot of cost and complexity. This paper shows how small sets of designed experiments can be used to create a compensation model. Before a discussion of the design of experiments (DOEs), we will examine key processes and material variables that affect movement as demonstrated on real board design layout in a real production process. Only the few most relevant variables need to be included in the experimental design. A solution is presented that uses small experiments that provide the required information for constructing a general compensation model.mpensation model. Before a discussion of the design of experiments (DOEs), we will examine key processes and material variables that affect movement as demonstrated on real board design layout in a real production process. Only the few most relevant variables need to be included in the experimental design. A solution is presented that uses small experiments that provide the required information for constructing a general compensation model.
Technical Library | 2021-11-22 20:39:44.0
Quality control is a key activity performed by manufacturing companies to verify product conformance to the requirements and specifications. Standardized quality control ensures that all the products are evaluated under the same criteria. The decreased cost of sensors and connectivity enabled an increasing digitalization of manufacturing and provided greater data availability. Such data availability has spurred the development of artificial intelligence models, which allow higher degrees of automation and reduced bias when inspecting the products. Furthermore, the increased speed of inspection reduces overall costs and time required for defect inspection. In this research, we compare five streaming machine learning algorithms applied to visual defect inspection with real world data provided by Philips Consumer Lifestyle BV. Furthermore, we compare them in a streaming active learning context, which reduces the data labeling effort in a real-world context. Our results show that active learning reduces the data labeling effort by almost 15% on average for the worst case, while keeping an acceptable classification performance. The use of machine learning models for automated visual inspection are expected to speed up the quality inspection up to 40%.
