Fresh PCB Concepts: The Critical Nature of Copper Thickness on PCBs
Flexible Thinking: Musings on High Density Interconnections
Global PCB Connections: Mission Critical—Communication Between PCB Designers and Fabricators
Audits: A Critical Element of Process Control
September 3, 2024 | Randy Cherry, IPCEstimated reading time: 1 minute
A formal audit always seems difficult to justify. Companies do not want the expense, and employees do not want the hassle. There is always a chance of failure, and management struggles to understand the benefits. If you or your company has had issues with auditing, hopefully, this article will help you feel a little more comfortable about the auditing process.
First, let’s discuss the internal process audit, which can help you avoid or eliminate many costly manufacturing problems, reduce scrap, increase yields, and directly improve your bottom line.
Process auditing can be simple and easy to maintain if you create a repeatable, impartial auditing process. Start with a Process Verification or Surveillance process audit. Create a basic yes/no checklist that covers each key manufacturing process within your facility. Another idea is to design a checklist covering all manufacturing processes from receiving to shipping and everything in between.
The Process Verification or Surveillance process audit is designed to be high-level. Unlike with a formal audit, objective evidence is not required. You are simply looking for gaps in the manufacturing process against your own internal procedures, standards, and work instructions. If your company operates by industry standards, add those to your checklist. It is best practice to perform Process Verification or Surveillance process audits once per quarter. As you collect and analyze data from the checklist, you can determine the most beneficial internal audit frequency moving forward. Let data drive the decision on audit frequency. Do not base it on opinions.
Going All the Way
Once you have determined your internal manufacturing processes and have met your goals for the Process Verification or Surveillance process audits, you may opt for the next step, which is to have a third-party auditor from an outside company perform a full manufacturing process audit to industry standards and your internal procedures and work instructions. The focus must be on the manufacturing processes, not your quality standards. Most companies have ISO certifications already in place that cover most quality concerns.
To read the entire article, which was originally published in the August 2024 issue of PCB007 Magazine, click here.
Share on:
Suggested Items
Root-cause Analysis and Problem-solving
11/01/2024 | Happy Holden, I-Connect007An essential skill for any process engineer in printed circuit fabrication is the ability to conduct root-cause analysis (RCA) and problem-solving. These are related to TQC and Six Sigma applications and are essential for customer support and continued profitability. All engineers will encounter these methods sooner or later, but it will likely be sooner if you are in product or process engineering in manufacturing.
Unlocking Advanced Circuitry Through Liquid Metal Ink
10/31/2024 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamPCB UHDI technologist John Johnson of American Standard Circuits discusses the evolving landscape of electronics manufacturing and the critical role of innovation, specifically liquid metal ink technology, as an alternate process to traditional metallization in PCB fabrication to achieve ever finer features and tighter tolerances. The discussion highlights the benefits of reliability, efficiency, and yields as a tradeoff to any increased cost to run the process. As this technology becomes better understood and accepted, even sought out by customers and designers, John says there is a move toward mainstream incorporation.
ESCATEC Pushes New Boundaries in Micro-electronics with UV Enhanced Die Bonder Technology
10/30/2024 | ESCATECElectronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) provider, ESCATEC, has successfully integrated a UV light feature to its die bonder, significantly enhancing the precision and efficiency of the micro-assembly processes.
Real Time with... SMTAI 2024: KYZEN's Process Control System and the Digital Factory
10/30/2024 | Real Time with...SMTAINolan Johnson speaks with Tom Forsythe From KYZEN in this interview captured at SMTA International 2024. Did you know that KYZEN products include more than just cleaning formulas? In this conversation, Tom Forsythe explains how their process control system plays an important role in implementing a digital factory.
DENSO, U.S. Startup Quadric Sign Development License Agreement for AI Semiconductor (NPU)
10/29/2024 | JCN NewswireDENSO CORPORATION and Quadric.inc have signed a development license agreement for a Neural Processing Unit (NPU)(1), which is a semiconductor specialized for the arithmetic processing of AI.