Happy’s Essential Skills: CIM and Automation Planning, Part 2—Six Principles of Automation

Estimated reading time: 17 minutes

Automation will usually entail a sizable investment. If so, the return on this investment is most assuredly based on continuous use. In-operability due to breakdown, spare parts, operator mistakes or undue complexity cannot be tolerated. Primadonna systems are for research labs. A manufacturing system must be robust, easy to maintain and service, straightforward to operate, with a track record that speaks for itself.

Processes and Raw Materials Consistency

Process and material characterization is a major factor in the reliability of a process. The latitude a processes exhibits to variability in conditions and materials, are the chief factors in process control, quality and yields. This is the main focus of manufacturing philosophies such at statistical quality control (SQC) or statistical process control (SPC)^[11].

The SQC approach is essential to provide process reliability and meet a TQC approach. There are numerous sources of variability: materials, machines, tooling, workmanship, etc., and they all combine like tolerance. That is, they are not simple summations. The end result can be large and unpredictable rejects and defects, or if managed, they can be small and predictable.

To reduce process variability will mean working on machine instability, maintenance and calibration, improving tooling accuracy and ease of use, making set-ups reproducible and easy to adjust or have no need for adjustments, and making sure raw materials are properly specified and vendors have their processes under statistical control. Especially, it will mean training, coaching and well-documented procedures.

Leadership to Execute the Strategies

Automation, although highly desirable, is more than just buying equipment and processes from vendors. A successful automation program requires the focus of the business needs of a company. The first step is in fact not purchases, but commitment to being the best. Automation is not the start of this process; it follows other manufacturing programs. Automated manufacturing (or CIM) fits with TQC, LEAN, DFM, SQC, CAT/A, and FMS programs. Improved performance is achieved by these programs moving your manufacturing response curve (Figure 10) to the right, while customer improvement programs move your products (the PCBS) to the left. As the example in Figure 10 shows: a mediocre PCB at point 1 can be improved to point 2 or point 2’ by process improvement or product simplification, or better still, both will move it to point 3. This is the simple secret to the enormous success in manufacturing of the Japanese.

Figure 10: Improvement in yield and customer satisfaction is a combination of process improvements (2’ to 2) and product improvements (1 to 2) resulting in a markedly improved yield (1 to 3).

The management challenge is to:

• Think strategically
• Examine the role of technologies
• Use manufacturing and engineering philosophies to support the company's business goals
• Support ongoing programs of education and training in new techniques.

The keys to success in automation include seven checkpoints:

1. Believe it can be justified. Lots of benefits will come from entirely unexpected sources.
2. Recognize that enthusiasm, along with a champion, will work wonders.
3. Start with a vison, but begin implementation before total detailed planning is complete. Early success builds momentum.
4. Realize that your functional organization will try to get in the way. Don't let it happen!
5. Get rid of a lot of obsolete traditions; they have no place in today's competitive environment.
6. Rigorously apply TQC, or equivalent, before proceeding. Understand that technology is only part of the answer.
7. Lots of benefits will come from simple improvements. Success comes from people not machines.

These seven ideas, along with the strategies, tactics, philosophies and principles outlined here, are all aspects of a commitment to being the best.

References

1. CIM definition by CASA/SME.
2. Wikipedia Definition-Computer-integrated manufacturing, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer-integrated_manufacturing
3. Holden, H.T., "Complexity Factor C", IPC Technical Review, March/April 1986.
4. Wu, Bevan P.F., "Manufacturing Strategy Towards Integrated Automation," Taiwan Productivity Center Conference., December, 1983.
5. Skinner, Wickham, "Re-inventing the factory," Harvard Business Review.
6. Part 1 of 14 for DoD 7000.14-R, "DoD Financial Management Regulation," volumes 1 and 4.
7. O'Connor, James F., "Making MRP Work in a Multi-plant Environment," PCFAB, September, 1985.
8. "Case Study of PCB C.I.M. Fab Implementation," InterNepcon, Singapore, August 26, 1986.
9. Boothroyd, G. and Dewhurst, P, "Design for Assembly," Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, 1983.
10. Happy’s Essential Skills: Design for Manufacturing and Assembly, Part 1
11. Wallskog, Alan G., "Meet the challenge of international competition for PCBs through strategic quality planning," IPC Technical Review.

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