Global Citizenship: What I’ve Learned About the American PCB Business
Global Sourcing Spotlight: The Best Products to Buy Offshore Through Global Sourcing
Nolan's Notes: The Rise (and Risk) of Data
Data-driven Precision in PCBA Manufacturing
November 13, 2024 | Julie Cliche-Dubois, CogiscanEstimated reading time: 1 minute
The intricacies involved in electronics manufacturing require more than just expensive equipment and skilled technicians; they necessitate an accurate understanding of the entire production flow, informed and driven by access and visibility to reliable data.
As more manufacturers focus on factory data to improve their operations, they turn to advanced analytics platforms, like one offered by Cogiscan. This fully customizable platform was designed for PCBA manufacturing and is specifically geared toward low- to mid-volume mixed-vendor environments where changeover is frequent, many different brands of machines are on the production floor, and a continuous improvement mindset is culturally embedded from the shop floor to the top floor. In this article, we'll use our software platform as a use case for helping electronics manufacturers across all levels of the production operation.
The Data Imperative
Let’s begin at the beginning regarding getting the data from the shop floor. In the domain of printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) manufacturing, data is as abundant as it is complicated. The manufacturing line comprises diverse, specialized machines working together to create complex PCBAs. From solder paste printers that lay the solder paste foundation for healthy circuit connections to placement machines that populate the board with hundreds of different types of components, each piece of equipment generates a wealth of data. Reflow ovens, solder paste inspection (SPI) machines, and automated optical inspection (AOI) systems further contribute to the data stream with their critical roles in the quality of the finished product.
Figure 1: Illustration of typical PCBA manufacturer.
However, the true value of this data can only be realized when it is effectively enriched–– transformed from raw and nonsensical numbers into a coherent narrative to inform strategic decision-making. Collecting and processing data from disparate sources, this software program makes it possible to achieve a comprehensive view of the manufacturing line, multiple lines, or even distributed manufacturing sites. With enriched data, electronics manufacturers can improve their current operations and future-proof manufacturing capabilities by prioritizing opportunities for process optimization, ensuring that every decision made is grounded in the reality of the shop floor.
To continue reading this article, which originally appeared in the November 2024 issue of SMT007 Magazine, click here.
Share on:
Suggested Items
Gartner Forecasts MENA IT Spending to Grow 7.4% in 2025
11/20/2024 | Gartner, Inc.IT spending in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is projected to total $230.7 billion in 2025, an increase of 7.4% from 2024, according to the latest forecast by Gartner, Inc.
ASMPT: Highly Flexible Die and Flip-chip Bonder for Co-packaged Optics Production
11/20/2024 | ASMPTThe high-precision AMICRA NANO die and flip-chip bonder has been specially developed for the production of co-packaged optics where which optical and electronic components are integrated in a common housing. With its exceptional process stability and a placement accuracy of ±0.2 μm @ 3 σ, this innovative bonding system is ideally equipped for the communication technology of the future.
New Ultrafast Memory Boosts Intel Data Center Chips
11/19/2024 | IntelWhile Intel’s primary product focus is on the processors, or brains, that make computers work, system memory (that’s DRAM) is a critical component for performance. This is especially true in servers, where the multiplication of processing cores has outpaced the rise in memory bandwidth (in other words, the memory bandwidth available per core has fallen).
Sluggish Telecom Market Growth Prompts Operators to Become Full-Stack Technology Suppliers
11/18/2024 | IDCWorldwide spending on telecommunications and pay TV services will reach $1,544 billion in 2024, representing an increase of 2.4% year-on-year, according to the Worldwide Semiannual Telecom Services Tracker published by International Data Corporation (IDC).
Keysight Providing Software to Enable Researchers through the Microelectronics Commons
11/15/2024 | Keysight TechnologiesKeysight Technologies, Inc. announced it has reached an agreement to provide its electronic design automation (EDA) software to six of the eight hubs participating in the Microelectronics Commons (Commons).